AEFI ECONOMIC OBSERVATORY ON THE TRADE FAIR SECTOR
The thirtieth quarterly survey on trends in the trade fair sector conducted by the AEFI Economic Observatory for the July–September 2016 period indicates an overall situation of
improvement compared to the previous quarter and consolidation with
respect to the corresponding period last year.
The survey, which
involved 26 AEFI-member Italian trade fair districts – through the
positive and negative balances defined on the basis of responses from
members who took part in the analysis – highlights a positive trend in
terms of exhibitors, visitors and rented space. The indicators related
to the number of exhibitions remain stable.
The trend in the
number of visitors is particularly positive, with a balance of +27%
recorded from the members’ responses, a significant increase both on the
previous quarter, when the balance was +12%, and on the same period
last year, when it was +16%.
The cross-section of origin is of
interest, showing excellent performance from Italian exhibitors, with a
balance of +31%. For foreign exhibitors from the EU there’s a positive
balance of +23%, while a balance of +15% is recorded for non-EU
exhibitors.
The growth of the number of exhibitions was
consolidated, with 61.55% of respondents recording a static situation.
The balance of districts that reported an increase (23.07%) and those
that indicated a decrease (15.38%) is positive, +8%. The differential
confirms consolidation both with respect to the second quarter this
year, when it was +20%, and when compared with the same period last
year, when it was +4%.
A balance of +23% was recorded for the
exhibition rented space, a marked improvement on the second quarter of
2016 (+12%) and essentially in line with the same quarter last year
(+29%).
The greatest contribution to the increase in total rented
space was made by foreign exhibitors, with a balance of +23%. There was
also good performance from Italian exhibitors (balance of +15%).
It
should be highlighted that none of the members that took part in the
survey recorded a decrease in the rented space by non-EU exhibitors.
The
visitor intake increased for 53.84% of the members involved in the
survey and was the same for 38.48%. The balance of +46%, net of the
static component, is particularly significant, above all because it
improves on the already excellent development of the last quarter (+36%)
and the situation at the end of September 2015 (+25%). Italian visitors
make their contribution to the progress of the quarter under
consideration, with a balance of +46%, followed by foreign EU (+27%)
visitors and non-EU (+19%) visitors.
Also confirming the positive
trend is turnover, which increased for 53.87% of the districts involved
in the survey. The balance, of +31%, improves on the end of June 2016
and is in line with the same period last year.
The forecast for
the coming October–December 2016 quarter is optimistic, permitting
speculation on new, significant developments. 42.30% of the districts
that took part in the survey foresee an increase in the number of
exhibitions, 42.29% an increase in exhibitors as well and 50.02% an
increase in rented space.
Expectations concerning the number of
visitors are very encouraging: an increase for 50.03% and stable for
30.76%. The balance of +31% reinforces this positive sentiment.
The AEFI Observatory figures are authoritatively confirmed through comparison with the analysis performed by ISFCERT, the Certification Institute for Exhibition Industry Statistics, recognised by ACCREDIA for the trade fairs certified.
Comparison
of trends in the last two editions of 37 professional international
exhibitions held in the first nine months of 2016 that turned to the
ISFCERT institute for certification of their exhibition statistics in
both 2015 and 2016 – and are therefore comparable – highlights increased
numbers of visitors, visits – understood as the number of unique daily
entrances – exhibitors and total rented space.
In detail: visitors
increased by 2.5% in total, with Italians increasing by +1.4% and
foreigner visitors by +6.5%; overall, unique daily entrances increased
by 5.4% (Italian +4.9%; foreign +9.4%). The figures also point to an
increase in exhibitors of +2,2% (Italians +3%; foreign +0,8%). Finally,
with regard to the rented space, the professional exhibitions certified
in the first nine months of 2016 recorded +3.2%.
AEFI – the Italian Exhibition and Trade Fair Association – was set up in 1983 with a view to generating synergies between the
most significant Italian exhibition districts. Specifically, AEFI would
like to be seen as a privileged partner for operators and institutions
alike, and its role is to support members through the development of
activities and programmes in the sphere of training, marketing,
promotion and research, as well as to provide services for trade fairs
through the activities of its Committees: Exhibition Hub Technical
Committee, Administrative-Legal Committee, Internationalisation
Committee and Trade Fairs Network Committee.
On an international
scale, AEFI represents Italian trade fairs in UFI – Union of
International Fairs. Chaired by Ettore Riello, AEFI includes 35 member
exhibition districts, which organise over 1,000 events a year over an
overall exhibition area of 4.2 million square metres. Most international
trade fairs, and 85% of all trade fairs, which take place each year in
Italy, are held in AEFI-member exhibition districts.
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