Effect of Exhibition Facilities, Professional Competence, and Green Procurement on Green Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention, and Exhibition Industry Performance Measurement: A Case Study of the Exhibition Industry of Taiwan

Abstract

In this study, a performance indicator scale was constructed to measure the performance of the exhibition industry, and a survey was conducted. The respondents were exhibition industry professionals, exhibitors, and their employees. A questionnaire containing the scale items was distributed to potential research participants, and 323 valid responses were obtained. Through a literature review, the relevant theories were compiled. Structural equation modeling was employed for analyzing the collected data. The exhibition hall facilities, marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and implementation of green procurement were all discovered to have significant positive effects on exhibition performance. The indicator scale was found to be appropriate for measuring exhibition industry performance. Therefore, it can be used as an indicator for measuring exhibition performance and for exploring the professional functions required from exhibition personnel. The findings also indicate that the implementation of green procurement can strengthen the value and significance of green exhibitions. On the basis of the results, suggestions are made regarding how the public sector can integrate stakeholders to further develop the exhibition industry. This study hopes to prompt the government to prioritize the active improvement of this industry.

1. Introduction

1.1. Background and Motivation

The meeting, incentive travel, convention, and exhibition (MICE) industry is a globalized, knowledge-intensive industry with robust potential for development in the 21st century. Meetings and exhibitions are the core services of the MICE industry, and resource integration is leveraged to support subsidiary industries. The MICE industry drives the development of related industries and generates direct and indirect economic benefits [1]. It is characterized by three “highs” (i.e., high potential growth, high added value, and high innovative benefits), three “larges” (i.e., large output value, large employment opportunities, and large industrial linkage), and three “advantages” (i.e., advantages in human resources, technology, and asset utilization). The MICE industry is combined with service industries such as trade, transportation, finance, and tourism industries, and these combinations create a multiplier effect. In addition, the MICE industry integrates production, processing, and manufacturing—which comprise the secondary sector of the economy—with marketing, food and beverage, and tourism—which are included in the tertiary sector. The MICE industry is also known as “industry 2.5” because its characteristics fall between those of the manufacturing sector and those of the service sector [2,3].

Governments worldwide are focusing on the MICE industry because of its economic multiplier effects on related industries, and in many jurisdictions, the authorities have decided to develop the MICE industry as a means of driving urban and economic development. Arnold [4] proposed that the MICE industry can create an economic multiplier effect of 9× or more; these economic benefits generated by the MICE industry were detected through an analysis of 1 exhibition hall, 1 exhibition organizer, 9 co-organizers, and 90 exhibitors, wherein the economic benefits flow to the value chain of 17 industries. The MICE industry requires more human resources each year, and the training of MICE industry professionals is crucial. MICE industry professionals should be equipped with a global perspective, expertise, and foreign language skills to enhance the competitiveness of the MICE industry in Taiwan. In general, the global development of the MICE industry is becoming mature, and the development of the MICE industry worldwide has generated many benefits. However, this fast-growing industry requires numerous resources such as facilities and professional exhibition personnel. Factors such as related industries, national culture, politics, and geographical location strongly influence the flourishing of the industry.

This study reviewed the literature on the MICE industry in Taiwan and worldwide. In a study of convention planners who were members of the Professional Convention Management Association, Zhang [5] investigated their satisfaction with the location of a convention in terms of 15 dimensions, namely transportation convenience, transportation costs, venue climate, exhibition hall facilities, convention center facilities, comprehensiveness of hotel facilities, quality of services provided by hotel personnel, restaurant quality, food and accommodation costs, safety, surrounding tourist attractions, diversity of nighttime activities, cleanliness and attractiveness of a city, city image, and total costs. Fortin et al. [6] explored the process of selecting a convention’s location and conducted a factor analysis to extract 10 main factors, namely hotel service quality, transportation accessibility, quality of hotel guest rooms, quality of conference rooms, costs, city hospitality, food and beverage services and quality, personal safety, special local industries, and geographical location. They discovered that location selection factors were correlated with the attributes of the association organizing the conference, such as the characteristics of its members and executive members, past experiences, association policies, environmental status, and mission for holding the conference. McCleary [7] described that convention planners are most concerned with a venue’s capacity, the quality of facility personnel, additional services, food quality, costs, venue accessibility, and the convenience of shopping. Renaghan and Kay [8] found that the most essential attributes of a meeting facility are atmosphere and lighting control, followed by location, venue capacity, price, and audio and video functions.

Since the United Nations announced the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Taiwan has adopted the concept of green procurement. Developed countries have focused on the concept of green MICE, and Taiwan has also started promoting this concept. The objective of green MICE is to reduce litter and resource wastage while encouraging MICE organizers to review and manage the carbon footprint of their events [9]. The main principle of green MICE is the efficient use of resources. MICE operators must help visitors understand the benefits of going green and adopting behavior such as reducing the usage of printed paper, bottled water, and venue decorations. Green MICE must be made attractive to participants [10]. Therefore, the present study investigated MICE industry performance and the effect of green procurement on the crucial factors that contribute to the successful promotion of green MICE. The study findings can be used as a reference by MICE organizers and exhibitors for realizing the sustainable development of the industry.

The MICE industry can be defined by a narrow definition and a broad definition. An example of a narrow definition is the European definition. In Europe, MICE is defined as convention and exposition or meeting and exposition. An example of a broad definition of MICE is the American definition; MICE denotes corporate meetings, incentive tours, conventions, and events. Chien [1] indicated that in general, Western countries divide the MICE industry into the meeting industry and the exhibition and event industry. By contrast, in Taiwan, the MICE industry is defined as the industry of meetings, incentive travel, conventions, and exhibitions. The Tourism Bureau and Ministry of Transportation and Communications define the MICE industry as meetings, incentive travel, conventions, and exhibitions, whereas the Department of Commerce and Ministry of Economic Affairs, examine the nature of each category, incorporate incentive travel into meetings, and divide MICE into meetings and exhibitions.

The definitions and classifications of the MICE industry vary, but overall, the notion encompasses the activities pertaining to exhibitions and conventions, which are hugely wasteful activities; hence, their environmental impact should be reduced. This study reviewed research related to the MICE industry and discovered that scholars have rarely measured the performance of the exhibition industry. No study has described the basic dimensions that can be applied to measure the performance of the exhibition industry; thus, the present study is pioneering research on the measurement of exhibition industry performance. In this study, the exhibition industry within the MICE industry was used as an example to explore the various dimensions that affect the performance of exhibitors. In addition to considering software and hardware facilities, marketing skills, and exhibitors’ competencies, this study accounted for the relevant dimensions of SDGs. Therefore, the impact of green procurement on exhibition performance was investigated in this study in response to the SDG trend and to fill the gaps in existing research. Green procurement can play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of exhibitions by encouraging the purchase of environmentally friendly products and services during decision-making by businesses and consumers. For exhibitors, procurement is a long-term commitment to business operations. Successful implementation of green procurement has a strong impact on exhibitor performance. In this study, green procurement was combined with conventional performance measures to evaluate the MICE industry. On the basis of the findings, recommendations are made for industry professionals and other stakeholders.

