International Exhibition Tips

Whether you are attending an international exhibition in 2022, or you are just thinking about exhibiting at an international exhibition in general, here we aim to answer some common questions that you may have.

Exhibitions are held throughout the world, and are made up of ‘trade-only’ and ‘public’ trade shows, exhibitions, expos, fairs, world fairs and confex’s (conference & exhibition). One good example of a ‘public’ international exhibition would be the Dubai World Expo held between 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022 (it was postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic).

What is the largest exhibition in the world?

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the world’s largest technology conference, set in Las Vegas, USA. Held annually in January, CES brings together the biggest brands in technology under one roof. There are over 180,000 attendees and 4,400+ exhibitors.

MWC Barcelona (Mobile World Congress) in Spain is the largest mobile event in the world. Known by its original name of Mobile World Congress, it is THE event for smartphones and connectivity technology. There are more than 2,400 exhibitors and 100,000 attendees.

Geneva International Motor Show is where the world’s best new cars make their debut. It is held annually in March and is the biggest of the motor shows throughout the year with over 600,000 public visitors.

Kolkata Book Fair in India has the most visitors of any trade fair, hands down, with 2.2 million visitors in 2018. Kolkata has been the centre of books and printing globally, and has hosted the book fair since 1976.

How do I find trade shows?

There are a multitude of online guides to trade shows available, with almost too much information there at your fingertips. Each industry has its own specific trade shows around the world – for instance there are almost 3000 trade shows for Arts & Crafts globally.

Check out what shows your competitors attend, which will give you a good idea of where you should be.