Exhibition Industry News was conceived in 2021 and launching in 2025. The Business Events Industry is an exciting and vibrant one, but equally it has many components and segments.
What We Mean by “Exhibitions” — Clarifying the Industry
At Exhibition Industry News, we focus exclusively on the dynamic and commercially-driven world of exhibitions — commonly referred to as trade shows.
These exhibitions are professional events designed to bring buyers and sellers together in either a business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) environment. They are primarily indoor events, easily recognised by their structured layouts featuring shell scheme displays. Exhibitions are often held in conjunction with conferences, creating what is sometimes known as a “confex” — an event combining exhibition and conference formats.
While most exhibitions take place indoors, some are hosted outdoors — especially when showcasing large-scale goods like boats, caravans, trucks, or mining equipment. Regardless of location, the defining characteristic of an exhibition is its commercial intent: facilitating trade, networking, industry and/or consumer engagement.
Importantly, Exhibition Industry News does not cover art exhibitions or static creative displays aimed at entertainment, cultural enrichment, or artistic expression.
Successful exhibitions are typically the result of collaboration between three key industry sectors:
- Organisers – who identify a market opportunity and create an event to meet that need,
- Venues – who provide the physical space for the event,
- Suppliers – who build and support the exhibition infrastructure, including shell schemes, carpeting, electrical systems, ticketing, and security services.
If exhibitions are at the heart of what you do — this is your home for news.
History
The Exhibition Industry is one of the dynamic elements with a considerable history and roots that go back to the Middle Ages.
Exhibitions have evolved from ancient marketplaces and medieval trade fairs into sophisticated platforms for showcasing innovation, art, and commerce. The modern exhibition era began with the 1851 Great Exhibition in London’s Crystal Palace, marking the start of global expositions and trade shows. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, world fairs and industry-specific events grew in prominence, reflecting industrial progress and fostering international trade. By the mid-20th century, specialised trade shows became vital B2B marketing tools across sectors like automotive, marine, and technology. In the 21st century, exhibitions have embraced technology, and a strong focus on sustainability and inclusion. Today, exhibitions range from B2B Trade Shows, B2C Consumer Shows and world expos to niche industry events, offering global platforms for connection, innovation, and commercial growth.
About the publisher
The publisher of Exhibition Industry News has been associated and worked in the Exhibition industry for over 30 years and will harness that knowledge to gather information that is useful, informative and educational.
Exhibition Industry News will take operational learnings from its sister publication Marine Business News and use that to deliver a positive offering to the market.
Exhibition Industry News is a product of Mirror Image Marketing Pty Ltd (established 1992).
For more information about Mirror Image Marketing visit www.mirimar.com.au
Mirror Image Marketing acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which this publication is produced.
We pay our respects to all First Nations people and acknowledge Elders past, present and emerging.
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