1.2. Purpose

The purpose of this study was to construct and verify a scale for measuring the performance of the exhibition industry; the scale included two dimensions: industry performance and professional competence. This study integrated green procurement with green MICE, and the research results were used to provide suggestions that can serve as a reference for related organizations. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. Section 1 presents the research background, motivation, and purpose; Section 2 provides the literature review; and Section 3 presents the methodology in detail. Section 4 provides the data analysis and results, and finally, Section 5 presents the conclusions and implications.

2. Literature Review

This study focused on the exhibition industry within the MICE industry and reviewed the research on this exhibition industry. The definition and dimensions of the exhibition industry were identified through a literature review, as well as the definitions of the exhibition industry, professional competence, green procurement, and performance measurement. On the basis of the findings of the literature review, the preliminary framework of the exhibition industry performance indicators was developed.

2.1. Exhibition Industry

The MICE industry involves conventions and exhibitions that attract visitors from within the country and from outside the country. Numerous industries participate in this economic activity. National and international conventions are a great driver of economic activity because they bring visitors to a city, increasing consumption behavior. Cities often fiercely compete with each other for the right to organize major events because of the positive impact of these events on the local economy; governments are thus major supporters of the MICE industry.

Regarding the classification of the MICE industry, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Communications defines the scope of the MICE Industry to include general meetings, incentive travel, conventions, and exhibitions. The Department of Commerce of the Ministry of Economic Affairs includes incentive travel into the conference part according to the nature of each category and only divides it into two categories: meeting and exhibition [1]. The MICE industry has many characteristics such as high growth potential, high added value, high innovation efficiency, high industrial output value, high employment opportunities, and high correlation among other industries. Therefore, the MICE industry also has advantages in the utilization efficiency of manpower, technology, and assets. And, holding conferences and exhibitions not only provide a platform for industry exchanges and transactions but also indirectly drives surrounding related industries, such as catering, hotels, airlines, tourism, transportation, public relations, and advertising, and other developments will help economic growth, so many advanced countries have listed the conference and exhibition industry as an important emerging service industry [1].

2.1.1. Exhibition Hall Facilities

• Venue capacity: Venue capacity refers to the number of booths that can be set up in a venue. The floor area of the exhibition hall of a venue includes the net exhibition space, aisles, and public space and is known as the gross exhibition space. Small exhibition venues, such as a German product exhibition in a department store, may have just one exhibition hall, whereas large exhibition venues, such as the Tokyo Motor Show, have dozens of exhibition halls. A venue can be divided using two methods. The first method is the modular method, in which an exhibition venue is divided into units of a certain area, and multiple units are assigned to businesses depending on their demand. The Japanese modular unit is usually 3 m × 3 m (9 m²), whereas the American modular unit is usually 10 ft × 10 ft (9.29 m²). The second method is the arbitrary division method. No modular unit is assigned, and each unit is assigned in accordance with the demand of the exhibitors and the shape of the exhibition hall. The units do not have to be rectangular or square. This method is usually employed when exhibitors require a large space.
• Venue selection: Crouch and Ritchie [11] stated that venue selection can be divided into five steps and that seven main factors must be considered in the venue selection process (namely accessibility, local support, tourism attractiveness, hotels, meeting venues, information, and the environment of the location); furthermore, 36 attributes affect meeting locations. The importance of a venue’s image is equal to or higher than the importance of the actual facilities of the venue [5]
• Comprehensiveness of facilities: The comprehensiveness of facilities refers to the stores and restaurants in the exhibition hall as well as other facilities such as administrative spaces, conference rooms, photocopying equipment, hygiene facilities, medical centers, ticket booths, and service centers. A facility’s size is determined by the demand for the aforementioned types of facilities.
• Exhibition costs: From the perspective of visitors, potential visitors are influenced by factors such as the overall value of an itinerary and the specific costs of registration, tickets, exhibition products, accommodation, transportation, and food and beverage, which determine whether they are attracted to visit an exhibition [7,12,13,14,15]. The expense, budget, and revenue of exhibitions are crucial factors for exhibition organizers. The budget of an exhibition includes fixed expenses (e.g., venue rent, agenda, and exhibition costs) and variable expenses (e.g., additional food and beverage, documents, folders, entertainment, costs of labor from overtime work, and rental costs).

2.1.2. Marketing Skills of Organizers

• Support from associations, industries, and the government: Supportive national MICE policies markedly affect the activities and development of the MICE industry. Most MICE venues and related facilities are built by the government, and private organizations or associations then operate and manage the venues. Supportive policies can accelerate the growth of the MICE industry. This industry is receiving more attention because it can generate sizable economic and social benefits for cities. The economic capability and level of development of the MICE industry in a country are correlated with the overall economic scale and development of that country. Tu [16] demonstrated that the MICE industry is currently strongly supported by the Taiwanese government and as Taiwan has many strong manufacturing industries and a geographical advantage; thus, the development of the MICE industry in Taiwan can be markedly enhanced.
  Marketing: Exhibitions are a form of marketing. The MICE industry provides exhibitors with a platform that integrates the four Ps of marketing (i.e., people, place, promotion, and public relationship) at a lower cost than would be achieved otherwise [1]. Thus, exhibition organizers and exhibitors enter into a mutually beneficial partnership. The MICE industry receives support from other related industries and vice versa. Other industries can organize exhibitions to demonstrate business performance and facilitate trade cooperation and exchange. Rahman [17] stated that exhibitions are the optimal method for business or product marketing and are more effective than other methods such as professional magazines, direct mail, salespeople, public relations, newspapers, and telephone marketing. Therefore, exhibitions are a crucial marketing tool for businesses [1].
• Scale of exhibitions: Many factors determine the success or failure of an industry, and different industries are affected by distinct factors. Some factors, such as the four Ps of marketing, limit the expansion of businesses, whereas others affect the scale of industries. For example, economic growth and inflation policies are the main factors used in evaluations. A stronger economy signifies a larger industry and a more prosperous country. Domestic and foreign businesses are more willing to invest in a country with stronger economic performance, and this helps expand the scale of the exhibition industry.
• Visitor quality: Exhibitions have many characteristics, and one of the most prominent characteristics is the interactions between sellers and potential consumers. At exhibitions, buyers and sellers can negotiate, matching their demands (buyers) with the features and benefits of a product or service (sellers). In addition, through exhibitions, businesses can understand the performance of their competitors and their own status within their industry.

