Figure 15: Top event organizers’ organizing revenues ($mm)
Exhibition company 2005 2006 2007
Reed Exhibitions 1,016 1,133 1,243
United Business Media 298 404 443
Messe Frankfurt 342 360 382
Messe Düsseldorf 284 274 319
dmg world media 279 299 301
Note: Except Reed Exhibitions, all data is adjusted to exclude venue and service fees.
United Business Media and dmg world media figures were published in £m and converted to $mm
Source: KME Consulting / AMR International estimates
 Associations, e.g., International CES, Las Vegas, NV (Consumer Electronics
Association)
Associations are the natural haven for events as they provide a service to
their members. Often it is manufacturer or producer associations (i.e. those
that represent exhibitors as opposed to attendees) that run the events. In the
medical arena, however, many conferences and congresses are run by
associations that represent the delegates. Associations enjoy the revenue
streams, but often they are less commercial than professional organizers.
Consequently, professional organizers are often contracted to run the events.
For example the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show is owned by
three trade associations, but it is run by GLM, a major events management
company.
The listing below shows the top 10 events in the U.S. It shows the scale and
importance of associations as five out of the top ten exhibitions are association-
owned. (It was seven out of ten until the World Shoe Association’s change of statute
in 2007.)
1. 2007 International CES, Las Vegas (Consumer Electronics Association)
2. International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition, Louisville
(Association of Equipment Manufacturers)
3. The WSA Show (February), Las Vegas (WSA Global Holdings)
4. MAGIC Marketplace (August), Las Vegas (Advanstar)
5. The WSA Show (July), Las Vegas (WSA Global Holdings)
6. MAGIC Marketplace (February), Las Vegas (Advanstar)
7. SEMA Show, Las Vegas (Advanstar)
8. ICSC Spring Convention Leasing Mall & Trade Expo, Las Vegas (Council of
Shopping Centers)
9. The International Builders Show, Orlando (National Association of Home
Builders)
10. NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, Atlanta (National Business Aviation
Association)
Source: Tradeshow Week
 Private equity investors, e.g., Veronis Suhler Stevenson, Wasserstein,
Quadrangle, and CCMP
Private equity investors are also owners of events businesses. For example
Veronis Suhler Stevenson owns Advanstar and Bain Capital owns M/C
Communications. These owners are seeking growth that can be monetized in
a successful exit. Private equity can be very successful owners of events,
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