TY - JOUR

T1 - Historical Evolution of Trade Fairs against Urban Evolution

T2 - Divergence and Convergence of Thessaloniki Fair with International Practice

AU - Kourkouridis, Dimitris

AU - Frangopoulos, Ioannis

AU - Kapitsinis, Nikolaos

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - This paper conceptualizes trade fairs as complex socio-spatial phenomena, which are constantly transformed, following socio-economic change, and reflect aspects of social and urban life. Methodologically, we apply a longitudinal systematic comparative analysis of historical fair evolution between international practice and the case of the city of Thessaloniki, exploring convergence and divergence, throughout the historical evolution of the city. It is shown that Thessaloniki fair exhibits similarities and differences vis-à-vis the international practice, with these linking to the socio-economic conditions of the city. Fair activity in Thessaloniki exhibits a time lag in integration of international practices while incorporating economic, social, cultural, and political dimensions. Particularly within the conditions of the 2008 global economic crisis, Thessaloniki fair emerges as a hybrid model that combines fairs’ strategies and social and urban practices with aspects of pre-modern, modern, and post-modern fair forms, significantly influenced by the historical evolution of the urban context.

AB - This paper conceptualizes trade fairs as complex socio-spatial phenomena, which are constantly transformed, following socio-economic change, and reflect aspects of social and urban life. Methodologically, we apply a longitudinal systematic comparative analysis of historical fair evolution between international practice and the case of the city of Thessaloniki, exploring convergence and divergence, throughout the historical evolution of the city. It is shown that Thessaloniki fair exhibits similarities and differences vis-à-vis the international practice, with these linking to the socio-economic conditions of the city. Fair activity in Thessaloniki exhibits a time lag in integration of international practices while incorporating economic, social, cultural, and political dimensions. Particularly within the conditions of the 2008 global economic crisis, Thessaloniki fair emerges as a hybrid model that combines fairs’ strategies and social and urban practices with aspects of pre-modern, modern, and post-modern fair forms, significantly influenced by the historical evolution of the urban context.

KW - fairs

KW - historical evolution

KW - socio-spatial phenomenon

KW - Thessaloniki

KW - trade fairs

U2 - 10.1177/00961442241227237

DO - 10.1177/00961442241227237

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85185124805

JO - Journal of Urban History

JF - Journal of Urban History

SN - 0096-1442

ER -