The Trade Fair Industry in Transition: Digital, Physical and Hybrid Trade Fairs. The Case of Thessaloniki

Eleana Kostopoulou, Spyros Avdimiotis and Dimitris Kourkouridis ()
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Eleana Kostopoulou: International Hellenic University
Spyros Avdimiotis: International Hellenic University
Dimitris Kourkouridis: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

A chapter in Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality in a Smart and Sustainable World, 2023, pp 399-415 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The subject of this paper is the transition of exhibition activity from physical to digital and hybrid exhibitions, with particular emphasis on how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect the future of trade fairs. According to the literature, the COVID-19 global pandemic health crisis has shown that technology has contributed to the flexibility of trade fairs, as digital trade fairs have been an effective means of adapting to the adverse conditions imposed by the pandemic. Nevertheless, it seems that exhibitors continue to show a preference for physical trade fairs, while recognizing the benefits of digital ones. In the context of the present paper, the case study of Thessaloniki was examined, conducting primary research with the method of the questionnaire to exhibitors of TIF—HELEXPO SA in order to investigate the views of the participants toward the physical, digital and hybrid trade fairs, but also the investigation of their views on the future of exhibition activity in the post-COVID era. The results show that exhibitors recognize the benefits of digital trade fairs and digital tools that can be used, but do not want to replace physical trade fairs.

Keywords: Trade fairs; Exhibitions; Digital trade fairs; Hybrid trade fairs; The article belongs to the following JEL category: O. Economic development; Innovation; Technological change and growth; O3 innovation; Research and development; Technological change; Intellectual property rights; O33 technological change: Choices and consequences; Diffusion processes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-031-26829-8_25

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-26829-8_25

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