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SPAIN – 472 TRADE FAIRS WITH OVER 6.8 MILLION VISITORS: THE DATA LEFT BY THE 11TH GLOBAL EXHIBITIONS DAY
The trade fair sector in general, and in Spain in particular, is experiencing times of enormous activity and great growth expectations. This was the atmosphere felt during the celebration this Wednesday of the 11th Global Exhibitions Day, under the message “Exhibitions drive opportunities.” And here is the data: in 2025, a total of 472 trade fairs were held with over 6.8 million registered visitors, 64,200 exhibitors, and an economic impact of 13.6 billion euros.
Global Exhibitions Day (GED), or International Trade Fair Day, is an initiative promoted by UFI-The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, the sector’s main global association based in Paris, which annually brings together companies, organizations, entities, and professionals from more than 100 countries. AFE is a member of UFI, as are 50 other national and regional associations that support it within their spheres of influence.
In this edition, the GED campaign revolved around one core message: Exhibitions drive opportunities, a statement backed by the opportunities that trade fairs offer:
- Fostering teamwork, expanding skills, and creating meaningful connections that support professional careers, communities, and global collaboration.
- Driving business growth, opening new markets, and enabling companies of all sizes to thrive through direct customer interaction and real market connections.
- Accelerating sustainable solutions, showcasing green innovations, and promoting responsible practices that help industries reduce their environmental impact.
Figures of the Spanish Trade Fair Market
Regarding the activity of the members of the Association of Spanish Trade Fairs (AFE), these are the figures corresponding to 2025:
- Total number of trade fairs and events with commercial exhibition: 472 (445 in 2024).
- Number of exhibitors: 64,236 (+6.9% compared to 2024).
- Total net area occupied by exhibitors: 4,065,710 m² (+2%).
- Total number of visitors: 6.8 million (+9.8%).
- Other registered virtual visitors: 386,033 (46,295 in 2024).
The data relating to the annual impact of the Spanish trade fair market as a whole are:
- Economic impact: 13.6 billion euros (direct, indirect, and induced).
- Contribution to GDP: 6.9 billion euros (direct, indirect, and induced).
- Direct and indirect jobs generated by trade fair activity: 124,400.
The AFE believes that insufficient attention is paid to the economic and social impact of the trade fair sector, which has not stopped growing in recent years. According to global data from Oxford Economics, 32,000 trade fairs are held annually; exhibition venues reach 1,530 (520 in Europe); exhibitors total 4.7 million (1.3 million in Europe); visitors reach 317.7 million (101.7 million in Europe); the net area occupied reaches 138 million m² (43.2 million m² in Europe); the contribution to GDP amounts to 215 billion euros (54 billion euros in Europe), considering the direct, indirect, and induced impact; and the direct and indirect jobs generated by trade fair activity reach 4.3 million (1 million in Europe).