COST CONCERNS are becoming an increasingly important factor in how Asia-Pacific incentive travel buyers choose and use industry trade shows, even as confidence remains high in the long-term value of major global events.
Research from the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), based on 747 responses, found that buyers and suppliers often arrive at the same trade show with very different objectives. While exhibitors are primarily focused on generating new business and building sales pipelines, buyers place greater value on strengthening existing relationships and working with trusted partners.
Asked to identify the single most important function of a trade show, 43.3% of buyers selected building and deepening existing relationships, rising to 52.4% among agencies and incentive houses. By contrast, lead generation was the top priority for hotels, suppliers, destination management companies and convention bureaux.
The findings suggest that, for many buyers, trade shows are less about discovering new suppliers than reinforcing networks that can deliver programmes and solutions for clients.
“A full appointment diary can represent very different ambitions for the people sitting on either side of the table,” said Pádraic Gilligan, Head of Consultancy and Research at SITE.
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“For an agency, the most valuable meeting may be with a trusted partner who understands its clients. For an exhibitor, the priority may be meeting a buyer for the first time. Understanding those expectations can help everyone make better use of their time at a show.”
At the same time, the survey highlights the financial pressures facing attendees, particularly in Asia-Pacific. Across all respondents, cost and budget constraints were identified as the biggest obstacle to achieving value from trade shows, cited by 46.1%, comfortably ahead of time away from clients and difficulty demonstrating return on investment. Cost was the leading challenge across every major stakeholder group.
For an agency, the most valuable meeting may be with a trusted partner who understands its clients.
The report notes that Asia-Pacific and Middle East and African respondents face particularly acute cost pressures, while participation rates at major international events remain lower than in North America and Europe.
The research suggests that distance from the industry’s largest Western-based exhibitions continues to influence attendance patterns. In Asia-Pacific, nearly a quarter of respondents said they were uncertain about the future importance of trade shows, a higher level of uncertainty than many other regions.
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Those findings may strengthen the case for regional events such as the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne. According to SITE’s research notes, ongoing scrutiny of travel and exhibition budgets is increasing the importance of regional platforms that allow buyers and suppliers to conduct face-to-face business development without the cost of long-haul travel.
Yet the broader outlook for the trade show sector remains positive. Almost six in 10 respondents expect major trade shows to grow in importance during the next three years, while nearly a quarter expect their role to remain unchanged. Only 3.5% foresee a decline.
SITE’s wider analysis points to continued strong prospects for flagship events including IMEX Frankfurt, IMEX America, IBTM World in Barcelona and AIME. Overall, 83.5% of respondents expect major international trade shows to maintain or increase their importance over the next three years.
The survey also found a clear link between attendance and optimism. Respondents planning to attend IMEX America were significantly more likely to believe trade shows would become more important than those who were undecided or not attending.
Gilligan said the challenge for organisers and attendees alike was to ensure the investment delivers measurable value.
“There is a strong vote of confidence here in the future of face-to-face business development. The challenge is to make that investment work harder. Clear objectives, relevant appointments and meaningful follow-up all matter, as does recognising the longer-term value of relationships when assessing what a show has delivered.”
The full SITE Pulse Survey on Trade Shows can be downloaded here…
Main image… Suppliers meet buyers at AIME 2025, one of the shows that the SITE survey finds to have a growing regional importance for incentive travel
