Section 1 – Summary and outlook
AMR International and DeSilva + Phillips see a number of developments in the
events business which will continue to drive growth, profitability and value.
M&A activity will continue
 Acquisition multiples will remain strong, albeit at slightly lower levels than in
2007. The pace of acquisition activity will nonetheless be maintained – driven
by the sector’s attractive overall growth rate and the level of change in the
markets served by trade show organizers.
 Strategics will continue to view events as a critical part of their business
strategies. Pure-play organizers will continue to build their portfolios, and
publishing-oriented groups will continue to acquire events to offset softness in
print advertising revenue.
 Private equity firms will remain active in the sector. They will be attracted by
the many opportunities of pure exhibition businesses, but otherwise will lean
towards acquiring integrated B2B assets. Our survey shows that private
equity buyers are willing to pay more than strategics for events assets.
 The fragmented nature of the industry will ensure a steady flow of
acquisition opportunities.
Internal growth and development will remain strong
 The U.S. market will grow at 4.2%, and many international markets will grow
even faster. Interest will grow in these international markets and particularly in
emerging economies where organizers will seek growth through both launch
and acquisition.
 The economic downturn and the squeeze on marketing spend will affect
undifferentiated and poorly run events, possibly leading to their failure or sale.
 Inevitably there will continue to be launches in new and niche markets. The
under-managed segments of select flagship events will also be attacked,
particularly where owners have not updated events to keep up with market
trends.
 Integrated businesses and publishing-oriented groups will aggressively add
small events to their brands as they seek to provide the full range of B2B
offerings to their communities.
There will be increased focus on asset quality and performance improvement
 Organizers will seek to optimize their revenue models. Conferences will invest
more energy in sponsorship marketing, particularly in sectors where delegate
numbers and rates are under pressure. Exhibitions will see initiatives such as
premium pricing by location and attendee pricing. Managers will aggressively
seek out international sales instead of regarding them as a bonus.
 Organizers will strive to increase their engagement with attendees. They will
focus anew on event content, alongside their customary attention to attracting
the right exhibitor mix and adding side events. The effort to improve content
may involve migrating some of the spectacle of B2C events to B2B.
 The Internet will continue to grow in importance as exhibition organizers with
commanding positions in their industries examine the opportunities of offering
electronic services to their communities that extend beyond marketing and
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