The Global Exhibition Barometer from UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, found 44 per cent of the worldwide exhibition sector is expecting an increase in rented space in 2026, while only 26 per cent of those surveyed from Australia’s industry are forecasting an increase in the same metric this year.
Australia also lagged in its local region, with 42 per cent of those surveyed from the Asia Pacific exhibition industry expecting growth in rented space in 2026.
However, Australia’s 2025 forecasts for operating profits significantly outstripped both the worldwide and Asia Pacific figures, with 40 per cent of the Australian industry anticipating an increase in operating profits last year, against 25 per cent across Asia Pacific and 31 per cent globally.
On the other hand, Australia’s expectations for 2026 are more tempered than the region and the world, with just 26 per cent of those surveyed for the Barometer from Australia expecting an increase in rented space this year against 42 per cent for APAC and 44 per cent for the world.
It was a similar sentiment for operating profits this year, with just 20 per cent of Australian industry believing there will be growth in this sphere, while 25 per cent of the wider APAC region are forecasting growth and 33 per cent across the world.
Australian industry is also less likely to be increasing its workforce this year, with just 25 per cent saying they would be taking on new staff, while 33 per cent of Asia Pacific and 39 per cent of worldwide exhibition industry players are expecting to increase their talent headcount in the next six months.
With UFI’s Global Exhibition Barometer also tracking uptake of artificial intelligence across the sector, Australia is slightly ahead of the curve in terms of overall adoption, with just five per cent of respondents saying they used very little or no AI, compared to 13 per cent worldwide who said the same thing.
However Australia’s uptake of AI is also slightly less sophisticated than globally, with no Australian industry reporting using the highest levels of AI, against four per cent of global respondents saying they were using their own algorithms trained on their own data.
“This edition of the Global Exhibition Barometer confirms what we are seeing across the industry: strong, steady growth and a sector that continues to adapt at pace,” said UFI’s managing director and CEO, Chris Skeith OBE.
“We see solid growth in rented space and operating profits across many markets, alongside a notable acceleration in the use of AI to improve efficiency and customer experience.”
This iteration of the Barometer draws on data from 378 companies in 57 countries and regions.
