Big year of exhibitions ahead

Ricoh Arena is gearing up for a bumper year of new exhibitions as it looks to trump last year’s intake of shows.

Up to 14 new exhibitions are set to be added to the Coventry venue’s line-up next year – which would see a 21 per cent increase on the number of new exhibitions that visited Ricoh Arena in 2019, as well as a 41 per cent year-on-year rise in exhibition revenue.

Exhibitions poised to ply their trade in Ricoh Arena’s Ericsson Indoor Arena next year cover topics ranging from interiors and pharmaceuticals through to education, pets and gaming.

The news comes after a 12-month period that has seen the venue host a total of 49 exhibitions such as Wound Expo 2018, ForFarmers - Conference & Exhibition, and Design in Mental Health Exhibition.

Stuart Cain, Managing Director at Ricoh Arena, said: “This is really encouraging news and reinforces Ricoh Arena as a leading destination within the exhibition industry.

“We are renowned for helping shows to develop and grow which is shown by the healthy balance we have between new and returning shows.

“We have also made some substantial digital investments in the venue – including superfast Wi-Fi, digital screens and the impending switch on of 5G technology – that will strengthen the venue’s capabilities when it comes to delivering engaging events that merge both the physical and digital worlds.

“Exhibitions are now just as much about engaging people across the world as they are about having people at the show, and we have the digital infrastructure in place to ensure the venue stays at the forefront of industry trends.

“When you add our convenient location into the mix being within two hours’ drive of 75 per cent of the UK and on the doorstep of Birmingham Airport, the sky is the limit and we are hopeful of seeing many more years of growth within the exhibition and wider events sector.”