PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the causal relationship between extended service quality including information and communications technology (ICT) and distinct perceived value. This study also examined whether distinct perceived value has different effects on exhibition trust through general attendees' satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling was used to examine the causal relationships between the following factors: extended service quality, distinct perceived value, satisfaction and trust.FindingsThe structural relationships between extended service quality, distinct perceived value and satisfaction required to build exhibition trust were empirically confirmed. In particular, ICTs had significant effects on all of the perceived value factors, which reliably supports a conclusion that ICT is a key component of exhibition service quality.Originality/valueRecognizing the significance of ICT, this study has contributed to the field by providing researchers and managers with useful information that not only demonstrates how extended service quality and distinct perceived value independently contribute to satisfaction and interact with each other in doing so but also offers insights for better understanding how trust can be formed in exhibitions. Grasping the distinct preferences for value-oriented activities, understanding the importance of their mediating impacts and expanding the online-offline social networks in which their benefits are promoted and shared can alleviate the uncertainty leading up to exhibition participation while increasing the preemptive transparency of the relationship between quality and value offered by exhibitions.