The 2025 study conducted by Taloustutkimus, an independent Finnish market research company, for the Association of Trade Fair and Event Organisers in Finland shows that events are significant drivers of local vitality and demand for services.
Of the total economic impact of €304 million generated by Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre, more than one-quarter (€79 million) was spent on café and restaurant services. Hotels accounted for 16% (€49 million). Transport services accounted for €36 million (12%), and durable consumer goods retail accounted for €9 million (3%). The remaining €131 million (43%) was distributed across a wide range of other services.
“The income impact of events organised at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre is reflected significantly in the overall demand for services across the Helsinki metropolitan area. Our goal is to increase this income impact to €400 million by 2030. The study also highlights the broad societal significance of events and the entire event industry. Major events can even influence the GDP figures of individual months,” says Veronica Lindholm, CEO of the Finnish Fair Corporation.
According to the study by Taloustutkimus, events held at six Finnish fair and event centres — Eventum Lahti, Jyväskylän Messut, Pohjois-Suomen Messut, Suomen Asuntomessut, the Finnish Fair Corporation, and Tampereen Messut — generated a total economic impact of €530 million and a total employment impact of 7,220 person-years in 2025.
Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre aims to increase the economic impact of its events to €400 million by 2030.
Investments strengthen the role of Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre as an international event venue. Construction of the future event space Messukeskus Solar began in spring 2026, and the venue will open in autumn 2027. The value of this investment, one of the largest undertaken by Messukeskus in recent decades, is approximately €20 million.
Discover more about the venue here.
