Discover the World’s Most Iconic and Large-Scale Trade Shows
Trade shows and exhibitions are held around the world, some of which are significantly larger in scale than those typically organized in Japan. Among them are events that play an important role in indicating future directions for their respective industries.
This article introduces a selection of internationally recognized trade shows and exhibitions. If the schedule aligns with overseas travel plans, visiting one of these events may be worth considering.
Before That: What Do Large-Scale Trade Shows and Venues in Japan Look Like?
Major Exhibition Venues in Japan: Tokyo Big Sight as the Largest
- Tokyo Big Sight: 115,420 m²
- Makuhari Messe: 75,000 m²
- Pacifico Yokohama (Exhibition Halls): 20,000 m²
- INTEX Osaka: 70,000 m²
- Port Messe Nagoya: 40,000 m²
- Aichi Sky Expo: 60,000 m²
- West Japan General Exhibition Center: 15,000 m²
Visitor Numbers at Japanese Trade Shows: Compared with Theme Parks and Sports Events
Some trade shows in Japan attract particularly large numbers of visitors. The following figures represent on-site attendance.In Japan, trade shows related to automobiles, advanced technologies, and amusement industries often draw between 100,000 and 200,000 visitors.
- Tokyo Game Show 2024: 274,739 visitors
- Tourism Expo Japan 2024: 182,934 visitors
- Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2023: 1,112,000 visitors
- Osaka Auto Messe: 211,738 visitors
- CEATEC 2024: 112,014 visitors
- JIMTOF 2024: 129,018 visitors
For reference, Tokyo Disney Resort typically welcomes approximately 70,000–80,000 visitors per day, while Universal Studios Japan attracts around 30,000–40,000 visitors per day.
In sports, the Japan Cup, won by Do Deuce, recorded 79,720 spectators. The Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 2024, held in spring for the first time, drew 229,000 spectators over three days, while the rugby match Japan vs. New Zealand (2022) at the Japan National Stadium recorded 65,188 attendees.
These comparisons illustrate that large-scale trade shows and exhibitions can achieve visitor numbers comparable to fully booked sporting events and major theme parks.
With this context in mind, let us now take a closer look at some of the world’s most well-known large-scale trade shows.
1) CES
Location: Las Vegas, United States
Schedule: Annually in January / 4 days
Venue: Las Vegas Convention Center
Organizer: Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
CES is regarded as the world’s largest technology-focused trade show and is held every January in Las Vegas. The event name “CES” originates from its former title, the Consumer Electronics Show.
At CES 2024, the event recorded 138,789 attendees and 4,312 exhibiting companies. Over the years, CES has served as a launch platform for technologies such as tablet devices, electronic paper, hard disk drives, and laser discs. With exhibitions that highlight emerging technologies and future-oriented concepts, CES presents itself as a technology festival offering a forward-looking view of what lies ahead.
CES official announcement : https://www.ces.tech/
2) Hannover Messe
Location: Hannover, Germany
Schedule: Annually in April / 5 days
Venue: Hannover Exhibition Grounds
Organizer: Deutsche Messe
Held at the Hannover Exhibition Grounds, one of the world’s largest exhibition venues with a total exhibition area of 460,000 m², Hannover Messe is recognized as the world’s largest international trade show for manufacturing and industrial technology. The event hosts more than 4,000 exhibitors and attracts over 130,000 visitors.
Founded in 1947, Hannover Messe has evolved into a comprehensive platform covering a wide range of industrial technologies. Exhibits span manufacturing, automation, digital technologies, and energy-related fields, showcasing the latest advancements across these sectors. The event serves as a major business gathering, bringing together industry professionals from around the world.
Hannover Messe official announcement : https://www.hannovermesse.de/en/
3) Salone del Mobile.Milano (Milan Design Week)
Location: Milan, Italy
Schedule: Annually in April / 6 days
Venue: Fiera Milano Rho
Organizer: FLA Eventi
Salone del Mobile.Milano is one of the world’s largest furniture and design trade fairs, held every April in Milan, Italy. Established in 1961, it has grown into an international event showcasing the latest developments in furniture, interior design, and textiles.
The main venue is Fiera Milano Rho. In odd-numbered years, the lighting exhibition Euroluce is held concurrently, while in even-numbered years the kitchen exhibition EuroCucina takes place. In addition, a wide range of related events known as Fuorisalone are organized throughout the city, transforming Milan as a whole into what is widely referred to as Milan Design Week.
Design professionals and enthusiasts from around the world gather for the event, and the entire city becomes a focal point for design-related activities. At the 62nd edition in 2024, exhibitors from 35 countries participated, with more than 1,950 exhibitors in total. The event recorded 370,824 visitors, and the total exhibition area exceeded 170,000 m².
Salone del Mobile.Milano official announcement https://www.milanosalone.com/
4) Mobile World Congress (MWC Barcelona)
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Schedule: Annually in March / 4 days
Venue: Fira Gran Via
Organizer: GSM Association
Mobile World Congress Barcelona (MWC Barcelona) is one of the world’s largest trade fairs dedicated to the mobile and telecommunications industry. The event is held annually from late February to early March in Barcelona, Spain, and is organized by the GSM Association (GSMA).
