TRADE FAIRS: ATTENDANCE RISES TO ALMOST 18 MILLION OPERATORS (+6.1%), INCLUDING 1.3 MILLION FROM ABROAD (+4.2%)
DANESE (AEFI CHAIRMAN): PUSH FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO BOOST INTERNATIONALISATION
The Italian exhibition industry concludes 2024 with further growth. According to Aefi (the Italian Exhibition and Trade Fair Association)’s preliminary survey released today in Milan at the 2nd National Conference on Export and Internationalisation of Businesses, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 831 events held this year attracted nearly 18 million visitors (+6.1% compared to 2023), including 1.3 million from abroad (+4.2%). There has been a growth in operators, mostly professionals, driven in particular by the 289 international and 226 national trade fairs organised to promote the business of all the main Made in Italy sectors. A total of 10.4 million square metres (+7% compared to the previous year) of exhibition space was sold to almost 140,000 exhibitors, including 23,000 foreign ones.
“These numbers – stated AEFI Chairman Maurizio Danese – reaffirm the strategic value of promoting Italian products abroad, while also highlighting the ability of trade fairs to generate value for local economies, amounting to 22.5 billion euros per year, with an estimated added value of 10.6 billion euros, equivalent to 0.7% of GDP. “To be even more effective”, added Danese, “we now need to activate a public-private partnership to create a common platform for promoting our events abroad. A non-negotiable requirement, aligned with the practices already adopted by foreign competitors. It would be a missed opportunity if excellence ‘Made in Italy’, ranked second globally for perceived quality, were unable to rely on a national flag carrier for internationalisation with proprietary events in strategic areas of the world”.
Regarding the 2025 calendar, the latest update from the Interregional Trade Fair Coordination Body (as of October 15th) envisages 261 international events and 205 national ones. Whereas there are set to be 400 local and regional trade fairs.
Aefi is the Italian national trade fair association representing 20 organisers and 40 exhibition districts, where 96% of international events take place.