Rethinking the trade fair event through sustainability: a systematic literature review

This paper explores that question through a systematic literature review supported by bibliometric analysis. Fifty-eight peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus were analysed using VOSviewer to identify the main themes in the literature, which were then interpreted through a qualitative review. Five closely related dimensions emerge from the analysis: sustainability as a cultural practice, participation and learning, environmental accountability, green organisational practices, and cultural heritage and place identity. Together, these themes show that sustainability is no longer simply one topic within trade fair research. It has become the perspective through which trade fairs are increasingly understood. The review suggests that trade fairs should be seen not only as business events but also as places where organisations, institutions and local communities communicate values, share knowledge and shape new understandings of sustainable development. By bringing together research that has developed along separate lines, the paper offers a broader interpretation of the contemporary role of trade fairs. It highlights the connections among organisational practices, environmental responsibility, and cultural processes, providing a framework that may support future research and the design of more sustainable and socially inclusive trade fairs.