In this paper, we propose a complementary view of business visitor behaviour at trade shows based on the experiential perspective in marketing. We conducted an ethnographic study in the context of ten international trade shows in the textile-apparel industry in Europe. The study sheds light on the nature of the experience provided by trade show exhibitors and organisers and on visitors’ lived experiences. Trade shows immerse industrial buyers into a physical and cognitive experience that requires their active participation. Under such circumstances, industrial marketers that employ experiential marketing techniques are likely to increase their trade show performances. The activity of trade show organisers, too, can have an impact on the visit experience, mainly by arranging exhibitors in the exhibition areas in a manner that facilitates industrial buyers’ information search processes.