UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has released its comprehensive report on the World Map of Exhibition Venues. This edition, prepared by jwc GmbH in collaboration with UFI, focuses on venues with over 300,000 sqm of gross indoor exhibition space across 21 markets. The report encompasses all venues with a minimum of 5,000 sqm, offering valuable insights into the global exhibition landscape.

Europe ahead of Asia-Pacific and North America

Regionally, Europe retains the largest share of global venue capacity at 37.2%, while Asia-Pacific closely follows with 36.6%, showcasing growth with new capacities. North America ranks third with 17.9%. On a country level, China leads, housing 29.3% of the world’s venue capacity, followed by the USA at 14.9%, and Germany at 7.5%. Together with Italy and France, these five countries contribute to 62% of the world’s indoor exhibition space.

The report highlights the increasing presence of “mega venues” with over 100,000 sqm of space, numbering 81 globally and constituting 6% of the market. Europe and Asia-Pacific host 40 and 35 mega venues, respectively. Medium-sized venues (20,000 to 100,000 sqm) represent 35% of all venues, while 59% fall in the 5,000 to 20,000 sqm range.

Full report available on the UFI and jwc websites

The Asia-Pacific region boasts the largest average venue size due to significant infrastructure projects, especially in China. The 2023 UFI World Map covers 21 markets, including Austria, Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, UAE, and the UK. In line with UFI’s commitment to industry data accessibility, the full report is available on the UFI and jwc websites at no cost (www.ufi.org/research and www.jwc.eu.com). This comprehensive resource contributes valuable insights to the global exhibition industry.