Why Trade Fairs Are Losing Their Grip on Manufacturing
B2B exhibition attendance is 12.3% below 2019 and 61% of buyers prefer rep-free buying. The case that trade fairs are structurally declining.
February 2026 11 min read
B2B exhibition attendance is 12.3% below 2019 and 61% of buyers prefer rep-free buying. The case that trade fairs are structurally declining.
Gartner predicts 90% of B2B buying will run through AI agents by 2028. Here is how procurement teams use AI today and what manufacturers must do to stay on the shortlist.