2.1.3. Environmental Resources near Exhibition Halls

• Tourism resources: Different countries and cities have varying economic status, tourist attractions, and historical cultures; leveraging these unique attributes is essential to the growth of the MICE industry. The economic status of countries and cities affects the revenue of the MICE industry, and the tourism resources of a country also benefit exhibitions held in that country. The MICE industry is a part of the tourism industry, and MICE events can increase the number of foreign tourists visiting Taiwan. Therefore, a high-quality tourism environment and attractive event spaces can drive the development of the MICE industry. Exhibitions and conventions promote tourism in Taiwan and generate actual benefits.
• Transportation convenience: A convenient geographical location and convenient transportation are key drivers of the MICE industry. Accessible locations and modern transportation can save time and reduce travel distances for visitors from other places. These factors are crucial in promotion and marketing by local exhibitors. Countries such as France, Germany, the United States, Singapore, Japan, and China all have at least two international airports and multiple domestic airports, into which numerous domestic and international flights are made each day. Multimodal transportation options facilitate tourism by providing options for exhibition organizers, exhibitors, and visitors to move from their accommodations to exhibitions. Well-developed tourism and transportation infrastructure is vital to the MICE industry [12].
• Selection convenience: The quality of accommodation and food and beverage affects visitors who attend multiday exhibitions. Zhang [5] investigated the satisfaction of convention planners with convention locations and discovered that factors such as the comprehensiveness of hotel facilities and the service quality of hotel personnel affected their satisfaction. A study of the decision-making behavior of international conference attendees revealed that the food culture of the conference venue affected the attendees’ decisions to attend the conference [18]. Food is a part of the tourism experience, a key element in experiencing local culture, a method for marketing the identity and culture of a destination, and a crucial factor for marketing the destination [19,20].

2.2. Competence

Parry [21] demonstrated that competence denotes the knowledge, attitude, and skills of people in their work; competence is related to work performance, and it can be measured using an accepted standard and can be improved through training and development. Spencer and Spencer [22] proposed the iceberg model—in which the elements of competence are divided into motives, personal characteristics, knowledge, skills, and self-concept—and summarized the aforementioned elements as competence; they reported that competence comprises people’s hidden, basic characteristics. These characteristics are related to job duties and can reveal the predicted or actual response of people to a situation as well as the actions that affect behavior and performance, which are correlated with competence. An iceberg is partially visible above the sea and is mostly hidden under the sea; in iceberg theory, knowledge and skills are visible skills that can be demonstrated, whereas work motivation is a hidden aspect that is difficult to observe. The tip of the iceberg is easy to observe and measure, but the submerged iceberg is difficult to observe and measure. Similarly, most people focus on visible skills and ignore hidden skills, although these hidden skills have a higher effect on work and people.

Following the definition of Spencer and Spencer [22], this study defined competence as “the abilities required by a person, such as skills, knowledge, motives, personal characteristics, and self-concept, for work; the person must have the capability for visible and hidden development, learning, and growth in the future, as these are key elements of performance measurements.” The Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor [23], stated that certain elements of competence—such as personal characteristics, motives, and self-concept—are difficult to teach, train, and change. Therefore, they are excluded from the standard of competence, and businesses are free to determine whether to include these elements during recruitment. The present study used two elements of competence, namely, knowledge and skills, to explore the professional skills and knowledge that affect the performance of exhibition industry professionals.

2.3. Green Procurement

In green procurement, environmental factors are considered during the procurement process [24] to achieve the goal of sustainability [25]. Golinska [26] defined green procurement as environmentally friendly procurement that considers the full life cycle of a product or service, and thus, its overall environmental impact. Chakraborty and Singh [27] elaborated on the current development of green procurement in supply chain management and stated that environmental regulations, pressure from stakeholders, and businesses are all factors that affect the implementation of green procurement by businesses. Hsu and Hu [28] developed a green procurement decision model and confirmed that environmental regulations, the capability of suppliers, and the availability of internal resources are all crucial factors affecting the green procurement decisions of businesses.

Zhang et al. [24] reported that the implementation of green procurement promoted the green image and value of businesses, improved the efficiency of supply chains, and led to lower costs. Green procurement can increase economic benefits for businesses and help them achieve SDGs. Jabbour et al. [25] explored the relationship between environmental management and operational performance and indicated the importance of human resource management and lean manufacturing for green procurement and sustainability. Chakraborty and Singh [27] highlighted the potential benefits of green procurement, such as lower risks to the environment, a more favorable corporate image, sustainable development, more efficient supply chains, and higher returns. Kollmann and Stolz [29] explored the effect of green procurement on the public sector and discovered that the implementation of green procurement improved the social image of this sector in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development, increased the public’s trust in the public sector, reduced costs, and increased efficiency. The main purpose of green procurement is to select products and services that meet environmental standards and sustainable development requirements to reduce the negative impact of purchasing decisions on the environment, to improve corporate image, and to facilitate the development of the industry and economy. Green procurement is essential for businesses, the government, and society overall.

2.4. Performance Measurement

Byars and Rue [30] reported that the work performance of employees can be evaluated based on their work accomplishments. Byars and Rue also discovered that nine factors affect the development of international conference tourism, namely professional service, governmental support, image of host cities, transportation convenience, safety and hospitality, cost, conference facilities, hotel facilities, and tourism activities. Chu et al. [31] determined that the performance of employees is affected by the organizational capabilities of the business in which they work and that it is indicated by the employees’ work accomplishments and willingness to work; willing workers are a competitive advantage for businesses. Campion et al. [32] proposed that the willingness to rotate roles and the frequency of this rotation affect how employees acquire knowledge and skills and that people with greater capacity for the acquisition of knowledge and skills exhibit superior performance. Chiu [33] revealed that training high-performing students who are capable, moral, and socially responsible is crucial in higher education. Relative to people with high educational attainment, people who are passionate, willing to learn, cooperative, capable, and can adapt to any field—even if they have not received professional training in it—are more valuable in businesses. Therefore, abilities and performance positively affect work performance and behavior. Before an institution measures performance, it must consider the procedures and methods used for this purpose, such as the required data, data collection methods, standards and indicators to be used, data analysis methods, and reporting methods. The most difficult tasks are the construction of performance indicators and the selection of the most appropriate indicators.

This study defined performance measurement as the measure used by employers to assess the work performance of MICE industry employees during a specific period. Performance measurement is vital for management and organizational planning. Few scholars have investigated the exhibition industry alone, and references for the basic dimensions of performance measurement for the exhibition industry are unavailable. Therefore, in this study, the dimensions related to development of the MICE industry that have been proposed in various studies were referenced, and the dimensions for measuring exhibition industry performance were classified into exhibition hall facilities (venue capacity, venue selection, comprehensiveness of facilities, and exhibition costs); the marketing skills of organizers (support from associations, industries, and the government; marketing; the scale of the exhibition; and visitor quality); environmental resources near the exhibition hall (tourism resources, transportation convenience, and selection convenience); the professional knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals; and the implementation of green procurement to promote green MICE. These five dimensions can be used to assess event success or failure, and the results can serve as a reference for the government, organizers, and exhibitors when they organize conferences and exhibitions in the future.

