Trade show booth types explained: inline, corner, peninsula and island

An inline booth, also called a row or linear booth, sits in a line of stands with neighbours on both sides and one side open to the aisle. It's the most common and most affordable type. In North America the standard is 10×10 ft (about 9 m²); in Europe and Asia, stands of 9 to 18 m² are typical.

A corner booth is an inline booth at the end of a row, open on two sides. The extra aisle exposure makes it more visible, and organisers often charge a corner premium.

A peninsula booth is open on three sides and backs onto another stand or a wall, usually at the end of a block of stands. They're typically at least 20×20 ft (about 37 m²).

An island booth has aisles on all four sides. Islands are the largest and most expensive spaces on the floor, usually 20×20 ft (about 37 m²) or bigger, and often carry custom-built or double-deck stands.

You'll also meet these on floor plans and exhibitor contracts:

• Shell scheme: a pre-built stand with walls, fascia board and basic lighting, common in Europe and Asia
• Space only (raw space): just the floor, for exhibitors bringing a custom build
• Tabletop or pod: a small counter in a shared area, often for start-ups
• Pavilion: a group of stands under a shared country or industry banner

Stand type and size are among the best public signals of an exhibitor's show budget. Island and peninsula exhibitors spend heavily on space and build, so they're prime prospects for stand builders, AV and logistics suppliers, and they usually send senior people. Repeat exhibitors whose stand grows each year are expanding.

Floor plans show both. An AI floor plan reader such as ExhibitionBase captures each exhibitor's stand size in square metres and its type where the plan marks it, so you can sort a whole show by stand size.