UFI: strong growth in exhibition industry

Paris, 29th January: UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, released its latest edition of the Global Exhibition Barometer report, offering fresh insights into the current state of the exhibition industry.

Almost half of the respondents reported an increase in activity of more than 5% in their domestic market in 2025. One-third of the companies forecasted an annual increase in operating profits of more than 10% in 2026. The report also showed AI usage continued to rise worldwide, and about 37% of the companies considered the necessary to improve the format of exhibitions.

Chris Skeith OBE, Managing Director and CEO at UFI, commented, “This edition of the Global Exhibition Barometer confirms what we are seeing across the industry: strong, steady growth and a sector that continues to adapt at pace. We see solid growth in rented space and operating profits across many markets, alongside a notable acceleration in the use of AI to improve efficiency and customer experience.”

The latest edition of this biannual research was concluded in December 2025 and it featured data from 378 companies in 57 countries and regions. The report included outlooks and analyses covering 19 countries and regions: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, and the USA – as well as five additional aggregated regional zones.