The verdict in three sentences
A trade show organiser in Berlin running 4 events a year should aim for a single multi-show platform rather than four separate websites: the budget sits between EUR 18,000 and 35,000 excl. VAT, plus EUR 8,000 to 15,000 for the exhibitor portal. The real risk is not design but load handling: opening visitor badge registration creates peaks of 5,000 visits per hour that shared hosting cannot absorb. Allow 12 to 16 weeks of project time and start at least 5 months before the first show of the season.
What the website must do for a B2B trade show organiser
A trade show website is not a brochure. It carries three revenue and data flows: stand sales, registration of qualified visitors and sales of ancillary services (power, furniture, cleaning, extra badges). For a company hosting 320 exhibitors and 18,000 visitors across 4 shows, each flow needs proper tooling.
| Module | Function | 2026 budget (EUR excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-show core (CMS, templates, 4 sub-sites) | One brand per show, one shared back office | 12,000 to 20,000 | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Visitor registration + QR badge | Qualifying form, PDF and wallet badge, entry scanning | 3,500 to 7,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Exhibitor portal | Technical file, manual, service ordering, invoices | 8,000 to 15,000 | 5 to 7 weeks |
| Exhibitor catalogue and interactive floor plan | Exhibitor profiles, search by sector, hall map | 2,500 to 5,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Conference programme | Agenda, speakers, session sign-up | 1,500 to 3,000 | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Integrations (CRM, payment, emailing) | HubSpot or Salesforce sync, Stripe, Brevo | 2,000 to 5,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Load testing and go-live | Simulation of 5,000 visits per hour, CDN | 1,500 to 3,000 | 1 week |
The total ranges from EUR 31,000 to 58,000 excl. VAT for the full scope, the upper end covering a custom interactive floor plan and two CRM integrations.
The exhibitor portal: where profitability is decided
For a show with 80 exhibitors, the exhibitor services team handles on average 600 to 900 emails before opening: power connection requests, build-up hours, insurance, badges. A well-designed exhibitor portal removes most of them and turns service orders into immediate revenue, paid online.
| Indicator | Without exhibitor portal | With exhibitor portal |
|---|---|---|
| Emails handled per show | 750 | 220 |
| Exhibitor team time | 190 h | 70 h |
| Ancillary services sold per exhibitor | EUR 410 excl. VAT | EUR 560 excl. VAT |
| Technical file return time | 21 days | 9 days |
| Services paid before D-15 | 55 % | 88 % |
| Billing errors | 6 % | under 1 % |
These figures are 2026 orders of magnitude observed on mid-sized B2B shows. The higher services basket comes mainly from presenting services as a catalogue with photos and prices instead of a PDF order form.
Absorbing traffic peaks without incidents
On the day the organiser sends the invitation campaign to 60,000 contacts, the site receives up to 5,000 visits per hour, and the day before the show visitors download their badges again en masse. Three technical choices prevent downtime:
| Technical choice | Effect | Indicative monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Statically generated pages (Next.js) + CDN | Pages served in under 300 ms even under load | EUR 40 to 120 |
| Queued badge generation | No form blocking during peaks | EUR 20 to 60 |
| Managed database with replica | Fast exhibitor catalogue reads | EUR 60 to 180 |
| 24/7 monitoring and alerts | Incident detection in under 5 minutes | EUR 30 to 80 |
| Application maintenance | Fixes, updates, support during shows | EUR 450 to 900 |
Plan for EUR 600 to 1,340 per month in operations, an envelope to weigh against the cost of one hour of downtime during the invitation campaign.
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Mini case study
Jonas, managing director of a B2B events company in Berlin, runs 4 shows a year with 320 exhibitors in total. He invests EUR 28,000 excl. VAT in the multi-show core and badges, plus EUR 11,000 excl. VAT in the exhibitor portal, i.e. EUR 39,000 excl. VAT. Gain on ancillary services: 320 exhibitors x EUR 150 extra basket = EUR 48,000 excl. VAT per year. Time saved: 120 h per show x 4 shows x EUR 38 loaded cost = EUR 18,240. With about EUR 66,000 of annual value, the investment pays back in 7 months, before the end of the first season.
FAQ
Should we build one site per show or a single platform?
A single platform with 4 sub-sites costs about 30 % less than separate builds and pools maintenance. Each show keeps its own domain name, branding and search rankings.
Do QR badges work with our current scanners?
Yes, a standard QR code is read by most scanners and mobile access control apps. Integrating with an existing access control provider usually adds EUR 1,500 to 3,000 excl. VAT.
How long before the show should the project start?
Allow 12 to 16 weeks of development plus 4 weeks of margin before registration opens. For a show in March, the project must start in September at the latest.
How is visitor data handled under GDPR?
The form collects a separate consent for sharing with exhibitors, and data is hosted in the European Union. A retention period is set, often 3 years after the last show attended.
Can stands be sold directly online?
Yes, with booking on the floor plan and a 30 % deposit by card or bank transfer. At B2B shows, about 40 % of bookings are still negotiated by a sales rep, in which case the site serves as the signing tool.
Let's scope your project. Multi-show platform, QR badges and exhibitor portal: we define the scope, an indicative budget between EUR 26,000 and 50,000 excl. VAT and a schedule aligned with your next show. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
