Barcelona. Ending the year on a high, EIBTM 2013 reports that exhibitors, buyers and visitors reflected the positive trends witnessed in the industry this year, with over 65,000 pre-scheduled appointments taking place plus a 7.7% increase in trade visitor attendance, 40% of them first timers to the event also added to the increased business opportunities.
Graeme Barnett, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Senior Exhibition Director comments, “We really hope that all of the new initiatives we implemented this year, and the effort put in to securing a quality driven Hosted Buyer programme and increase in trade visitors, helped contribute to the great sense of revived optimism across the show floor. We have also received overwhelming positive feedback from exhibitors and buyers about our new show floor layout and the additional networking areas also clearly added to the vibrant business atmosphere. By the end of the show we had already re-booked more than 35% of the floor for 2014!”
This renewed confidence witnessed across the industry was further reinforced by two major research reports presented onsite including the findings of Rob Davidson’s EIBTM Industry Trends Report and The Right Solution’s IBTM Global Research. Both recorded increased levels of optimism as the meetings and events industry continues to remain “critical drivers assisting organisations in their efforts to reach their strategic business objectives”. This year’s new pre-booked Innovation Zone guided tours for Hosted Buyer’s were also over-subscribed with a limit that topped 500 buyers over the 3 days.
The extended EIBTM Live programme (building on the 2012 Hybrid Conference) streamed sessions extending the reach of the EIBTM Knowledge Programme and Fresh conference sessions globally. New content for over 100 dedicated seminars and workshops completed this year’s professional education.
