Published "Exhibition White Paper." Visualization of "Misalignment" Between Exhibitors and Visitors Through Surveys of 536 Exhibitors and 1,089 Visitors

Exhibition Sales Marketing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kenichi Kiyonaga; hereinafter: "the Company") has published the "Exhibition White Paper" on July 7, 2026. This white paper comprehensively analyzes the current state and challenges of domestic BtoB exhibitions through a three-layered structure of public statistics, industry association data, and original research. The full text of this white paper, approximately 90,000 characters, is available on the following website: https://tenjikaieigyo.com/whitepaper/

Full Publication of Exhibition White Paper

Background and Significance of White Paper Publication

"Are Exhibitions Obsolete?" Data Shows an Expanding Trend

Amidst the rapid spread of digital technologies such as generative AI, voices are being heard in the BtoB marketing field questioning whether exhibitions are obsolete and outdated. However, public statistics show that the number of domestic exhibitions held in 2024 was 927, recovering to 121.3% of the 2019 level (764 cases) before the COVID-19 pandemic, with further increases expected in 2025 and 2026. Furthermore, the results of this survey indicate robust exhibitor strategies and visitor intentions, which do not align with the view that exhibitions are declining.

The Value of "Primary Information" is Increasing Precisely Because It's the Age of AI

In an era where secondary information is flooding like never before, the value of exhibitions, where one can physically interact with products, converse directly with developers, and obtain primary information that can only be acquired on-site, is actually increasing. In fact, in the original research for this white paper, approximately 70% of both exhibitors and visitors responded that "the importance of exhibitions will increase in the age of AI."

From "If You Exhibit, You'll Sell" to "Design and Participate"

On the other hand, the era of "if you exhibit, you'll sell" is already over. Visitors have become more discerning, and information gathering methods have diversified. This white paper was published to visualize the "misalignment (gaps)" that affect results by cross-referencing large-scale surveys of both exhibitors and visitors, and to provide guidelines for future exhibition utilization.

Survey Overview

This white paper is based on two original internet surveys conducted as part of the "Resapii®" research marketing service provided by IDEATECH Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tomoo Ishikawa).

【Exhibitor Survey】

Survey Name: Survey on the Actual State of Exhibition Participation

Target Audience: Individuals who have been involved as responsible persons or staff for exhibition participation within the past year.

Survey Period: April 16, 2026 - April 20, 2026

Valid Responses: 536

【Visitor Survey】

Survey Name: Survey on Visitor Information Gathering Behavior and Purchase Decision-Making

Target Audience: Company employees who have visited exhibitions (trade fairs, business shows, trade shows, etc.) for business purposes within the past year.

Survey Period: April 8, 2026 - April 9, 2026

Valid Responses: 1,089

Survey Results Summary: "Misalignment" Between Exhibitors and Visitors

【Gap 1】Exhibitors Seek "Quantity," Visitors Seek "Quality"

When asked about their focus during the exhibition, the top responses from exhibitors were "actively approaching many visitors" (42.7%), "attracting visitors' attention with booth appearance and presentation" (37.5%), and "acquiring a large number of visitor business cards and leads" (27.4%), all activities aimed at quantitatively increasing contact opportunities with a large, unspecified number of people.

Exhibitor Survey_Focus on the Day of the Exhibition

On the other hand, the top characteristics of booths that visitors found "better than expected" were "being able to hear directly from developers and engineers" (49.1%), "learning about implementation cases and usage know-how not heard from other companies" (42.2%), and "receiving specific proposals tailored to our company's challenges" (34.3%), all of which were quality-related experiences. Furthermore, when visitors stop by a booth, they prioritize "keywords and exhibits directly related to their business challenges" (51.5%) by a significant margin over "booth appearance and presentation" (20.3%).

Visitor Survey_Characteristics of Booths Found to Exceed Expectations

There is a clear discrepancy between the "approaching, presentation, and business card acquisition" that exhibitors focus on, and the "in-depth dialogue, high-quality information, and individual proposals" that visitors seek.

【Gap 2】"Business Card Exchange ≠ Agreement to Negotiate"

When asked about the content of dissatisfaction with post-exhibition follow-up, the most common response from visitors was "being subjected to sales pitches unrelated to what was discussed at the booth" (50.6%), followed by "being aggressively solicited after just exchanging business cards" (43.2%). Business card exchange and barcode scanning, which are primary lead acquisition methods for exhibitors, do not necessarily signify "agreement to negotiate" for visitors. Here too, there is a difference in perception between the two parties.

