Fira de Barcelona with Global Exhibitions Day

Fira de Barcelona participates in Global Exhibitions Day, celebrated in over 80 countries this year. This initiative, promoted by the UFI (The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) with the support of the Spanish Trade Fairs Association (AFE), seeks to highlight the important role the exhibitions sector plays in the economy, society and in local communities. 
Every year, 31,000 trade fairs are held worldwide, involving over 4.4 million exhibitors and 260 visitors. The exhibitions industry generates over 680,000 jobs, and visitors and exhibitors are estimated to spend €98 trillion annually.
Regarding the importance of trade fairs, the UFI and the AFE note:
– That fairs are an effective, sustainable way of doing business.
– That important brand names can reinforce their image by participating in fairs, while small and medium-sized businesses can gain visibility.
– Fairs add a “human element”, the personal contact that is fundamental for commercial relationships.
– They are powerful tools for earning customer loyalty and they favour networking: participants negotiate with current customers, discover new customers and open new markets.
– They promote internationalization
– They promote the presentation of innovations, the exchange of knowledge and the creation of new ideas and cooperation projects. They generate synergies among businesses, local organizations and international corporations.
– They promote the internationalization of businesses.
– Fairs have an important economic and social impact on a local, regional, national and international level, since they promote the growth of productivity, generate jobs, promote economic development and infrastructures. They are a tool for attracting investments to a country.