The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) have released their 2011 index results – it usually serves as a pretty good barometer for the overall B2B exhibitions/events industry – and it’s good to see some positive news for the industry this year, especially given all the economic doom and gloom.

As an objective measure of the performance of the exhibition industry the CEIR Index measures year-over-year changes in four key metrics to determine overall performance:

1. Net Square Feet of Exhibit Space Sold

2. Professional Attendance

3. Number of Exhibiting Companies

4. Gross Revenue

The 2011 gain in the exhibition industry was reflected in all four metrics of measurement, marking an end of three consecutive years of decline – the events future is looking bright!

You can read CEIR’s full press release, but here’s a brief summary of the findings:

• Overall exhibition industry posted a relatively strong rebound of 2.7%, finishing 15% higher than forecast
• Revenue growth is expected to increase Y-O-Y to 3.6% in 2014
• According to a CEIR survey released in February 2012, “B2B exhibitions received an average of 39.2% of respondents’ marketing budget in 2011.”
• Number of exhibitors also posted an increase – up 2.3% year-over-year after falling 1.1% in 2010
• Number of attendees increased 3.4% on the back of 2.4% growth in 2010
• Sector to watch: business-process related exhibitions growing rapidly – 11.2% increase
• Government related exhibitions grew 7%, communication & IT 8.1%, and transportation 5.7% were also among the fastest-growing
• By contrast, building, construction, and home repair (-5.3%), and sporting goods, travel, and amusement (-0.8%) all declined, while medical and health care (0.2%) experienced only marginal growth.

Great to see business-process related exhibitions are on the up. No real surprise to be honest as more and more organisations we speak to are focusing on process improvement, efficiency and cost savings. This growth sector is a shining example of our resilient industry – events will always be around but it’s knowing what to offer to the market and when.