2.5. Relationship between the Exhibition Industry, Competence, Green Procurement, and Performance Measurement

Grady [34] demonstrated that performance measurement can provide feedback to management and businesses, and these results can be used to convert the vision of senior management into midrange strategies and objectives and to execute action plans. Crouch and Ritchie [11] identified eight critical MICE industry performance categories, namely exhibition facilities, transportation systems, environmental conditions of the venue, hotel facilities, governmental support, additional opportunities offered by the exhibition, comprehensiveness of entertainment facilities, and other factors. Venue facilities are the foundation of the development of the MICE industry. When planning meetings or exhibitions, finding an appropriate venue is paramount. Taiwan has invested heavily in the planning, construction, and improvement of MICE venues. All the special municipalities of Taiwan, except New Taipei City, have large MICE venues, and the four venues in Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City have been graded into green buildings. The budget for exhibitions includes fixed expenses (e.g., venue rent, agenda, and exhibition cost) and variable expenses (e.g., additional food and beverage, documents, folders, entertainment, and additional labor costs and rent due to exhibition extensions). From the perspective of visitors, factors such as the overall value of an itinerary and the costs of registration, tickets, exhibition products, accommodation, transportation, and food and beverage are influential and determine whether they are attracted to visit exhibitions. These factors have been confirmed in many studies [5,7,12,13,14,15]. The following hypothesis was thus proposed in this study:

H1. 

Exhibition hall facilities affect exhibition performance.

To cultivate a city’s image and stimulate the local economy, governments invest large amounts of money and offer incentives such as favorable conditions, preferential policies, tax deductions, and low interest rates to encourage the construction of convention centers for the enhanced development of the local MICE and tourism industries [35]. The types of governmental support are diverse and include attracting investment, reducing taxes, providing loans, and assisting with training and marketing activities. Cooper [36] indicated that MICE organizers often search for co-organizers, advisory organizations, and sponsors to support their exhibition so that they can achieve economies of scale for target customers (exhibitors and visitors), obtain financial support, make industrial connections, or improve their credibility. Organizations such as associations, academic institutions, and public and private organizations as well as governments are suitable partners. Factors such as industry scale, product attributes, market size, competitiveness, and assets all affect the success (or failure) of conventions in various industries. The following hypothesis was thus proposed in this study:

H2. 

The marketing skills of organizers affect exhibition performance.

Chien [1] identified countries with a relatively developed MICE industry and concluded that such countries have the following attributes: a high level of overall development, a developed economy, an urban industry with unique characteristics, abundant tourism resources, and an advanced service industry. Taipei City meets the criteria for the development of a MICE industry because it has world-class MICE facilities, convenient transportation, a comprehensive communications infrastructure, and distinct tourist attractions. However, to host large conventions, comprehensive infrastructure must be actively established. All special municipalities of Taiwan, other than New Taipei City, have constructed modern, large convention centers; installed communications networks; and built comprehensive public transportation systems to utilize urban resources. This study discovered that the nine factors that affect the development of international conference tourism are professional services, governmental support, a city’s image, transportation convenience, safety and hospitality, cost, conference facilities, hotel facilities, and tourism activities. Zhang [5] investigated the degree to which convention planners were satisfied with the convention’s location and discovered that the comprehensiveness of hotel facilities and the service quality of hotel personnel affected their satisfaction. A study of the decision-making behavior of international conference attendees revealed that the food culture of the conference venue affected the decision of the attendees to attend the conference [18]. This study thus proposed the following hypothesis:

H3. 

The environmental resources near an exhibition hall affect exhibition performance.

Korman [37] contended that three factors—work motivation, role perception, and skills and competence—affect the work performance of employees. Regarding skills and competence, industrial psychology studies have focused on capabilities such as linguistic capabilities, mechanical capabilities, and creativity. These capabilities have distinct importance in different types of jobs. Byars and Rue [30] described that the work accomplishments of employees are representative of their work performance. Therefore, this study proposed the following hypothesis:

H4. 

The knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals affect exhibition performance.

Rao [38] conducted a case study of companies in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore and discovered that switching to green procurement effectively reduced costs and environmental pollution and helped exhibitors demonstrate their capability for sustainable development and their commitment to environmental responsibility, which enhanced their brand and reputation among clients (buyers). Park and Ha [39] conducted a case study of two South Korean exhibition companies that adopted green procurement. Their results indicated that the implementation of green procurement led to the improved management performance of the green supply chain of businesses, thereby enhancing environmental performance and competitiveness. Wang et al. [40] investigated Taiwanese exhibition companies and found that the implementation of green procurement led to less waste, lower costs, and energy conservation and facilitated sustainable development, improving environmental performance; visitors who supported environmental values were found to interact with exhibitors who had a minimal negative effect on the environment. Shen et al. [41] studied Chinese companies and confirmed the effect of green procurement on the sustainable development of the industry. They discovered that the implementation of green procurement led to lower energy consumption and less waste and pollution while increasing profits, highlighting the social responsibility of businesses and demonstrating their sustainable development capability. Green procurement can also stimulate businesses to adopt innovative environmental technology, so that products and services can meet environmental regulations and standards, thereby improving the SDG performance of exhibitors and the environmental and economic performance of businesses [42]. Examples of the promotion of a green MICE industry worldwide reveal that green procurement enables exhibitors to improve their brand and reputation, reduce costs, and meet regulations, and it increases the willingness of visitors to participate in MICE. The promotion of green MICE considerably affects the exhibition organizer and the performance of the exhibitors. Therefore, this study proposed the following hypothesis:

H5. 

The implementation of green procurement affects exhibition performance.

This study investigated the dimensions that affect the performance of the exhibition industry. A performance measurement model was developed as the foundation of this study, and the correlations between the following variables were analyzed: exhibition hall facilities, marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, the knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, green procurement implementation, and exhibition performance. This study also explored whether the aforementioned five dimensions affect exhibition performance. The research framework of this study is presented in Figure 1.

3. Research Method

3.1. Research Participants

This study investigated the factors affecting exhibition industry performance, the professional competence required for Taiwanese exhibition professionals, and the implementation of green procurement by Taiwanese exhibitors to construct a scale for measuring the performance of the exhibition industry. A questionnaire survey of exhibition industry professionals, exhibitors, and their employees was conducted at the 2023 Taipei International Machine Tool Show (2023 TIMTOS). This show had 748 Taiwanese exhibitors, and the random sampling method was used to select more than half of these exhibitors as respondents. We distributed 375 questionnaires and received 342 completed questionnaires, yielding a response rate of 91.2%. A total of 19 questionnaires were invalid due to unanswered items or identical responses. The final number of valid responses was 323, with a valid response rate of 86.1%.

3.2. Questionnaire Design

The principles that should be followed when constructing a performance indicator are conciseness, simplicity, understandability, operability, reliability, and validity. A performance indicator must fully capture the characteristics of organizational goals, and poor indicators are eliminated first. An indicator should account for overall organizational goals, and an indicator should equally measure efficiency and performance; its dimensions should be versatile. The number of dimensions should be minimized, and the dimensions can be adjusted in accordance with environmental changes.

