A study on the overseas expansion competitiveness of Korea exhibitions

This research aims to understand the relationship between the factors driving the competitiveness of domestic exhibitions in their international expansion and the performance outcomes of exhibitors participating in these domestic events. Additionally, the study seeks to explore how the performance outcomes of exhibitors in domestic exhibitions influence their intention to participate in international exhibitions. Based on prior research, the competitiveness of domestic exhibitions in the context of overseas expansion is characterized by the quantitative and qualitative levels of attendees and buyers, the capabilities of exhibition organizers, and the capabilities of exhibition organizer partners. The participation performance of exhibitors in domestic exhibitions is structured around sales performance and communication performance. The empirical basis for this research consists of 656 valid responses from companies that participated in the SEOUL FOOD 2023 exhibition held at KINTEX. Employing Smart PLS 4.0, the analytical toolkit encompasses path analysis and multiple regression analysis. The results affirm the substantive influence of the quantitative and qualitative levels of attendees and buyers, the competencies of exhibition organizers, and the competencies of exhibition organizer partners on both sales and communication achievements of domestic exhibition exhibitors. Furthermore, a significant relationship has been identified between the participation intention of exhibitors to engage in overseas exhibitions and the participation performance. These findings offer valuable insights that serve as a foundational basis for subsequent scholarly inquiries on the international competitiveness of exhibitions. Furthermore, the results are expected to contribute to the overseas expansion and development of the domestic exhibition industry.