The UK exhibitions industry generated £11.5 billion in total economic output in 2024, according to the annual Economic Impact Study by Oxford Economics, commissioned by the Events Industry Alliance.
The report states that the sector accounts for £6 billion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supports 126,000 jobs. Direct spending by organisers, exhibitors, and visitors totalled £5.1 billion. This spending supports 60,600 jobs and £2.7bn in GDP.
The study also incorporates data from the Size and Scale Index for Exhibitions (SASIE) report published earlier this year, which revealed 1,145 exhibitions were held in 2024, attracting 7.2 million visitors.
Based on the economic impact of £11.5 (€13.6) billion and a total of 132,000 exhibiting companies, total output per exhibitor amounted to approximately £87,000 (€103,000).
Rachel Swann, chief operating officer, energy division at dmg events and EIA chair commented, “The report quantifies the economic significance of exhibitions in the UK and shows the industry has now exceeded pre-covid contributions and significantly grown from £10.9 billion output in 2023. The industry proves its resilience year on year but still needs support and recognition from the Government.”
The study also outlines indirect and induced impacts. Indirect impacts refer to supply chain spending, while induced impacts result from wages spent in the wider economy. The GDP multiplier for the sector was 2.09, meaning that for every £1 of direct GDP generated, an additional £1.09 was created through indirect and induced effects.