CHICAGO — The 2022 class of Trade Show Executive’s (TSE) Fastest 50 Shows has officially made history as the group of trade shows with the highest growth rates ever seen in the Fastest 50 program. Nearly 25% of Fastest 50 shows reported that the 2022 edition was their largest in history, and the 2022 Next 50 class also saw significant gains.
Growth rates were astounding across all three metric categories: net exhibition floor space (NSF), number of exhibiting companies and total attendance. The Fastest 50 shows saw incredible growth of 82.8% in exhibition floor space, 76.5% in exhibiting companies and 88.2% in total attendance. The Next 50 shows also saw strong growth, with the group seeing growth of 30% in exhibition floor space, 33.3% in exhibiting companies and 33.5% in total attendance.
These impressive numbers reflect the beginning of the trade show industry’s comeback in a post-pandemic context. Comparing the 2022 editions of shows with those of 2021, the resulting growth rates reveal that the industry’s comeback has not only been strong, but for some, even better than before the pandemic.
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The economic impact of the shows has been incredible, as well as. The Fastest 50 and Next 50 shows reported a combined total of 1,598,558 attendees. Economic study of the Events Industry CouncilAt a rate of $1,156 per North American attendee, the economic impact of trade shows is equivalent to more than $1.8 billion.
Gabrielle Weiss, TSE Vice President and Editor-in-Chief, said, “The trade show industry is in full recovery, and many shows have bounced back stronger than ever. Not only does the data show the current state of the industry, it also reflects the strength, resilience and creativity of the teams behind the shows—both show management and our industry partners.”
Contact Gabrielle Weiss at (312) 493-7753 or gweiss@tradeshowexecutive.com