This study developed an exhibition industry performance scale. The questionnaire for the scale had two sections. The first section addressed the attitude of respondents toward the dimensions of exhibition industry performance. The second section collected basic personal information. On the basis of the results of the literature review presented herein, the questionnaire items were designed. The five dimensions of exhibition industry performance were exhibition hall facilities, the marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, the knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and the implementation of green procurement.

Each item in the questionnaire was evaluated using a seven-point Likert scale, with endpoints ranging from one to seven (strongly disagree to strongly agree, respectively). The basic personal information collected included sex, age, educational attainment, job position, and job tenure.

This study drew on the MICE scales and related definitions in the studies of Go and Zhang [43] and Crouch and Ritchie [11]. The scales in these studies were revised to match the topic of this study for generating appropriate items. To revise the items, we also referenced the MICE planner professional competence scale, which is based on the iceberg model mentioned in Section 2.2 and the findings of Min and Galle [44] regarding the implementation of green procurement and actual situations. Items for measuring some constructs have not yet been reported; in these cases, we used exploratory theses reported in international journals and related books to develop items. Finally, we invited three experts for a pretest of the questionnaire. All items in the questionnaire were revised on the basis of their opinions before the official test was conducted. The definitions of each dimension and the corresponding items are displayed in

Table 1. Dimensions and items for measuring exhibition industry performance.

Dimension	Evaluated Factor	Questionnaire Item	Reference
Exhibition hall facilities	Venue capacity	FA1. The venue must have sufficient space for the exhibition.	Crouch and Ritchie [11]
		FA2. The venue must have sufficient parking spaces.	Go and Zhang [43]
	Venue selection	FA3. The venue must be versatile to meet the requirements of various exhibitions.
		FA4. The venue must consider the convenience for exhibitors and visitors.
	Comprehensiveness of facilities	FA5. The venue must have comprehensive facilities such as printing stores, food and beverage services, and conference rooms.	Crouch and Ritchie [11]
	Exhibition cost	FA6. The venue rent and related costs are factors that affect exhibitions.	This study
Marketing skills of organizers	Support from associations, industries, and government	MA1. Exhibitions are supported by the local government and related policies.	Crouch and Ritchie [11]
		MA2. Opportunities to contact and conduct exchange with industries related to the theme of the exhibition are essential.
		MA3. The government should establish a specialized institution to assist in the organization of exhibitions.
	Marketing	MA4. Exhibitors must convey sales information to visitors effectively.	This study
		MA5. The marketing of exhibitors after an exhibition, particularly exhibitors wanting to maintain contact with visitors, is crucial.
		MA6. Media exposure to promote an exhibition is essential.
	Scale of exhibitions	MA7. Having numerous exhibitors, buyers, and visitors is essential.
	Visitor quality	MA8. The marketing to targeted visitors is more crucial than the marketing to general visitors.
		MA9. Visitors must have a certain understanding of the theme of the exhibition.
		MA10. The goal is to develop loyalty in visitors and exhibitors.
Environmental resources near the exhibition hall	Tourism resources	RE1. Having many recreational resources—such as cultural and tourist attractions, shopping centers, and entertainment venues—near the exhibition is essential.	Go and Zhang [43]
		RE2. Feeling safe in the area near the exhibition venue is essential.
	Transportation convenience	RE3. A convenient public transportation system is required.
	Selection convenience	RE4. Hotels near the exhibition must have good facilities and high-quality food and beverage.
		RE5. Hotels and food and beverage services that have reasonable prices must exist near the exhibition.
Knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals		KN1. Exhibition industry professionals can clearly respond to visitors’ questions related to the exhibition.	Spencer and Spencer [22]
		KN2. Exhibition industry professionals should read books related to exhibitions to expand their professional knowledge and develop the ability to think independently and innovatively.
		KN3. Exhibition industry professionals should familiarize themselves with the procedures of an exhibition and respond to situations in accordance with their severity.
		KN4. Exhibition industry professionals should understand the advantages and disadvantages of other exhibition industries and design appropriate services for clients in accordance with their demands and budget.
Implementation of green procurement		GP1. Exhibitors are willing to establish a long, stable partnership with green suppliers.	Min and Galle [44]
		GP2. Exhibitors are willing to engage in technological innovation to produce or offer green products and services.
		GP3. Exhibitors are willing to commit to sustainable development issues and environmental responsibility.
		GP4. The green products and services provided by exhibitors meet regulations.
		GP5. The green products and services provided by exhibitors have favorable cost performance and environmental performance.

.

3.3. Data Analysis Method

This study coded the questionnaire responses and used IBM SPSS 22 and SmartPLS 3.0 for data analysis. The data analysis methods included descriptive statistical analysis, reliability and validity analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM). SPSS can be employed to rapidly store and analyze large volumes of data, enabling rapid statistical calculations. In SEM, the partial least squares (PLS) method is used to analyze the causal relationship between dimensions and test whether the correlations between latent variables are consistent with hypotheses.

4. Data Analysis Results

4.1. Analysis of the Dimensions of the Indicator Scale of Exhibition Industry Performance

The scale employed in this study had five dimensions, namely exhibition hall facilities, marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and implementation of green procurement. The scale was used to evaluate the indicators of a successful exhibition. Most of the respondents agreed that a convenient public transportation system was the most essential item required for a successful exhibition, followed by sufficient exhibition space, feeling safe in the area near the exhibition, and exhibitors being willing to commit to sustainable development issues and environmental responsibility. The average scores for these four items were 6.75, 6.73, 6.68, and 6.65, respectively. The respondents mostly agreed that the least essential item was that exhibition industry professionals should understand the advantages and disadvantages of other exhibition industries and should design appropriate services for clients in accordance with their demands and budget, followed by the goal of developing loyalty in visitors and exhibitors and visitors having a certain understanding of the theme of the exhibition. The average scores for these three items were 5.45, 5.53, and 5.67, respectively.

Superior geographical location and convenient transportation were discovered to be the main factors determining the success of an exhibition; a feeling of safety and the availability of exhibition space are also crucial factors. The results accord with the hierarchy of needs proposed by Maslow in 1954. Safety is a fundamental need second only to physiological needs. The fourth highest average score was found for the item stating that exhibitors are willing to commit to sustainable development issues and environmental responsibility; this finding indicates that when exhibitors focus on sustainable development issues and environmental responsibility, their focus aligns with the concept of promoting a green MICE industry.

4.2. Measurement Model

SEM is a statistical method for analyzing the causal relationship between variables. It combines multivariate regression and factor analysis and can comprehensively evaluate and verify theoretical models. Consequently, SEM has been extensively used in social science and behavioral science research. Following the suggestions of Anderson and Gerbing [45], SEM analysis was conducted in two stages in this study. The first stage involved the measurement model, which was used to assess the relationships between latent variables and observational variables. Reliability and validity were also verified during this stage. In the second stage, the structural model was used to determine the causal relationships between latent variables and observational variables and whether the hypotheses were supported. This study employed PLS to evaluate the measurement and structural models because PLS is suitable for statistical analyses of small- and medium-sized samples [46,47]. The following section discusses the reliability and validity tests for each dimension of the model. Structural models have explanatory power only if measurement models are reliable and valid. Therefore, testing the reliability and validity was the first step in the analysis.

