--- title: "Studies: B2B Tradeshows Drive Massive Attendee, Exhibitor Spending" id: "22105" type: "post" slug: "studies-b2b-tradeshows-drive-massive-attendee-exhibitor-spending" published_at: "2014-03-14T18:00:03+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T18:24:52+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/03/14/studies-b2b-tradeshows-drive-massive-attendee-exhibitor-spending/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/03/14/studies-b2b-tradeshows-drive-massive-attendee-exhibitor-spending.md" excerpt: "According to two new reports by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, attendees and exhibitors are each spending billions each year—which speaks to their economic power." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "impact" - "Meetings" - "tradeshows" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "For-Profit CEO / President / Owner / Partner" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Studies: B2B Tradeshows Drive Massive Attendee, Exhibitor Spending We already know that meetings [have a major economic impact](https://associationsnow.com/2014/01/updated-study-to-show-how-meetings-boost-u-s-economy/) . As it turns out, one of the biggest spots for spending is the tradeshow floor. New numbers from a set of reports from the the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) show that attendees and exhibitors spend tens of billions each year at events. According to CEIR’s “Attendee Direct Spending Estimate,” event-goers spend $44.8 billion each year; its “Exhibitor Direct Spending Estimate” shows that this group spends $24.5 billion at events yearly. “These direct spend estimates clearly communicate the power of business-to-business exhibition industry in making a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy,” CEIR CEO Brian Casey, CEM, said [in a statement (opens in a new tab)](http://www.ceir.org/article-details?id=117) . “Direct spending fuels business for exhibition organizers and suppliers as well as the travel and tourism industries. All this commerce helps local, regional, and U.S. economies, which translates into job retention and job creation.” The studies work as an interim follow-up a [Convention Industry Council study (opens in a new tab)](http://www.conventionindustry.org/Newsroom/headlines/14-02-11/CIC_Releases_New_Data_on_Economic_Impact_of_Meetings_Industry.aspx) , released about a month ago. Its “The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy” report stated that meetings drove more than $115 billion in contributions to gross domestic product during the 2012 calendar year, which led to a significant increase in jobs in the industry within the past year. CEIR’s latest studies on [attendees (opens in a new tab)](http://www.ceir.org/store_products.view.php?id=2561) and [exhibitors (opens in a new tab)](http://www.ceir.org/store_products.view.php?id=2562) are available on the research firm’s website. (Stockbyte/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#impact](https://associationsnow.com/tag/impact/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#tradeshows](https://associationsnow.com/tag/tradeshows/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: All for the Love of Chicago: Rethinking the Destination ExperienceSeptember 10, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/10/associations-now-presents-all-for-the-love-of-chicago-rethinking-the-destination-experience/) - [VideoCharlene Lopez Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/charlene-lopez-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoBrien Arone Shares His Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/brien-arone-shares-his-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Milwaukee’s Rise as a Meetings DestinationJune 11, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/06/11/associations-now-presents-milwaukees-rise-as-a-meetings-destination/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2014%2F03%2F14%2Fstudies-b2b-tradeshows-drive-massive-attendee-exhibitor-spending%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !