FOR more than 21 years EIBTM, in Barcelona, Spain, has successfully brought together meeting professionals from around the world and has easily been considered the leading global event for the meetings industry.
According to EIBTM event director, Graeme Barnett: “Now in its 22nd year, EIBTM has become Reed Travel Exhibitions’ flagship event within a global portfolio for the meetings industry that spans China, The Middle East, Australia and, for 2011, the US.”
Taking place from November 30 to December 2 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, the event has grown exponentially, its real growth measured in value over size, with the right combination of professional education programme, the networking events and the overall business achieved throughout the three days of the show.
Last year alone, EIBTM attracted a total attendance of 8,170, marking a 0.5 per cent increase on 2008 – made up of 7,563 visitors and hosted buyers and 607 VIPs, speakers, students and press. Hosted buyer numbers were up three per cent to 3,827 and 54,255 pre-scheduled appointments took place between buyers and exhibitors, an increase of four per cent from 2008. EIBTM’s professional education programme saw attendance of almost 4,000 delegates – up 15 per cent.
“EIBTM’s advantage over other trade shows is that our figures are open to independent assessment and scrutiny so, while headline numbers provide one view of success, those with a real understanding of performance focus on the assessment of quality. While there is little point speculating about numbers until this ABC audit takes place, we obviously hope that this year is equally as successful for both suppliers and buyers,” said Barnett.
A large number of companies will debut at EIBTM 2010, including Incent Tours, Divan Hotels, Key DM and Marriott Global.
“Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority has increased its stand space for this year’s event, incorporating hotels such as Emirates Palace, Hilton Hotel and Fairmont Bab Al Bahr. We are hopeful that there will be more new sharing companies on some of the destination stands,” he added.
Other UAE-based exhibitors include Jebel Ali Hotels & Resorts, Alpha Tours, Gulf Ventures and Qatar Tourism Authority, which will highlight the 40 hotels scheduled to open in the next 12 months, bringing another 7,500 to 8,000 hotel rooms to the market.
Recognising the benefits of EIBTM, Soha Al Fadl Moussa, head of promotions at Qatar Tourism Authority, said: “As the leading global event for the meetings and incentive industry, EIBTM provides one of the most comprehensive programmes of seminars, workshops and networking events bringing together leading industry professionals to discuss the trends and issues facing the market at the moment. It is a way for Qatar Tourism Authority to expand our network within the industry, share ideas and present to industry professionals the best of what Qatar has to offer as a premier Mice destination in the Gulf region.”
While the application process is still ongoing, the show expects to achieve an increase in hosted-buyer groups from Europe, Africa, Australasia, the Americas and Asia. Currently there are 25 hosted buyers attending from the Middle East, including MCI Middle East, HelmsBriscoe, American Express and 360 Events & Marketing.
Various new features have been added this year including a purpose-built lecture theatre on the show floor where events such as the Spanish language educational sessions and the daily technology hours will take place. Another new feature is the Green Room, a dedicated seminar area focused on corporate social responsibility. Sessions tackling key issues such as how to be sustainable without blowing the budget, waste management and reporting on sustainability are scheduled.
Also new this year are the EIBTM stand awards, which have been created to recognise and acknowledge those exhibitors who provide the most effective environment in which to create impact and do business.
“We have also introduced an interactive floor plan via the show website that will enable visitors to plan their way around the show,” said Barnett.
“It is really important that whatever we do enhances EIBTM’s ability to deliver business and value for all participants but at the same time ensures that the experience of attending EIBTM is pleasurable and efficient.”
In 2009, EIBTM’s professional education programme saw a record attendance of almost 4,000 visitors, reflecting its importance to the global meetings industry. This year’s programme will cover more than 50 sessions tackling subjects as diverse as the keynote session on the opening day entitled Brand Leverage – Challenge Assumptions to Strengthen the Output, a Women in Business session, Succeeding as a Female Entrepreneur, and on the final day Peter Pecotic, founding and managing director of Turningpoint Solutions, and Daniel Tschudy, renowned expert on global issues in the meetings, event, sports and tourism communities, will focus on China.
The education programme will also feature sessions in conjunction with the association, corporate and agency programmes which cater specifically to hosted buyers. Association sessions will address key issues including: future membership models; maximising results when negotiating with destinations and venues; improving participant experience and learning preferences.
This year, a meetings architecture power panel has been established where delegates will learn how they can become involved and benefit from this new project which has been created to enhance the overall effectiveness of meetings by globally creating meeting architecture, a discipline focused on designing and implementing the content of meetings based on objectives and measuring the outcome.
Meeting architecture integrates the arts and sciences that contribute to learning and motivation by incorporating such diverse disciplines as theatre, psychology and sociology into the art and science of effective meeting management. This is the natural next focus for the industry – from meeting logistics to meeting planning to meeting architecture.
Ideally situated between East and West, with rapidly developing airline hubs and increased capacity to host meetings, incentives and events from the largest international association congress to highly focused niche corporate meetings, the Middle East is increasingly becoming a first choice for buyers and planners.
According to Barnett: “Although the industry has come through the worst of the global economic crisis, there is no doubt that the overall effects are still being felt and while some companies, organisations, countries and regions are facing major economic challenges, others are forging ahead as the meetings and events business continues to grow. Still in its infancy, the potential for growth in the Middle East is considerable and over the next few years there is no doubt that the meetings industry is set to develop and grow.
“Whilst in Europe the meetings industry is already developed, we know from our annual research that the job titles for meeting planner and/or incentive travel buyer are not particularly well used in the Middle East region, as the industry is still in its infancy. However we also know that these roles are gathering space in corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors. The challenge is, therefore, to get those involved irrespective of their title.”