4.2.1. Reliability Analysis

Reliability indicates whether the same data would be obtained in case of repeated observations of the same phenomenon. Reliability reflects the consistency and stability of questionnaire responses. Consistency refers to the internal consistency of items measuring a given dimension, whereas stability indicates the degree to which the same items produce almost identical results in repeated measurements. Questionnaires with higher consistency and stability have higher reliability. In this study, reliability was tested by calculating the composite reliability value and Cronbach’s α. Before the questionnaire was verified by calculating the composite reliability value, Cronbach’s α was estimated to test the reliability of the questionnaire because the questionnaire items were taken from multiple studies, and some items were specifically developed in this study. The items were checked individually, and Cronbach’s α was calculated for each dimension. The reliability test results of the questionnaire are presented in

Table 2. Reliability test of the scale.

Dimension	Code	Corrected Item–Total Correlation Coefficient	Cronbach’s α
Exhibition hall facilities	FA1	0.678	0.887
	FA2	0.782
	FA3	0.843
	FA4	0.708
	FA5	0.712
	FA6	0.648
Marketing skills of organizers	MA1	0.750	0.882
	MA2	0.748
	MA3	0.838
	MA4	0.869
	MA5	0.842
	MA6	0.779
	MA7	0.826
	MA8	0.825
	MA9	0.841
	MA10	0.756
Environmental resources near the exhibition hall	RE1	0.836	0.882
	RE2	0.895
	RE3	0.803
	RE4	0.833
	RE5	0.730
Knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals	KN1	0.702	0.863
	KN2	0.765
	KN3	0.888
	KN4	0.802
Implementation of green procurement	GP1	0.732	0.824
	GP2	0.808
	GP3	0.771
	GP4	0.811
	GP5	0.633

. Nunnally [48] suggested that in general, Cronbach’s α should be more than 0.7, and the corrected item–total correlation coefficient should be more than 0.5. An item with a corrected item–total correlation coefficient of less than 0.5 should be deleted. In this study, the corrected item–total correlation coefficient of each item was more than 0.5, and Cronbach’s α values were all more than 0.7, indicating that the questionnaire and items had sufficient reliability.

In this study, the reliability of the questionnaire items was tested based on the composite reliability value as a standard. In general, the acceptable composite reliability value is 0.7 or higher [49,50]. All the composite reliability values in this study were more than 0.7, meeting the standard (

Table 3. Descriptive statistical analysis of each dimension.

Dimension	Number of Items	Composite Reliability Value	AVE
Exhibition hall facilities (FA)	6	0.887	0.727
Marketing skills of organizers (MA)	10	0.762	0.752
Environmental resources near the exhibition hall (RE)	5	0.822	0.698
Knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals (KN)	4	0.863	0.755
Implementation of green procurement (GP)	5	0.782	0.753

). Therefore, the questionnaire items were reliable.

4.2.2. Convergent Validity

Validity refers to the degree to which the results are authentic and accurate; validity thus indicates how accurately the measurement instrument can measure the characteristics under study and how closely the measurements align with the actual measurements [51]. Convergent validity and discriminant validity are the components of validity. High convergent validity indicates that all items within the same dimension are strongly correlated with the dimension. Convergent validity is assessed based on two standards. First, the factor loadings must be more than 0.7. Second, the average variance extracted (AVE) values of all dimensions must be more than 0.5 [49]. In this study, the factor loadings of all items were more than 0.7, as indicated in Table 3. In addition, the AVEs of all dimensions were more than 0.7 (

Table 4. PLS confirmatory factor analysis and cross-loading matrix.

Items	FA	KN	MA	RE	GP
FA1	0.878	0.125	0.127	0.049	0.314
FA2	0.882	0.094	0.232	0.203	0.423
FA3	0.743	0.204	0.323	0.176	0.499
FA4	0.808	0.199	0.244	0.188	0.413
FA5	0.812	0.016	0.118	0.101	0.038
FA6	0.778	0.197	0.203	0.147	0.371
KN1	0.158	0.802	0.308	0.040	0.269
KN2	0.100	0.965	0.263	0.137	0.165
KN3	0.285	0.888	0.368	0.170	0.339
KN4	0.122	0.802	0.261	0.096	0.149
MA1	0.063	0.101	0.750	0.046	0.042
MA2	0.212	0.186	0.738	0.127	0.258
MA3	0.156	0.107	0.738	0.090	0.153
MA4	0.166	0.220	0.969	0.158	0.257
MA5	0.240	0.262	0.842	0.115	0.338
MA6	0.176	0.189	0.779	0.106	0.138
MA7	0.234	0.256	0.826	0.066	0.257
MA8	0.106	0.266	0.825	0.247	0.177
MA9	0.032	0.303	0.741	0.104	0.105
MA10	−0.266	−0.020	0.748	0.045	−0.187
RE1	0.160	0.058	0.064	0.836	0.087
RE2	0.140	0.149	0.122	0.895	0.186
RE3	0.164	0.079	0.200	0.803	0.119
RE4	0.201	0.164	0.188	0.931	0.210
RE5	0.088	0.023	0.140	0.730	0.105
GP1	0.410	0.259	0.357	0.233	0.832
GP2	0.499	0.235	0.321	0.153	0.808
GP3	0.456	0.241	0.286	0.069	0.871
GP4	0.407	0.261	0.302	0.228	0.811
GP5	−0.235	0.067	0.014	0.047	0.733

). Therefore, the items employed in this study had convergent validity.

4.2.3. Discriminant Validity

Discriminant validity is a measure of whether dimensions that should be unrelated are actually different, and discriminant validity is determined based on the following three criteria. First, a cross-loading matrix review can be conducted, and the factor loading of each item in its dimension must be higher than that in other dimensions. Second, if each dimension is independent, the correlation coefficients between dimensions should be less than 0.85. Third, the square root of the AVE of each dimension, which is located along the diagonal in the correlation coefficient matrix of each dimension, should be more than the correlation coefficients between that dimension and other dimensions in the model [49]. Table 4 presents that the factor loadings of all items in their dimensions were higher than those in other dimensions. The square root of the AVE of each dimension was higher than the correlation coefficients between that dimension and the other dimensions in the model, indicating that the third criterion was met.

Table 5. Square root of the AVE and coefficients of correlation between dimensions.

