“Take That, Post-Pandemic Doubters. Trade Shows, Markets Are Thriving,” reads the headline of a recent article in Gifts & Decorative Accessories, highlighting how participation has returned to pre-pandemic levels at the gift and home industry’s major events in Atlanta, Dallas, New York, and Las Vegas.

The article’s writer seems to have lifted a page out of the latest report conducted by CEIR (Center for Exhibition Industry Research), the official research division of IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events), where 362 B2B exhibitors across a variety of sectors reported that events remain their No. 1 marketing investment. Despite continued growth in digital alternatives, face-to-face exhibitions account for the largest share — 41 percent — of exhibitors’ marketing budgets across all budget sizes.

“The Marketing Spend Decision Report” is CEIR’s first research report on marketing budget allocations since before the pandemic. The report, conducted in late 2025, tracks exhibitor marketing spend in 2025 and their expectations for 2026.

The majority of exhibitors indicated that their overall marketing budgets are mostly flat and for those who anticipated increases in 2026, incremental shifts were expected for B2B exhibitions, select in-person sponsorships, and targeted digital channels. Nearly half (47 percent) of exhibitor respondents said they planned to exhibit in the same number of events as 2025, and more than one-quarter (28 percent) planned to add shows to their program — although the majority of respondents (83 percent) were planning to keep their booth size the same.

We asked Nancy Drapeau, CEIR’s vice president of research, to share some insights from the study. Here is what she had to say.

How exhibitors are taking a different approach
If you look at the median net square foot average booth size, it has stayed [consistent] over time, [but] I think [exhibitors are] being more strategic, like determining how much space does one need along with everything else they can invest in.

There’s definitely intent and strategy. It’s expensive to exhibit. They should appropriately be very thoughtful about how they’re allocating their finite marketing dollars. Where we see that higher level of intentionality, it’s those with the larger budgets. I know at one point earlier on, there was a squeezing on the part of the largest, the ones that might have a trade show, an exhibit program of 50, 60 shows. It’s being mindful, so maybe more 10 by 10s. Being strategic on having that big corporate presence at the flagship shows, those must-attend events, that sort of thing.

It’s right-sizing the investment. For the largest share, the median [number of B2B exhibitions participated in annually] is still six. Just looking at it in terms of where growth will be anticipated, it’s where exhibitors are on the hunt for other relevant shows. They should be discriminating and only choose those shows that will deliver. There might be some readjustments, as there should be.

We shouldn’t indiscriminately be spending finite marketing dollars. The index has seen that pattern. What’s been driving recovery of the industry have been exhibitors. We saw that. We did a study when the pandemic had shut down the industry. We asked exhibitors and attendees, “Will you come back when trade shows reopen?” Ninety-four percent of exhibitors said, “yes,” because if face-to-face marketing is integral to how you market and sell, the value is there. Trade shows deliver. They did digital events more extensively during the pandemic.

Where digital events do and don’t work
The viability of online education precedes the pandemic. [With] the introduction of digital, the expectation was trade shows were going to die. You had these virtual trade shows, which is like trying to take a two-dimensional medium and force-feeding a three-dimensional environment.

It failed, but what was retained was online education. It’s been a revenue generator and services the educational needs. But what’s interesting is that even among younger folks, there’s this yearning for in-person engagement. For those who went to school, whether high school or college, during the pandemic, those are like lost years. You didn’t get those experiences. Though online education serves a purpose, it’s not enough. There’s that thirst for that experience in person, even for learning.

We did 80 interviews with young professionals at seven different shows on the Eastern Seaboard last fall. I met so many wonderful, articulate, young professionals. We focused on show-floor engagement. I think they’re just going to glean even more from the in-person experience. They will, I think, force exhibitors to adhere to best booth practices. They’re not just looking for the freebie stuff. They’re looking for relevant opportunities to engage with staff in a booth and product. It’s pretty exciting.

It’s something that’s of paramount importance to professionals in general, which is all great because it just [demonstrates] the enduring value of our channel.

In this study, [exhibitors] broke down their marketing budget across all channels used. The No. 1 channel for those companies that exhibit was a trade-show channel. Seventy-five percent invest in one or more digital channels, which is very important for organizers to pay attention to, to make sure that their solutions for pre-event, on-site, and post-show marketing are in line with the media consumption wants, preferences of exhibitors, and attendees, so that the investment in exhibiting is the best that it can be.

What we find in another study that hasn’t been published yet, the organizer performance benchmarking study, is that 85 percent of those with net profit of 60 percent or higher, offer marketing support —  a lot of those pre-event, onsite, post-show digital solutions, among other things. Our channel works in tandem with digital. It’s not an either-or.

Surprises in the results
This is the first time we’ve run this study since the pandemic. Last time, it was polling, getting perspective on events through 2017. What’s stunning is the primacy of the trade-show channel post-pandemic. I thought there would be a lower percent, and it’s not. The staying power of the channel, it’s a nice surprise.

The most actionable data from the report for event organizers to keep their eye on
[The importance of] consultative selling. Meeting planners: Listen to your exhibitors, your sponsors. What are they looking to achieve? Can your show or your event, your conference, deliver against [those]? What are the metrics that they’re looking for? This research uncovers that they’re looking to achieve branding and sales objectives. Bottom line, though, what hasn’t changed is when it comes down to brass tacks, something that’s sales-related is what management cares about most. You want to strive to make sure that you retain your sponsors and your exhibitors.

The sales team really needs to focus on retention. Doing that, it’s a consultative selling. Not trying to, “Blah, here, buy this stuff,” irrespective of whether it aligns with the branding goal, they want to do a new launch, or doing some reinforcement or product engagement. There are a lot of wonderful opportunities. Brand activations are popular. Listen to the prospective exhibitor or repeat exhibitor who wants to do something different, make it happen. I don’t think that’s rocket science.

For attendees, what I find interesting is what Dr. Jeff Tanner had uncovered on a study we did in the past: Younger professionals could be the scouts for their companies. The senior buyer might put them on a hunt for whatever, so make sure that the information materials are in the formats that they want. Some want digital, but not all want digital. Some want the mobile app. Others don’t download it because it takes up too much memory. They want to take pictures. In any event, make sure that information materials are in the formats that the attendees want, and that can be delivered to the buyers when they’re evaluating options.

Michelle Russell is Convene‘s former editor in chief.