New Study highlights importance of German trade fair industry

19.01.2026

The trade fair industry in Germany contributes approximately 30 billion euros to the country's prosperity annually.

These figures come from the German economic research institute Prognos, which assessed the sector's economic impact on behalf of the association of the German trade fair industry AUMA. The study, which will be published in full in the coming weeks, also shows that the trade fair industry secures at least 280,000 jobs in Germany and generates approximately 5.4 billion euros in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments.

The study is based on surveys of over 33,700 visitors and 17,700 exhibiting companies. These were conducted between September 2024 and October 2025 at 30 trade fairs across ten German trade fair venues. According to the findings, Messe Frankfurt alone secures more than 30,000 jobs nationwide and generates 667 million euros in tax revenue. Messe Frankfurt recently published its figures, which form part of the overall survey. 

 Philip Harting, chair of the AUMA, says: “The German trade fair industry is a key industry for international networking and export promotion of the highest order. Two thirds of all leading trade fairs in the global economy take place here. Their importance for the German SMEs cannot be overstated, as trade fairs provide the ideal platform for building international business. Trade fairs provide an invaluable economic boost to entire regions, particularly the hospitality sector, retail and skilled crafts and trades. Ministers for economic affairs at federal and state levels must work to strengthen Germany's position as trade fair location number 1 worldwide. This would involve implementing a modern and digital visa issuance process for our foreign trade fair guests, improving transport infrastructure and reducing reporting obligations to enable us to focus fully on our core business, as well as introducing trade fair funding programmes worthy of a leading export nation. These measures are essential for maintaining our top position worldwide."

The 2026 trade fair season begins with PSI, the leading European trade fair for the promotional products industry, in Düsseldorf. A total of 320 trade fairs is planned at the approximately 70 trade fair venues in Germany this year. Stuttgart will be particularly busy in 2026, hosting 25 trade fairs, followed by Cologne and Nuremberg with 24 each.

Initial AUMA projections show positive signs for 2025 across all essential industry figures: At the 304 trade fairs held the previous year, 190,490 exhibitors were counted (an increase of 0.7 per cent compared to their respective previous events). Stand space also increased slightly by 0.7 per cent to over 6.9 million square metres. The number of visitors increased significantly by three per cent to over 12.8 million.