What types of trade show booths exist?
Three formats cover most of the floor. The shell scheme is the entry option, a modular unit with walls, a fascia with the company name and basic furniture, rented from the organizer. The turnkey booth goes a step further, with design, build, furniture and dismantling delivered as a package by a single contractor, so the exhibitor walks in on opening day with everything ready. The custom booth is designed and built specifically for one exhibitor, from open two-story structures to full brand experiences, and dominates the prime spots of large international shows.
Beyond format, position matters as much as size. Corner booths and locations on main aisles capture more traffic than the same square meters in a side row, which is why experienced exhibitors book early and treat floor placement as part of the design.
How much does a trade show booth cost?
There is no single rate, because price depends on the show, the square meters and the location within the venue. As a rough orientation, a small shell scheme at a national trade show can start at a few thousand euros, while a custom presence at a major international fair easily reaches several tens of thousands once space, design, construction, graphics, staff, travel and shipping are added up.
The booth is usually the biggest line in the event budget, which makes it tempting to treat it as the strategy. It is not. A modest booth backed by a prepared meeting agenda outperforms a spectacular one that relevant buyers never visit, so the smartest money often goes into pre-show work, using the exhibitor list and attendee data to fill the calendar before the doors open. Our trade show ROI calculator helps you put the full cost picture against the expected return.