Dimension	FA	KN	MA	RE	GP
FA	0.892
KN	0.344	0.828
MA	0.304	0.664	0.873
RE	0.324	0.418	0.541	0.840
GP	0.318	0.516	0.595	0.412	0.802

FA: exhibition hall facilities; MA: marketing skills of organizers; RE: environmental resources near the exhibition hall; KN: knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals; GP: implementation of green procurement.

reveals that the maximum correlation coefficient between the dimensions was 0.664, which is less than 0.85. Therefore, the second criterion was also met. In conclusion, the three criteria for discriminant validity were met, indicating that the dimensions investigated in this study had discriminant validity.

4.2.4. Model Verification Results

The structural model was analyzed after the reliability and validity of the measurement model had been tested. Smart PLS does not provide values for the goodness-of-fit indices of overall models. Instead, it uses path coefficients (denoted as β) and the R² value to indicate the explanatory power of the model and thus indicates its goodness of fit. Path coefficients reveal the strength and direction of the relationship between independent and dependent variables. For a hypothesis to be supported, the corresponding path coefficient should have the appropriate sign and be significant. In PLS–SEM, the relationships between the observed and latent variables are estimated using t. This study used the one-tailed t test because the directions of our hypotheses were clear. The R² value indicates how well the model fits the linear regression model, that is, how well the independent variables explain the dependent variables. The R² value is within 0–1, and a larger value indicates stronger explanatory power. R² = 1 indicates that the independent variables completely explain the dependent variables. This study used SmartPLS 3.0 to obtain path coefficients and t values, which are presented in

Table 6. Path coefficients of the structural model.

Path	Path Coefficients (β)	t Value
FA → PE	0.325	10.339 ***
MA → PE	0.316	10.898 ***
RE → PE	0.179	5.807 ***
KN → PE	0.240	7.203 ***
GP → PE	0.337	12.799 ***

*** p < 0.001.

and Figure 2.

According to Table 7, the following results were obtained:

• H1: Exhibition hall facilities have a significant positive effect on exhibition performance (β = 0.325, t = 10.339 > 3.090, and p < 0.001). Therefore, the results support H1;
• H2: The marketing skills of organizers have a significant positive effect on exhibition performance (β = 0.316, t = 10.898 > 3.090, and p < 0.001). Therefore, the results support H2;
• H3: The environmental resources near the exhibition hall have a significant positive effect on exhibition performance (β = 0.179, t = 5.807 > 3.090, and p < 0.001). Therefore, the results support H3;
• H4: The knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals have a significant positive effect on exhibition performance (β = 0.240, t = 7.203 > 3.090, and p < 0.001). Therefore, the results support H4;
• H5: The implementation of green procurement has a significant positive effect on exhibition performance (β = 0.337, t = 12.799 > 3.090, and p < 0.001). Therefore, the results support H5.

The research results thus demonstrated that exhibition hall facilities, the marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, the knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and the implementation of green procurement had the power to explain exhibition performance. Thus, the model had excellent explanatory power and explained the indicators of exhibition performance.

Table 7. Research hypotheses and verification results.

Hypothesis	Research Hypothesis	Verification Result
H1	Exhibition hall facilities affect exhibition performance	Supported
H2	The marketing skills of organizers affect exhibition performance	Supported
H3	The environmental resources near an exhibition hall affect exhibition performance	Supported
H4	The knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals affect exhibition performance	Supported
H5	The implementation of green procurement affects exhibition performance	Supported

Table 7. Research hypotheses and verification results.

Hypothesis	Research Hypothesis	Verification Result
H1	Exhibition hall facilities affect exhibition performance	Supported
H2	The marketing skills of organizers affect exhibition performance	Supported
H3	The environmental resources near an exhibition hall affect exhibition performance	Supported
H4	The knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals affect exhibition performance	Supported
H5	The implementation of green procurement affects exhibition performance	Supported

5. Conclusions and Suggestions

5.1. Conclusions and Discussion

In this study, an exhibition industry performance indicator scale was constructed for measuring the performance of the exhibition industry, and this scale can be used by scholars and professionals for measuring the performance of the exhibition industry. The average scores for the items revealed that respondents rated the following items to be most crucial to the success of an exhibition: a convenient public transportation system, the venue having sufficient space for the exhibition, visitors feeling safe in the area near the exhibition, exhibitors being willing to commit to sustainable development issues and environmental responsibility, and exhibition industry professionals being familiar with the procedures of the exhibition and being able to respond to situations in accordance with their severity. A convenient geographical location and convenient transportation were the main factors that determined the success of an exhibition, and feeling safe in the exhibition area and the availability of exhibition space were also crucial factors. The necessity of the green MICE concept is indicated by the findings of the relatively high importance of sustainable development issues given by exhibitors, the exhibitors having a focus on environmental responsibility, and exhibition industry professionals being familiar with exhibition procedures. The respondents considered the least essential items to be visitors having a certain understanding of the theme of the exhibition, developing the loyalty of visitors and exhibitors, and exhibition industry professionals understanding the advantages and disadvantages of other exhibition industries and designing appropriate services for clients in accordance with their demands and budget. The proportions of male respondents and female respondents in this study were similar. Most of the respondents were tourists aged 18–30 years and had completed university or college. The majority of the respondents were full-time exhibition industry professionals, but 104 (32.2%) were temporary workers. Most of the respondents had a job tenure of 1 year or less, which was consistent with the finding that some of the respondents were temporary workers.

We reviewed studies related to the MICE industry and discovered that scholars have rarely measured the performance of the exhibition industry. No scholar has described the basic dimensions for measuring exhibition industry performance. Consequently, this study is pioneering research on the measurement of exhibition industry performance and has developed new dimensions. On the basis of the literature review, five dimensions were identified, namely exhibition hall facilities, the marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, the knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and the implementation of green procurement. All five dimensions were discovered to positively affect exhibition performance. This study verified the paths between the dimensions in the model and found that the dimensions had explanatory power. Our model has excellent power to explain the indicators of exhibition performance.

Our finding shows that exhibition hall facilities, the marketing skills of organizers, and environmental resources near exhibition halls positively affect exhibition performance, indicating that the infrastructure provided by local government agencies and the capability of exhibition organizers are the key factors in determining whether an exhibition is successful. This finding is consistent with the previous findings [16]. The establishment of a MICE tourism bureau would greatly benefit people who organize or attend meetings and exhibitions. Such a bureau could plan MICE activities, provide detailed information on meetings and exhibitions, and clearly and rapidly find solutions to problems. At present, specialized MICE tourism bureaus have been established in Paris, France; Germany; Chicago and Las Vegas, United States; Singapore; Japan; and China. The websites of these bureaus provide detailed information on local meetings and exhibitions, including venues, local statuses, and professional planning teams. A MICE tourism bureau can also assist with tasks related to meetings and exhibitions, and its website promotes local diverse meeting and exhibition services. In addition, the purpose of improving tourism quality is to assist businesses in the tourism value chain, enhance the development of the MICE industry, improve the quality of services offered by tourism industry professionals, and construct tourism service centers to improve tourism service quality [19,20]. The public and private sectors must cooperate, revitalize the tourism market, and create business opportunities for the tourism industry. To stimulate the tourism market and provide business opportunities, the government can assist private businesses through strategic alliances and by partnering with organizations that manage international meetings and exhibitions, hot spring hotels, and tourism operators to provide popular tourism packages and promote themed tourism activities. These incentive mechanisms can promote the development of the MICE industry.

The knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals were discovered to be the second most crucial factor affecting exhibition performance, and one important skill in the future may be the design or use of mobile applications. Crouch and Ritchie [11] reported that the adoption of advanced mobile applications in the on-site environment of an exhibition can enhance interaction with visitors. Mobile applications have become ubiquitous and will continue to affect the MICE industry. The number of mobile application developers who target the exhibition industry will increase in the future, and exhibition companies that utilize mobile applications can gain a competitive advantage. Therefore, mobile applications will become an effective working tool for exhibition professionals, enabling them to substantially improve their professional service quality and enhance their interactions with visitors.

Finally, the implementation of green procurement can have a major impact on organizers and exhibitors and can promote the value and meaning of a green MICE industry; green procurement can improve companies’ reputations, increase the willingness of visitors to participate in green activities, reduce costs, and meet regulatory standards, as explained in the following:

• Improving reputation: By implementing green procurement, organizers can show their commitment to sustainable development and environmental responsibility, thereby improving their reputation. We believe that the reputation of exhibition companies can be improved through the implementation of green procurement given the trend for achieving SDGs;
• Increasing the willingness of visitors to participate: Green procurement can strengthen the commitment of organizers and exhibitors to sustainable development and environmental responsibility, thereby attracting visitors. Visitors are more willing to interact with exhibitors who have environmental values and actively protect the environment. Our findings verify the results of Wang et al. [40], who found that visitors with environmental concerns are more likely to actively interact with exhibitors who have implemented green procurement;
• Reducing costs: Green procurement can reduce costs, such as those related to the materials required for exhibition decorations or the printing materials used during an exhibition. Environmentally friendly products can reduce costs in the long term, and organizers and exhibitors can invest the money that is saved into marketing to improve exhibition performance. In a case study of exhibition companies in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, Rao [38] reported that the implementation of green procurement can successfully reduce costs and environmental pollution. We thus report the same result for Taiwanese exhibition companies;
• Meeting regulatory standards: Green procurement can help exhibitors meet environmental regulations and standards, improve their SDG performance, and focus on the goal of their exhibitions. Wong et al. [42] found that the implementation of green procurement can help businesses meet environmental regulations and standards through the adoption of environmental technology innovation, and we obtained the same result for Taiwanese exhibition companies.

5.2. Suggestions and Contributions

5.2.1. Marketing Support from Associations, Industry, and Government

Many countries have already established specialized MICE tourism bureaus; however, Taiwan has not yet established such an organization, and this situation is not conducive to the promotion and internationalization of Taiwan’s exhibition industry. Therefore, we suggest that the Taiwanese government should establish a unified authority named the Convention, Exhibition, and Tourism Bureau to provide marketing support for private exhibition industry operators or associations, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Taiwan’s exhibition industry. In addition, the tourism industry can be improved by combining local environmental resources with the cultural festival activities of relevant tourism agencies in the local government. This combination can strengthen the development of the exhibition industry and further promote the growth of tourism.

5.2.2. Artificial-Intelligence-Based Mobile Applications for Effectively Conveying Sales Information to Visitors

Artificial intelligence (AI) can intelligently combine, mix, and repurpose creative results in accordance with a customer’s needs and preferences because it can transform text, photographs, sound, and video for capturing different personalities, and AI addresses different segments of markets. We think that AI-based mobile applications will be a future trend for enhancing exhibition performance. Exhibition professionals will have the opportunity to design engaging customer experiences, and AI systems can be adapted to match specific exhibition environments and conditions.

5.2.3. Value and Meaning of Implementation of Green Procurement for Promotion of a Green MICE Industry

If the goal of sustainable development of the environment and society is to be met, we believe that the focus of corporate procurement should be shifted from price orientation, that is, the traditional focus, to circular and sustainable procurement. Governmental agencies and private organizations must rethink their procurement principles by considering a circular economy, promoting cooperation between buyers and suppliers, and minimizing risks to the environment if the goal of sustainable development is to be achieved. Green procurement can also reduce costs because sustainable procurement involves the consideration and integration of social value to meet corporate sustainable responsibilities through green procurement behavior.

5.2.4. Academic and Practical Contributions

This study developed an exhibition industry performance indicator scale. Measurement of performance has two functions: to clearly describe the past and present and to aid the formulation of performance goals to serve as a reference for future management. This study reviewed studies related to the MICE industry and discovered a total lack of scholarly attention to performance evaluation in the MICE context. Consequently, the correct direction has not been identified, and a specific standard for measurements has not been developed. This study developed five dimensions—namely exhibition hall facilities, the marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, the knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and the implementation of green procurement—and verified the paths between the dimensions. The results indicated that the five dimensions all had significant positive effects on exhibition industry performance. These dimensions can serve as performance indicators and be adopted by scholars and practitioners. Additionally, they can serve as the basis for appropriate marketing strategies and be utilized to promote the competitiveness of the exhibition industry. This study hopes to prompt the government to prioritize the improvement of the environment of the exhibition industry and further provide businesses with a platform for exchange and trade. Through this action, the government can also indirectly support related industries such as the food and beverage, hotel, airline, transportation, public relations, and advertising industries, driving economic growth. The government, residents, tourists, and businesses are all stakeholders in the exhibition industry, and their involvement in the development of this industry is crucial. The exhibition industry performance indicator scale constructed in this study provides standards and factors for performance measurement, and the results of such measurement can be provided to the public sector to serve as a reference for integrating stakeholders and developing the exhibition industry.

5.3. Limitations and Future Research

This study verified the significant positive effects of exhibition hall facilities, the marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, the knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and the implementation of green procurement on exhibition performance. However, the research results are limited. The research participants were sampled from the staff working at an exhibition, and the exhibition characteristics investigated were limited. To expand the inferences of the model, surveys could be conducted for exhibitions with different characteristics. In addition, the five dimensions—software and hardware facilities of the exhibition hall (venue capacity, venue selection, comprehensiveness of facilities, and exhibition costs), the marketing skills of organizers (support from associations, industries, and the government; marketing; scale of the exhibition; and visitor quality), environmental resources near the exhibition hall (tourism resources, transportation convenience, and selection convenience), the knowledge and skills of exhibition industry personnel, and the implementation of green procurement—could be combined with or integrated into other dimensions such as green brand awareness to investigate methods of measuring performance to improve the exhibition industry. This study used a questionnaire survey targeting exhibition industry professionals, exhibitors, and their employees to obtain quantitative data. However, qualitative research, particularly case studies investigating the opinions of exhibition industry professionals regarding the exhibition industry or long-term trends, may provide deeper insights into the research topic and increase the value of the present findings and developed scale.