My exhibit needs a refresh, and flooring seems like the easiest place to start. I'm not sure whether rolled carpet or vinyl is best for my needs. What are the pros and cons of each?

First of all, kudos for focusing on your exhibit's flooring. It's an empty canvas on which you can reinforce your booth's theme, create a cohesive environment, and grab attention. While there are a lot of flooring choices these days, rolled carpet and vinyl remain the most popular due to their value and the range of style options. And there's no rule stating that you must only commit to one or the other. Incorporating a carpet inlay into your vinyl flooring, or vice versa, is a great way to highlight specific products and points of interest in your exhibit. But to answer your question, here are what I consider the pros and cons of each flooring type.

Carpet Pros
➤  Carpeting is generally inexpensive to buy and rent, and it's simple to install. Just roll it out over some half-inch rebond padding – assuming your underfloor electrical cords aren't too large in diameter – and you're done.
➤  It can be easily modified and repaired. Say you need to place especially large or delicate machinery in your booth before the flooring is laid. It's much simpler to cut and seam carpet around the display models than to do so with vinyl. The same goes with on-site fixes. For example, if your flooring is down and you need to reach an electrical box in the floor, a section of carpet can be cut out and then reattached quite easily and with almost no evidence left behind.
➤  Exhibitors can choose from a wide range of colors. And if a stock color isn't quite to your liking, nylon carpet can be custom dyed. One time an exhibitor wanted yellow carpet to tie in to their logo, and our stock color wasn't bright enough. So their exhibit house requested a custom order to get a hue that was almost neon. It was such a hit that the client ordered it again the following year and handed out sunglasses to attendees.

Carpet Cons
➤  It can be perceived as dated. Exhibits are all about branding, and sometimes carpet isn't a good fit because it doesn't match the product. If you sell cutting-edge hospital equipment, white carpet just doesn't translate to the environment the same as white vinyl.
➤  Carpet is more expensive to clean. A typical on-site vacuum order will run you about 25 cents per square foot, while a booth staffer with a Swiffer can keep a vinyl floor looking great.
➤  Large-scale custom printing takes time and money. If you want a truly custom carpet, say an all-over print of your company logo or a step-and-repeat pattern, be prepared for a long lead time – up to 12 weeks – and a big bill, as there are only a few companies that do this type of work.

Vinyl Pros
➤  It's typically viewed as more hygienic. Exhibitors and attendees are very focused on cleanliness right now, and for good reason. While a lot depends on what type of cleaning or sanitization services an exhibitor orders, in my experience vinyl is often perceived as being more hygienic.
➤  Customization is a breeze. Want your entire floor to look like a building blueprint, freshly turned soil, or a video game screen? With vinyl flooring, the sky's the limit – and it can be done much faster and less expensively than printed carpet.
➤  It's great for capturing attention. Because vinyl often captures the eye faster than carpet, can be easily customized, and is usually available in a variety of textures and finishes, it can be the simplest, most cost-effective option for making the most impact.

Vinyl Cons
➤  Installation may be more laborious. Vinyl can take longer to install, as the padding needs to be channeled to accommodate underfloor electrical cables. This can take a significant amount of time in a large booth or a stand with an elaborate electric plan.
➤  You may need to account for high heels. If the electrical channeling is extensive or not done with precision, it's a good idea to add a second layer of quarter-inch padding. This will help prevent high heels from poking through the vinyl.
➤  It's more difficult to repair. Whereas sections of carpet can be easily cut and replaced, vinyl tends to show where any "surgery" was performed, especially if it's custom printed.