Urban Hierarchies and Territorial Competition in Europe: Exploring the Role of Fairs and Exhibitions

Cities of Europe tend to be thought of in hierarchical terms. Although interesting results have been achieved, it seems clear that there is no single hierarchy. The process of European integration is generating numerous changes in different fields. One of these changes is the need for European capitals and cities of a certain size to upscale their position from national to continental. A system of European cities competing with one another to attract activities and facilities and to gain international influence is in formation. Fairs and exhibitions are an example. The paper provides a first approach to the role and the economic weight of exhibitions in the EU, trying to sketch out a hierarchy of fair-hosting cities. The most significative variables are analysed, exploring their explanatory power. An interpretative hypothesis linking exhibition size and internationality to inter-urban competition is finally provided.