97% of companies want “and need” in-person trade shows

“Companies expressed clear approval of the additional digital benefits offered by hybrid trade fair formats during the pandemic in particular, however: people want – and need – in-person trade fairs,” said Wolfgang Marzin, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt.

“This is a clear vote of confidence for in-person events,” Marzin said. “Only 3 percent of respondents wanted to see events move entirely online. In fact, 67 percent of our customers would like events to take place solely in person, with another 30 percent expressing a preference for hybrid formats. In total, 97 percent of our customers remain convinced that in-person events are an essential component of trade fairs.

“We first conducted this survey back in 2020, and not only were our customers eager to share their views but there was also a sharp rise in confidence been the first and second surveys. Many of our customers saw their financial situations improve markedly during this time. There has also been an increasing readiness to participate in trade fairs nationally and internationally, both today and in the future. Both of these factors have made us very optimistic here at Messe Frankfurt. Our customers are still here.”

59,000 companies took part in the survey. The goal was for local sales partners to contact Messe Frankfurt’s customers during the coronavirus pandemic, inform them of trade fair cancellations and support their efforts to participate in current and future trade fairs.

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