News Feature
Top concerns of exhibition
industry leaders globally
27%
0%
Impact of
Covid-19
pandemic on the
business
21%
26%
State of
the economy in
home market
18%
Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia,
Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa,
Singapore, South Korea, Spain,
Thailand, the UAE, the UK and the U.S.
In addition, it analyses five aggregated
regional zones.
Regions
Each region broadly follows the level
of operations indicated above for the
world, with two notable differences:
» The Asia-Pacific region first faced
a drop in activity: only 73% of
companies declared a “normal” level
in January compared to a minimum of
85% in all other regions; in February,
the level had already dropped to 45%
in the Asia-Pacific region.
» The Middle East & Africa, and to
some extent Central and South
America, appear less confident as
to the return to a “normal” level of
activity than in other regions. In both
those regions, a majority of companies
expect that “national” exhibitions
won’t open until 2021. Other regional
results indicate that:
» The revenue drop for all of 2020 is
expected to be slightly higher in the
Middle East & Africa and Central and
South America (respectively only 31%
19%
Golbal economic
developments
10%
10%
Impact of
digitalisation
July 2020
January 2020
7%
15%
Internal
challenges
and 33% of last year’s revenue) than
in the Asia-Pacific region (39%) or
Europe and North America (44%).
» In terms of profits, the percentage of
companies expecting a loss for 2020
varies from 34% in the Asia- Pacific
region to 48% in the Middle East &
Africa, and around four companies
out of ten in all other regions.
Cost reductions and financial support
Overall, 87% of companies have been
cutting costs, and 17% have cut more
than 50% of their overall costs. A
majority of companies say they have
not received any financial support.
At the same time, 44% have, and for
a majority of those, it related to less
than 10% of their costs. While 2020
investments have been stopped for 44%
of companies globally, with a further
32% of companies saying they are
cutting back, there are some significant
regional differences:
» Financial public support is less
frequent in the Middle East & Africa
and in North America, where only
respectively 31% and 38% benefitted.
60% of companies have stopped all
investments in Central and South
America.
Most important business issues
“Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the
business” is considered as the most
important business issue (27% of
combined answers). Also, for the first
time, “Impact of digitalisation” (10%
of answers) joins the “State of the
economy in home market” (21%) and
“Global economic developments” (18%)
in the top priorities.
“Internal challenges” and
“Competition from within the
industry”, always in the top four most
important business issues, are ranked
below for this survey, with respectively
7% (15% six months ago) and 5% of
answers (20% six months ago).
Format of exhibitions
Global results indicate that:
» 57% are confident that “Covid-19
confirms the value of face-to-face
events” anticipating that the sector
will bounce back quickly (19% “Yes,
for sure” and 38% “Most probably”).
» 56% believe that there will be “Fewer
international ‘physical’ exhibitions,
and overall, fewer participants”
(13% “Yes, for sure” and 44% “Most
probably”), and 25% are “Not sure”.
» 82% of companies consider that there
is “A push towards hybrid events,
more digital elements at events”
(30% “Yes, for sure” and 52% “Most
probably”).
A minority of 17% agrees with “Virtual
events replacing physical events”
(3% “Yes, for sure” and 14% “Most
probably”), and 20% are “Not sure”.
There is one significant regional
differentiation:
» “Virtual events replacing physical
events”, with stronger and opposing
views – from Europe, where 80% of
companies disagree, and from North
America, where “only” 50% do. EN
The 25th UFI Global Exhibition
Barometer survey was conducted in
collaboration with 17 UFI Member
Associations. The full results can be
downloaded from the UFI website.
September — 11