The Future of Trade Fairs After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Globalization has made the whole world a common market for businesses by removing the commercial borders between countries. Increased competition in the global market has pushed businesses that want to operate in this arena to implement new strategies. As a promotion activity, fairs have been the most important assistant of the companies that want to internationalize over the years. Although the concept of fair organizations has changed with the effect of digitalization in the historical process, fairs still continue their main function of bringing buyers and sellers together. The subject of this chapter is how virtual fairs, which have increased their importance in marketing activities with the pandemic, will affect the future of trade fairs. In this context, the history of the fairs, their place and importance in international marketing, virtual fairs, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the future of international fairs will be discussed.