MWC brings together a wide range of industry stakeholders, including mobile network operators, smartphone manufacturers, and IT companies. The exhibition and conference program focus on emerging technologies and industry trends such as 5G, artificial intelligence, IoT, cloud computing, and smart devices. In addition to the exhibition, keynote speeches and panel discussions are held, making the event a major platform for business networking and industry dialogue.
In 2024, the event welcomed more than 100,000 participants from 205 countries and regions, with over 2,700 exhibitors taking part. The venue, Fira Gran Via, is one of the largest exhibition facilities in Europe, offering approximately 240,000 m² of total floor space and supporting the large-scale operation of the event.
Mobile World Congress Barcelona official information : https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/
5) Ambiente
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Schedule: Annually in February / 5 days
Venue: Messe Frankfurt
Organizer: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
Ambiente is one of the world’s largest international consumer goods trade fairs, held every February in Frankfurt, Germany. The event showcases the latest trends across a wide range of categories, including household goods, interior products, gifts, tableware, and kitchenware.
According to the 2024 results, Ambiente recorded 96,550 visitors and 4,004 exhibitors, with a total exhibition area of 264,700 m². In the same period, Christmasworld and Creativeworld were held concurrently at Messe Frankfurt, bringing the combined visitor total of the three trade fairs to more than 130,000.
Ambiente is particularly known for its strong focus on well-designed lifestyle products, attracting manufacturers, designers, and buyers from around the world. In recent years, the exhibition has also placed increasing emphasis on sustainable products and digitalization, reflecting broader shifts within the global consumer goods market. As such, Ambiente is widely regarded as an essential event for understanding current trends and future directions in the consumer goods industry.
Ambiente official information : https://ambiente.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/en.html
6) ANUGA
Location: Cologne, Germany
Schedule: Biennially (odd-numbered years), October / 5 days
Venue: Koelnmesse
Organizer: Koelnmesse GmbH
ANUGA is one of the world’s largest food and beverage trade fairs, held biennially in Cologne, Germany. First launched in 1919, the event has developed into a major international platform showcasing the latest trends and innovations in the global food industry.
The exhibition is structured into 10 specialized trade shows, covering categories such as meat products, dairy, beverages, and organic foods. It attracts manufacturers, retailers, and professionals from the food service and hospitality sectors worldwide. In recent editions, particular attention has been given to advances in food technology and sustainability, positioning ANUGA as a key venue for discussing the future direction of the food industry.
ANUGA is notable for its sheer scale, with an exhibition area exceeding 300,000 m², approximately 140,000 visitors, and 7,850 exhibitors. The visual impact of the official materials—filled with high-quality presentations of food products—also highlights the event’s strong appeal as a showcase for the global food and beverage market.
ANUGA official information : https://www.anuga.de/
7) NAB Show
Location: Las Vegas, United States
Schedule: April / 5 days
Venue: Las Vegas Convention Center
Organizer: National Association of Broadcasters
NAB Show is one of the world’s largest exhibitions dedicated to broadcasting, media, and content technology, held annually in April in Las Vegas. The event brings together professionals from television, film, radio, streaming, and digital media, as well as technology providers working in areas such as VR/AR, 5G, AI, and next-generation content distribution.
The exhibition serves as a key platform for presenting advances in video production, post-production workflows, and media delivery solutions. Broadcasters, production companies, and content providers attend to explore emerging technologies and business models shaping the future of the media industry.
In 2024, NAB Show recorded participation from approximately 1,300 exhibitors and attracted more than 60,000 visitors, underscoring its position as a major global business event for the broadcasting and media sector.
NAB Show official information : https://cloud.e.nabshow.com/2025/
8) China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair)
Location: Guangzhou, China
Schedule: April (Spring Session) / October (Autumn Session)
Each session consists of Phase 1 to Phase 3, for a total of 15 days
Venue: China Import and Export Fair Complex
The China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as the Canton Fair, is the largest international trade fair in China. It is held twice a year, in spring (April) and autumn (October), in Guangzhou. First launched in 1957, the fair has developed into a cornerstone of China’s foreign trade and an essential platform for promoting exports and imports.
A wide range of products is showcased, including machinery, electronics, consumer goods, food products, and textiles. Buyers and companies from around the world attend to conduct business negotiations and source new products. The scale of the event is unparalleled, with a total exhibition area of approximately 1.55 million m² and more than 30,000 exhibiting companies.
Many Japanese companies also participate, using the fair as an opportunity to discover new products and expand international trade. As a global hub for business matchmaking, the Canton Fair continues to play a vital role in facilitating international commerce and strengthening China’s position in global trade.
Canton Fair official information : https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en-US
How did you find this overview? There are still many exhibitions and trade fairs around the world that we would like to introduce, and we plan to publish a second installment or continue updating this article in the future. If there are exhibitions related to your business field or categories of personal interest, it may be worth adding them to a “someday to visit” list. For me, CES and ANUGA are at the top of that list.
Related Articles : Japanese Exhibitions
-
FUTATABI FUTABA FUKUSHIMA to Open in June 2026 in Futaba Town, Fukushima—A Retreat-Style Hotel with One of the Region’s Largest Conference Rooms
-
Onboard Report: Can a 2-Night, 3-Day Taiheiyo Ferry Journey from Nagoya to Tomakomai (Hokkaido) Work for Business Travel? A Workcation-Style Review from the Nagoya Terminal to Sapporo
