The boom in the Asian economies over the past few years has led to major investments in infrastructure. Today, some of the world’s most attractive MICE destinations include Bangkok, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo, according to the 2011 Top 20 Rankings for Cities and Countries reported by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). These cities have led the 40 percent growth in exhibition venue capacity in Asia Pacific since 2006 (UFI Global Exhibition Industry Statistics, Dec. 2011), and play host to an incredibly wide spectrum of key tradeshows like the Asian Attractions Expo, Asian Aerospace, Computex Taipei and ITB Asia.
While exhibitions continue to grow and evolve in Asia, clients’ requirements for their booths have not changed drastically. Stands are typically comprised of exhibition systems or custom-designed structures with carpentry, metal and glass components; graphics, lighting, flooring and furnishings, depending on the client’s budget and requirements. Clients would opt for an exhibition system or custom-design stand depending on the scale of the show, budgets and show objectives. Over the last one to two years, we have noticed that exhibitors’ budgets have been shrinking with greater emphasis on ROI to ensure that exhibition spending remained prudent.
Price-conscious exhibitors tend to stretch their dollar by choosing hard-walled systems like the Octanorm, a rental favorite available in Asia. It allows for a certain degree of customization with its wide range of components or through the creative application of graphics. The Octanorm is currently one of the most popular exhibition systems for Asian exhibitors, while the Maxima is also fast-gaining popularity.
Beyond budgets, other key trends have also emerged in the evolution of exhibition systems in Asia. Firstly, there is growing demand for exhibition systems with more customization options across most industries. Secondly, there has been greater interest in eco-friendly initiatives since 2010, and thirdly, a rise in the use of multimedia and technology for exhibition stands in some industries.
Kingsmen typically sees 40-60 percent of system stands within a regular tradeshow. This percentage has remained constant since 2008. For art shows or retail-industry events, the objective to achieve a particular look or image for the show is not easily attained through system-constructed exhibits; hence organizers or exhibitors tend to opt for custom-built solutions. Across Asia, the inventory and standards of systems owned and maintained by industry players vary, so exhibitors are encouraged to conduct quality checks where necessary.
In Asia, smaller industry players and first-time exhibitors prefer exhibit systems, as their budgets tend to be limited. Increasingly, this group of exhibitors is also joining government-initiated national pavilions, where they could benefit from the perks that government trade offices offer. Seasoned exhibitors categorize the shows that they are participating in, and then allocate budgets accordingly. For example, a Category A show may receive a bigger budget compared to a Category B show, which will see the exhibitor opting for a system booth just to show its presence. In many Asian cities, exhibition systems are commonly offered to exhibitors as a “standard package”. Organizers would sometimes add value to these packages by enhancing the standard design with elements such as branding options, creating “premium packages”.
Another reason for the strong demand for exhibition systems is the exhibitors’ desire to integrate socially responsible eco-initiatives into their stand design and foster sustainability. In Korea, exhibitors are increasingly requesting eco-friendly designs and materials to promote their corporate image as green enterprises. In Asia, unlike in the U.S., custom-built booths are not usually kept for rental to other exhibitors due to high storage costs in some cities. Nevertheless, there are companies with more robust tradeshow programs in the Asian region. Depending on cost-efficiency, these companies may have their exhibit houses develop “modular exhibits” and ship these components from show to show. On the same note, exhibit houses with more focus on sustainability recycle regular-sized items like reception counters, display kiosks or standalone display panels.
Asian companies are starting to be morecompliant with the standards of a growing green economy. In Singapore, the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) has introduced a Green Mark scheme that drives the construction industry toward environmentally friendly buildings. Therefore, green initiatives benefit the exhibition industry in various ways – higher retention value and reusability of stands, and a reduction in carbon footprint above all.
Kingsmen also plays an active role in going green. Kingsmen was the festival sponsor for Singapore’s inaugural Festival of Biodiversity organized by Singapore’s National Parks Board, and supported WOHA’s Breathing Architecture exhibition in Frankfurt.
Another interesting observation is the use of multimedia technology to promote and enhance the profile of exhibitors in Asia. This has become increasingly common in recent years for the Banking & Finance, Information and Communications Technology, Tourism and Water Management industries in particular. From niche to mainstream industries, exhibitors are augmenting their stands with elaborate LED panels, touch screen tables, interactive software and multi-touch display units. Such measures not only promote a forward-looking and dynamic brand or company, but also encourage greater interactivity between show attendees and exhibitors’ products or services.
Given these trends and the dynamic nature of the exhibition industry, Asia is poised to welcome more tradeshows with its ever-growing exhibition venues.
The contributor is the Sales & Marketing Director of Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd, a leading communication design & production group in Asia Pacific & the Middle East.
