The Helsinki Book Fair gets top results in an international comparison of more than 1,000 consumer events.

The Helsinki Book Fair, produced and organised by the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre (Messukeskus), is at the top of the global ranking of fair events. The result is based on visitor and exhibitor surveys conducted by the international research agency Explori Media. The performance of the 2023 Helsinki Book Fair is the best result in Explori’s research history over the last 12 years.

Over the past 12 years, Explori Media Ltd has researched more than 1,000 consumer events organised by more than 60 organisers. Some 81 per cent of these event organisers come from Europe. The Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre is the only international player from Finland to be included in the surveys.

Visitor and exhibitor surveys seek to determine, among other things, what is known as the NPS (net promoter score) for events. This score shows how likely respondents are to recommend the event to friends and colleagues. With the Helsinki Book Fair, both the visitor and the exhibitor scores were the highest in Explori’s research history. For the 2023 Helsinki Book Fair, the NPS was 62 for visitors (3,910 respondents) and 58 for exhibitors (62 respondents). The Helsinki Book Fair was attended by 274 exhibitors and more than 88,000 visitors.

“This is a significant recognition to receive. Good NPS results are an indication of a good customer experience and a strong event brand”, says Marketing and Communications Director Lumia Ankkuri at Messukeskus. “The experience of both exhibitors and visitors has a decisive impact on the success of an event. Of course, we always have to look beyond the NPS, but the results indicate that our concept is working.”

Tanja Pasila, the Messukeskus business manager responsible for the Helsinki Book Fair, thanks the book industry for the close and good collaboration. “We have worked together with the book industry to develop the book fair in the right direction. We have had an exceptionally close collaboration. Both visitors and exhibiting companies are satisfied with the event. The dialogue with our customers works, and we have succeeded in supporting the book industry by offering commercial opportunities and extensive visibility”, says Pasila.

“To be held concurrently with the Helsinki Book Fair is the Wine & Food Fair. “The Wine & Food Fair is a very popular event and a good pairing with the Helsinki Book Fair. The exhibitors are also satisfied with the event”, says Pasila.

Messukeskus organises the Helsinki Book Fair annually in October, on commission from the Finnish Publishers Association and the Booksellers’ Association of Finland. The Helsinki Book Fair will be held at Messukeskus for the 24th time, from 24 to 27 October 2024. To be held concurrently is the Wine & Food Fair, in collaboration with Viinilehti magazine.

Wednesday, 5 June, will be Global Exhibitions Day. The theme day is coordinated by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, with 866 members in 88 countries. Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre is a member of UFI.

As Finland’s premier experience provider, Messukeskus organises high-quality events and rent out the facilities for a wide variety of occasions. Events produced by Messukeskus include, among others, Habitare, the Helsinki Book Fair, Educa, FinnBuild, Matka Travel Fair, and the Helsinki International Boat Show. Messukeskus also hosts guest events such as Slush, Nordic Business Forum, Assembly, and the International Dog Fair, as well as many international congress and business events every year. The premises include 7 halls, 40 convertible meeting rooms, 21 restaurants, and their own hotel. The Finnish Fair Corporation was founded in 1919.