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Business at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre recovered quickly

Apr 19, 2023

messukeskus_helsinki — Photo Credit: Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre

2022 was still exceptional in the Messukeskus’ business

The recently published annual report of the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre (brand name Messukeskus) shows that 2022 was still exceptional in the Messukeskus’ business. Due to pandemic restrictions, business was at a standstill until the end of March. When event restrictions were lifted, an unprecedentedly dense fair programme with events carried over from the COVID-19 season had to be implemented.

Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre’s business for the year 2022 started in an unstable operating environment. The effects on the Finnish economy due to the changed security situation in Europe, the energy crisis, the recession and the high inflation were big. Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre also had to take into account the long pause in events, the rescheduling of events and the personnel changes that inevitably followed the exceptional period.

Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre responded to the challenges by intensifying contact with its customers, strongly communicating the return of events and working in many ways to restore visitor numbers.

Starting in the spring of 2022, the start-up of the business went well. The late spring and autumn programmes were unprecedently dense. Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre and its subsidiary Expomark Oy organised 25 trade fair events during the year, and in addition to the events produced by Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre, 27 guest events, 476 meetings, congresses and parties, and one entertainment event were organised at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre. The turnover of the Group in 2022 was 46 million euros.

Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre continued its long-term responsibility work and was the first event organiser in Finland to receive a GOLD Excellent level SHORE safety certificate, which certifies high-quality work in risk management and building a responsible business.

Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre is the most valued company by business decision-makers

The successful return to everyday events is proven by the 2022 Business Decision Makers (TEP) survey by market research company Taloustutkimus Oy published in February. For the third year in a row, Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre is the company most valued by business decision-makers and also by far the best-known company in its field in Finland.

”During an exceptional and very fast-paced year, we were carried by strong confidence that our business is based on a sustainable mission. We work for the benefit of Finnish business life, and for that, we have excellent prerequisites, know-how and experience. The results of the extensive fair visitor survey commissioned by the Association of Trade Fair and Event Organisers in Finland at the end of 2022 are encouraging and show that people are longing to visit fairs and live events. The majority of respondents think that they will visit trade fairs as often in the future as they did before COVID-19,” says CEO Anni Vepsäläinen at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre.

The annual report 2022 of the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre is published and can be seen at: https://messukeskus.com/annualreport-2022/?lang=en.