ISO 9001:2015

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, MODERN MANAGEMENT, APPLIED SCIENCE & SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJEMMASSS) [ Vol. 8 | No. 1 (III) Special Issue | January - March, 2026 ]

The Role of International Trade Fairs in Promoting Global Market Access and Export Competitiveness

Ms. Vaishali Rani

Foreign trade shows have become important tools for expanding access to foreign markets and boosting export competitiveness in an increasingly globalized economy. Producers, exporters, buyers, and policymakers may engage, share information, and build long-term commercial partnerships at these fairs, which provide a special physical and hybrid platform. This study looks at how international trade shows help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) improve their exports, become more competitive at the firm level, and diversify their markets. The paper emphasizes how trade shows serve as catalysts for market intelligence, innovation dissemination, branding, and cross-border collaborations by drawing on theoretical viewpoints from international trade theory, network theory, and competitiveness frameworks.The study makes the case that attending international trade shows greatly improves a company's export preparedness and worldwide exposure, which in turn boosts national export performance and economic growth.

  1. Porter, M. E. (1990). The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Free Press.
  2. Kotabe, M., & Helsen, K. (2020). Global Marketing Management. Wiley.
  3. Maskell, P., Bathelt, H., & Malmberg, A. (2006). Building global knowledge pipelines: The role of temporary clusters. European Planning Studies, 14(8), 997–1013.
  4. UNCTAD. (2018). Trade Promotion and Export Development. United Nations.
  5. Evers, N., & Knight, J. (2008). Role of international trade fairs in SME internationalization. International Marketing Review, 25(5), 544–562.
  6. Brouthers, K., Nakos, G., & Dimitratos, P. (2010). SMEs’ international market entry: Trade fairs and export performance. Journal of International Marketing, 18(2), 85–102.
  7. Mort, G. S., &Weerawardena, J. (2012). Networking and export success of small and medium enterprises. International Business Review, 21(3), 362–374.
  8. Crick, D., & Spence, M. (2011). The internationalization of SMEs: Market intelligence through trade fairs. European Journal of Marketing, 45(7/8), 1091–1108.
  9. O’Cass, A., & Julian, C. (2010). Examining firm and environmental influences on export marketing strategy effectiveness. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 18(3), 219–235.
  10. Knight, G., & Liesch, P. (2016). Internationalization of SMEs: Knowledge acquisition through trade fairs. Journal of World Business, 51(2), 208–220.
  11. Leonidou, L. C., Katsikeas, C. S., & Morgan, N. A. (2010). Export marketing strategy and SME performance. International Business Review, 19(3), 292–306.
  12. Sousa, C. M. P., & Bradley, F. (2015). Global market exposure through trade fairs and export performance. Journal of Business Research, 68(9), 1923–1931.
  13. Håkansson, H., &Snehota, I. (2010). Developing business relationships in trade fairs. Industrial Marketing Management, 39(3), 491–497.
  14. Cavusgil, S. T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J. R., Rammal, H. G., & Rose, E. L. (2014). International business: The new realities. Pearson Higher Ed.
  15. Micheels, E., & Nolan, J. (2011). Trade fairs as instruments of national competitiveness. Journal of International Trade Policy, 12(2), 45–61.

DOI:

Article DOI:

DOI URL:


Download Full Paper:

Download