“Golden Goose – Are We in Danger of Cooking It” is a contributed article from Douglas Emslie, Chairman of Cuil Bay Capital, Raccoon Media Group, Deputy Chairman of Jacobs Media
Originally published at Trade Show Executive
I was struck recently by Julian Agostini’s article in Exhibition News raising the alarm about suppliers failing to work in genuine partnership with organizers. (Hopefully I’ve captured his meaning fairly!) But the point he makes deserves amplification — because if we’re not careful, our industry is heading into dangerous territory.
As we emerge from the pandemic, costs across exhibitions have exploded. Inflation is one thing, but what we’re seeing goes far beyond that. Venue charges, food and beverage, logistics and labor have all surged. The net effect? Exhibiting has become significantly more expensive and for many customers the return on investment is starting to look questionable.
And that’s the heart of it: If exhibitors stop seeing value, the model breaks. Our customers are nearing breaking point. For too long, suppliers and organizers have assumed exhibitors would simply swallow the increases because “this is where business gets done.” But every goose has its limit, and right now, we are plucking ours bare.
Organizers aren’t blameless either. I’ve seen examples of frankly indefensible practices: contracts that forbid exhibitors from participating in multiple shows on similar timelines or requirements that companies must support regional spin-offs in order to qualify for the flagship event. This isn’t innovation. This isn’t leadership. It’s protectionism dressed up as strategy. And it reeks of desperation.
If we keep squeezing every last drop from exhibitors and visitors — with higher costs, restrictive contracts and nickel-and-diming at every corner — we’ll wake up one day to find the golden goose is dead. Exhibitors will divert spend into digital, into owned events, into alternative channels. Visitors will rethink where and how they invest their time. And once trust is lost, once the value equation collapses, no amount of glossy branding or flashy features will win them back.
This is the moment for industry leaders, associations and organizers to reset. To remember that we are custodians of a model that only works if everyone benefits. That means suppliers treating organizers as partners, not hostages. That means organizers creating value for customers, not extracting rent. And it means all of us thinking long-term, not just about this quarter’s numbers.
Exhibitions remain the most powerful platform for face-to-face connection and commerce. But if we don’t change course, we risk turning the golden goose into tonight’s roast.
More on Doug Emslie:
Douglas was most recently CEO of Tarsus Group, having joined the business when it was launched in 1998. He previously held senior positions at Blenheim Group plc and after its takeover, United Business Media plc.
He is a past Chairman and Director of the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), as well as past Chairman of the Events Industry Alliance. He is a board member of US industry advocacy body, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) and was also the first international board member of the US industry trade body, SISO, where he went on to serve as Chair.
Douglas oversaw the acquisition of Tarsus Group by Informa plc. and now, as head of Cuil Bay Capital, he is rapidly expanding his events investment portfolio with more than 10 assets to date. In his spare time, he runs marathons and ultra-marathons around the world.