A little over three years ago, nobody had heard of COVID-19. And as the ball dropped and the industry looked ahead to 2020, few could have predicted that a global pandemic would pummel the face-to-face marketing ecosystem. In fact, EXHIBITOR Magazine's 2020 Economic Outlook Survey (fielded mere weeks before COVID-19 began impacting live trade shows and events) showed marketers planned to exhibit at 54 events that year, with an average trade show budget of $1.25 million. Just two months later, quarantines and cancellations left us wondering if we would ever return to "normal."

While it's difficult to believe how tumultuous the past 36 months have been, it's also incredible to see the resilience demonstrated by so many in our industry sector. Today, trade shows are forging ahead with ever-rising attendance figures, exhibit houses are buzzing with new business, and marketers are resuming more traditional event schedules. But precisely how far have we come in terms of industry recovery? And where do things stand in comparison to pre-COVID levels? Those are just some of the questions we sought to answer when conducting this year's Economic Outlook Survey.

According to the data, budgets are back, sometimes even exceeding pre-COVID allocations. What's more, regional show participation now exceeds 2019 levels, and international exhibiting has resumed in earnest. And while the future is impossible to predict, the outlook is optimistic that our industry will continue to rebound and the power of trade shows will prevail – so long as the economy holds steady.