exhibitions: EIBTM reports: More business in Barcelona
More business in Barcelona
Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is getting revved up for the 23rd edition of EIBTM, which this year takes place from November 29 to December 1 at Barcelona’s Fira Gran Via.
3,100 global suppliers from more than 100 countries and approximately 3,800 Hosted Buyers, trade visitors and press from around the world are expected to participate.
The Hosted Buyer programme guarantees attendance from more than 3,800 top-level international decision makers – a similar number to those hosted at last year’s show.
But EIBTM exhibition director Graeme Barnett has reminded the industry that headline numbers such as this only offer “one view of success”. “Those with a real understanding of performance will focus on the assessment of quality,” he said. With this in mind, RTE will ramp up the number of pre-scheduled appointments at this year’s EIBTM in response to research into EIBTM 2010, revealed that all participants wanted more opportunities to do business.
Around 65 percent of Hosted Buyers, did or will do, between Euro 50,000 and Euro 1 million of business as a result of attending EIBTM according to the research. RTE has therefore upped the number of matched appointments from six to seven per day for all buyers with some 60,000 meetings expected to take place over the three days – an increase of 10 percent year-on-year.
“The return on investment for buyers and suppliers attending EIBTM is top of our agenda and, as their satisfaction is part measured by business achieved onsite, we want to create more opportunities to satisfy the demand,” added Barnett.
Education and technology
Appointments aside, there are also new initiatives planned for the education programme, the Technology Village EIBTM, the EIBTM app and several features on the show floor.
EIBTM will be hosting some of its education programme in the new, extended conference facilities available at the venue. The full education programme will be available to view online soon.
The expanding Technology Village will have its own live demonstration area for the first time this year. Showcasing the ‘Future of the Meetings Industry’, the area will be available for exhibitors with cutting-edge technology to present their innovations and products to buyers and visitors, revealed Barnett.
“Hosted Buyers will also be able to benefit from the introduction of social networking via Pokens; a new technology developed to connect people using data transfer devices that are fully integrated with popular networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook,” he said. Barnett stressed that technology was “central” to EIBTM and had “grown exponentially at the show as the world of innovation becomes increasingly important to the meetings industry”.
As a result, a brand new feature will be unveiled at this year’s show called Future Experience where live presentations, seminars and debates will take place.
Regular feature, the EIBTM Technology hour, will take place in the Lecture Theatre on the show floor. Topics covered will include: ‘How to make sure your website is social media and mobile friendly’; ‘Are event professionals using social media tools effectively?’; and, ‘iPads and Tablets – New applications for meeting planners, exhibitors and attendees’.
There’s also EIBTM Technology Watch, an award’s programme that “recognises the latest in technological developments and innovative products that will move the meetings and events industry forward to the next level”.
Last year’s winner Jacques Racine, president and CEO of Sherpa Solutions said winning the EIBTM Technology Watch award had paid dividends, with the company confirming more than 200 large events in the 18 months following the show.
The Middle East at EIBTM
Of some 3,100 exhibitors attending to date, there are more than 12 newcomers including the Kingdom of Bahrain, with several more Middle East suppliers showing interest, according to Barnett.
“EIBTM is an international event with exhibitors from every corner of the globe and the Middle East needs to be part of it if suppliers from the region are looking to achieve business from international meeting planners and buyers,” he stressed.
Barnett revealed that an exit poll undertaken at this year’s GIBTM in Abu Dhabi found that 53 percent of participants were also forecasting an increase in their meetings and events business for 2011. “There was also a general consensus that the global economic situation has recovered slowly leading to increased competitiveness in the field,” he said.
Commenting on Bahrain’s participation at EIBTM, Barnett added: “Bahrain is a destination investing heavily in its meetings, incentive and exhibition sector. The sector contributed US$184.6 million to the country’s economy last year and is expected to contribute US$223.6 million by next year, despite the economic disruption caused by the unrest. The country’s meetings segment has already made a significant contribution to the country’s GDP and will be a future driver of economic growth for Bahrain.”
Barnett continued: “Both exhibitors and buyers from the region should be part of EIBTM; suppliers who want to do business with international planners and buyers who wish to seek destinations and venues for their events outbound from the Middle East to other countries.”
