UK exhibitions sector generated £11bn in 2010

New figures released by FaceTime, the promotional agency for face-to-face marketing, have revealed that the UK exhibitions sector generated £11 billion in spending and contributed £5.6 billion in value added to the UK economy in 2010, equivalent to 0.4 per cent of UK GDP.

This activity supported 148,500 jobs in the UK, which equates to 0.5 per cent of total employment in the UK.

According to the figures, produced by Oxford Economics – a task that hasn’t been done since 2005 – UK exhibitions attracted over 13 million visitors in 2010, who spent over £1.4 billion on accommodation, travel and other items.

However, there were fewer events in 2010 – 1,600 compared to 1,800 in 2005.

The industry plays an important role in the UK’s economy. As well as directly generating GDP and jobs,it attracts visitors to the UK and acts as a catalyst for UK businesses, the 2012 Economic Impact Study states.