Dear Colleagues,

We write on behalf of the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) and its members, who deliver a broad range of creative, technical, logistical and build services across the UK exhibition industry.

As the sector continues to adjust following several years of significant operational and cost pressures, now is the appropriate time to address issues that are increasingly affecting exhibitors, suppliers, organisers and venues alike.

In recent months, ESSA has received sustained and consistent feedback from members regarding the rising cost, scope and structure of industry tied services, particularly power, rigging and other provisions. We recognise that venues set their own commercial models and pricing structures; however, the purpose of raising this issue is to highlight the wider impact these approaches are having across the exhibition supply chain and, most critically, on exhibitors.

Members report that venue-tied services now represent a substantial, and in some cases disproportionate share of overall exhibitor budgets. Because these services are mandatory and cannot be competitively sourced, contractors and agencies have limited ability to manage, mitigate or value-engineer these costs. Within turnkey delivery models in particular, exhibitors frequently look to their appointed suppliers to absorb, justify or explain charges that sit outside the supplier’s control, creating avoidable commercial tension and placing strain on client relationships that are fundamental to successful delivery.

Timing and transparency remain persistent concerns. Where service costs are confirmed late in the planning process, trust is undermined, decision-making is compressed, and avoidable risk is introduced into projects that are otherwise well planned and responsibly budgeted. These pressures affect suppliers and exhibitors directly and have wider implications for organisers and venues as confidence and collaboration are reduced.

There is also growing concern that continued escalation in venue service costs may, over time, influence exhibitors’ perception of value and, in some cases, their willingness to participate in future events. Evidence already includes reduced creative ambition, scaled-back presence and more frequent challenges around return on investment. An exhibition environment perceived as inflexible or opaque will ultimately struggle to sustain participation and growth.

This letter is intended as a direct and constructive challenge. There is a clear opportunity for venues, suppliers and organisers to engage in more open dialogue around:

• Earlier and clearer communication of venue service costs
• Greater transparency in how charges are structured and applied
• Improved consistency of approach where practicable
• A shared understanding of how tied services affect exhibitors, contractors and organisers

These measures do not affect venues’ commercial independence. They support a more transparent and trusted marketplace in which exhibitors can make informed investment decisions.

The continued success of the exhibition sector depends on exhibitors choosing to participate and invest. Protecting that confidence requires consideration not only of short-term revenue mechanisms, but also of the long-term sustainability and credibility of the exhibition model.

We invite further engagement with venue representatives, whether directly or through existing industry forums, to better understand respective perspectives and to improve communication, transparency and trust across the exhibition community.

Yours sincerely,
The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA)
On behalf of its Members