STATE OF EVENT ENGAGEMENT - VOL 2

Trade Show Organizations are groups or entities that coordinate and manage events where businesses showcase their products and services. Their primary goal is to create business opportunities through exhibitions, networking, and education. While their focus is on trade shows, they also host conferences, webinars, and workshops that advance their industry’s growth.

Media Companies are organizations that create, produce, and distribute content such as news, entertainment, or information across different platforms. Many generate revenue through events, advertising, or subscriptions. When included in this report, their event data is analyzed together with Trade Show Organizations to provide a clearer industry benchmark.

Associations are groups of individuals or organizations united by a common interest, profession, or purpose. Their mission is to serve members through networking, advocacy, education, and shared resources. While many operate as nonprofits, their primary focus is on advancing the professional or industry needs of their members rather than broader public charity.

Nonprofits are organizations created for the public good rather than for profit. Any revenue beyond expenses is reinvested to further their mission, which could include education, advocacy, research, or community support. Many nonprofits are tax-exempt and rely on donations, grants, and membership fees to operate.

Trade Show Organization+ Events refer to events organized by Trade Show Organizations and Media Companies.

Association+ Events refer to events organized by Associations and Nonprofits.

Event sizes are divided into tiers based on registered users:

Trade Show Organizations & Media Companies - Data from 600+ hybrid and in-person events on Swapcard in 2024, covering nearly 5.5 million registered users and 1.9 million active participants.
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Associations & Nonprofits - Data from 500+ hybrid and in-person events on Swapcard in 2024, covering over 600,000 registered users and 300,000 active participants. Additionally, insights from 100 surveyed event professionals enrich the findings.

The findings represent actions taken on the Swapcard platform, such as registrations and online engagement. Not all in-person interactions are captured, and some data may be incomplete if event organizers used multiple unconnected platforms or did not activate certain features. These limitations are noted in the report where relevant.

This report analyzes a large and diverse dataset of over 1,100 events across Trade Show Organizations, Media Companies, Associations, and Nonprofits during the 2024 calendar year. The dataset includes millions of participants, ensuring statistically meaningful results. Percentages have been rounded for simplicity, and survey responses from professionals add an extra layer of industry insight.