DALLAS, 11 March 2014 – Attendees spend an estimated $44.8 billion and exhibitors spend an estimated $24.5 billion at events according to new research released today from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).
This research documents the substantial contribution business-to-business exhibitions make to the U.S. economy through attendee and exhibitor direct spending, and it is significant. For the first time, CEIR commissioned Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLP to quantify attendee and exhibitor direct spend estimates based on data compiled as a part of an interim update of The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy Study. This data, along with other CEIR data were used to compute the estimates published in these two documents.
The reports, Attendee Direct Spending Estimate and Exhibitor Direct Spending Estimate, analyze the potential, direct spend of attendees and exhibitors at exhibitions, and further reveal direct spending at exhibitions of any size positively impacts the economy. The findings are based on the more than 11,000 exhibitions that CEIR tracks from 3,000 net square feet and have at least 10 exhibiting companies to the largest exhibitions in the U.S.
CEIR CEO Brian Casey, CEM, says, “These direct spend estimates clearly communicate the power of business-to-business exhibition industry in making a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy. Direct spending fuels business for exhibition organizers and suppliers as well as the travel and tourism industries. All this commerce helps local, regional and U.S. economies which translates into job retention and job creation.”
“These two documents offer invaluable data to help cities evaluate and compare the economic impact of exhibitions looking to hold their events in their communities,” says CEIR Research Director Nancy Drapeau, PRC. They also offer a useful tool for exhibition organizers aiming to make the case of the economic impact their event offers prospective host cities when striving to book dates for their events.”
Click on the following links to access each corresponding report: SM40.14 Attendee Direct Spending Estimate and SM41.14 Exhibitor Direct Spending Estimate. IAEE members can access the CEIR library and reports at no cost – a benefit of IAEE membership.
About CEIR
CEIR serves to advance the growth, awareness and value of exhibitions and other face-to-face marketing events by producing and delivering knowledge-based research tools that enable stakeholder organizations to enhance their ability to meet current and emerging customer needs, improve their business performance and strengthen their competitive position. For additional information, visit www.ceir.org.
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Media Inquiries:
Mary Tucker
mtucker@ceir.org
+1 (972) 687-9207
