“The exhibition industry is celebrating this industry’s contribution to innumerable industries, and also its multiplier effects on the country’s economy by upto ten times at around Rs 25,000 crores, while also generating employment,” said Bhupinder Singh, Honorary Secretary, Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) and CEO of Messe Muenchen India at the Global Exhibitions Day which was observed recently in Mumbai and across the globe to celebrate the exhibition industry's contribution to the economy.

The IEIA had been urging the Ministry of Commerce for such identification to be given in view of its challenging and evolving environment that provided every kind of service under the sun in around 800 exhibitions per year. India has a story to tell and our job is to amplify this story and motivate the industry. The IEIA is the nodal body for organizing these events and currently, the industry economy is driven by this with 50% domination from Tier II cities, Singh added.

“Exhibitions mean business is the message we are driving worldwide and in which global organisers are welcomed. Exhibitions are the nucleus around which industry thrives and are an ongoing process highlighting greater health and safety. There are two levels of exhibitions included; Level One being sized at Rs 4000 crores; and Level Two sized at Rs 25,000 crores,” he said adding that where traffic movement choke-ups during exhibitions was concerned, once the metro was completed, the flow of exhibition traffic would normalize and increase towards 2019-end.