Mumbai. The first IBTM India, launched by Reed Travel Exhibitions, to complement its global portfolio of meetings industry events on 6 continents, was praised by both suppliers and buyers as an “excellent new forum for business and knowledge.” The new table top event placed over 80 Hosted Buyers with 72 exhibitors last week over the course of 3 days at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai.
The success of the one-to-one pre-scheduled appointment system guaranteed some 2,496 appointments which meant an average of 34 per exhibitor. Hosted Buyers represented 16 countries and also came from 8 key cities in India. Suppliers represented 22 countries and 29 came from around India.
The event opened with a half-day conference attended by over 200 delegates and a keynote session from Devdutt Pattanaik, who talked about the teachings of mythology and how this can be translated into modern day business practices. It provided a perspective on how the world of business in India is evolving whilst it still maintains elements of tradition and beliefs, which remain ingrained in society and culture. This session was followed by a panel debate about the state of the industry both inbound and outbound.
Shinu Pillai, IBTM India Project Manager concluded; “The table-top format is a proven business model across Reed Travel Exhibitions’ events and we are confident that the impact of this first IBTM India on both international and domestic suppliers and buyers will set the scene for growth in 2014”