Visitor Survey_Content of Dissatisfaction with Follow-up

【Gap 3】Asymmetrical Perception Regarding Follow-up

71.6% of visitors responded that they have experienced dissatisfaction or stress with post-exhibition follow-up. On the other hand, only 32.5% of exhibitors cited "insufficient post-exhibition follow-up system" as a challenge. The reality is that exhibitors' awareness of the problem has not caught up with the magnitude of dissatisfaction experienced by visitors.

Visitor Survey_Experience of Dissatisfaction with Follow-up

Exhibitor Survey_Challenges Perceived in Exhibitions

Common Ground Beyond "Misalignment": The Value of Exhibitions Increases in the Age of AI

Exhibitors and visitors largely agree on one point: the "value of exhibitions in the age of AI." The proportion of respondents who believe the importance of face-to-face exhibitions will "increase" in the future is at a similar level, with 69.6% of exhibitors and 67.9% of visitors. The top three reasons cited ("building trust through face-to-face interaction," "experiencing products using all five senses," and "the value of primary information") were also listed in the same order by both groups.

Exhibitor Survey_What Will Be the Importance of Exhibitions?

Visitor Survey_What Will Be the Importance of Exhibitions?

Furthermore, 87.1% of exhibitors plan to expand or maintain their exhibition participation.

Exhibitor Survey_Future Exhibition Plans

Additionally, 93.4% of visitors intend to attend future exhibitions. Despite experiencing dissatisfaction with follow-up (71.6%), the value of the exhibition itself remains unshaken.

Visitor Survey_Future Attendance Intentions

Visitors are dissatisfied with "exhibiting companies' responses," not with "the value of the exhibition itself." If exhibiting companies can "design" their participation based on an understanding of visitors, the values sought by both parties will naturally align.

Key Points of This White Paper

● Large-Scale Original Research: Analysis cross-referencing both perspectives, targeting 536 exhibitors and 1,089 visitors.

● Visualization of "Misalignment": Gaps between exhibitor actions and visitor expectations organized from five perspectives.

● Practical Guidelines: Includes methods for designing participation from pre-exhibition to post-exhibition, and a checklist of 20 items.

● Redefinition in the Age of AI: Positions exhibitions as a "treasure trove of primary information" and structurally explains their value.

The full text of this white paper, approximately 90,000 characters, is available on the following website: https://tenjikaieigyo.com/whitepaper/

Towards the Development of the Exhibition Industry: We Welcome Active Use of Survey Data and Graphs

This white paper has been published with the hope of contributing even a little to the development of the entire exhibition industry. The survey results, graphs, numerical data, and analyses published in this white paper are welcome to be quoted and utilized actively in internal documents, proposals, presentations, seminars, articles, social media posts, and information dissemination by exhibition organizers and support organizations. When quoting, please cite as follows:

Source: Exhibition Sales Marketing Co., Ltd., "Exhibition White Paper."

We believe that the value of exhibitions, where people meet in a real space, see actual products, and engage in deep dialogue, will further increase precisely because we are in an era of advancing AI and digital technologies. We sincerely hope that this white paper will lead to improvements in the practical work of everyone involved in exhibitions and to the development of the entire exhibition industry.

About Exhibition Sales Marketing Co., Ltd.

Exhibition Sales Marketing Co., Ltd. is a consulting company specializing in supporting sales and marketing utilizing exhibitions. President Kenichi Kiyonaga founded an exhibition-specialized consulting company in 2015, and has supported over 1,300 companies, including his previous work experience. From "if you exhibit, you'll sell" to "design and participate." Based on understanding visitors, we consistently support everything from strategic design before participation to follow-up after the event, working to transform exhibitions from one-off events into continuous sales activities that lead to business negotiations and orders.

Company Profile

Company Name: Exhibition Sales Marketing Co., Ltd.

Representative: President Kenichi Kiyonaga

Established: May 17, 2016

Location: 5-9-15-904 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0002

Business Activities: Support and consulting for sales and marketing utilizing exhibitions

URL: https://tenjikaieigyo.com/ TEL: 03-4500-8539