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Purpose This study aims to propose an extended framework to design a profitable exhibition booth environment (i.e. boothscape) that fosters attendees’ at-show experience and after-show purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach Survey-based data were collected from attendees who visited one of the five major exhibitions at leading convention and exhibition cities in Korea. Structural equation modeling was used to examine which features of boothscape are more influential in improving attendees’ at-show experience and after-show purchase intention. Findings Empirical results revealed that booth design, product variety and assortment and entertainment exert a significant impact on attendees’ emotional and cognitive experiences at an exhibition. On the other hand, booth personnel exclusively influence attendees’ cognitive experience. A better chance of after-show purchase incident can be obtained by reinforcing both emotional and cognitive experiences. Research limitations/implications Although emotional and cognitive experiences are two of the most compelling types of at-show experience, future studies can consider mediating roles of other experiences to better understand the complex mechanism of attendees’ at-show experience. Moreover, it is worthy to examine the moderating effects of attendees’ characteristics, as Bitner (1992) argued that individuals have different perceptions of the surrounding environment based on personal and situation variables. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence on the under-explored research area of boothscape. Researchers and exhibitors can learn that both context and content of boothscape should be taken into consideration to create a more holistic at-show experience. In return, attendees can have long-lasting memories of exhibitors and products for future purchase. This new insight can serve as inspiration for researchers and exhibitors to shift paradigms from service- to experience-oriented to improve long-term exhibition performances.