Newly Established Repeat Exhibitions Delivered the Strongest Visitor Growth in the UK in 2025

Broken down by when an exhibition was established and how often it runs, the change in total visitor numbers between 2024 and 2025 varied sharply. Among trade exhibitions, repeat events established after 2023 reached 143% of their 2024 visitor total, events established before 2023 reached 113%, and non-annual events only 85%. Among consumer exhibitions, repeat events established after 2023 reached 119%, those established before 2023 reached 102%, and non-annual events only 67%. In other words, newly established exhibitions that have settled into a repeat rhythm grew fastest, longer-established exhibitions showed modest growth, and non-annual events contracted noticeably. The analysis is based on the sample of events held at primary venues, and the comparison is expressed as the ratio of total visitor numbers in 2025 to those in 2024. For an exhibiting company weighing where to book space, the pattern suggests that a young but already recurring show can be a faster-growing audience source than a one-off or biennial event, though the sample here is limited to the four largest UK venues.