exhibitions: GIBTM reports: Meetings, meetings, meetings
Meetings, meetings, meetings
7,500 meetings scheduled for GIBTM this week – up 17% percent on 2009
The Gulf meeting industry means business – that was the feedback from the show floor yesterday as the fourth edition of GIBTM got underway.
“There is always a good buzz about GIBTM. It’s a very personal show. Exhibitors know that they are seeing quality professionals and that Hosted Buyers are coming here to place business.
“We are really pleased with the number of Hosted Buyers attending this week. Our total of 277 Hosted Buyers represents our largest group ever,” said Graeme Barnett, exhibition director, GIBTM.
“We have worked hard to recruit buyers from the key markets that our exhibitors are most interested in. We have a lot of international buyers from China, Russia and Europe for our regional exhibitors and a large number of regional buyers for our international participants.”
Some 7,500 pre-scheduled meetings will take place during the three-day exhibition, up 17 percent on last year.
Total show floor size may be smaller than previous editions - GIBTM 2010 covers six percent less floor space than the 2009 edition - but the business mood is buoyant.
Key exhibitors are already pledging to return in 2011, with some destinations, such as Seoul, already requesting larger stand space for next year’s show.
“We’ve seen a decline in the number of corporate hotel stands this year, but some of the destination stands have increased their number of partner exhibitors – Abu Dhabi, for example, has seen growth,” Barnett remarked.
Business results
The fourth edition of the Middle East Industry Research Report will be unveiled at the show today, further underscoring the important role GIBTM plays in shaping the region’s meetings industry.
“Having had a look at the results as they came off the press, what’s interesting for the region is that not all destinations have had a hard time. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, for example, have seen steady business levels,” Barnett said.
“There are some really exciting findings for suppliers in the industry and some useful information and data about the potential flow of business to the region for the next 12-18 months will be announced.
“What the survey shows is that there was definitely a silver lining to the dark cloud of 2009. I urge exhibitors, visitors and buyers to come to the survey seminar to find out more.”
The research results will be announced at 11.00 in Capital Suite 1, with reports available from the meetme stand E130.
