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In an edition that focused on the potential of people and the power of relationships, IBTM showed how, along with technological advances, what event professionals need to succeed are other people.
A future to grow together
Insight, innovation, experience design, social responsibility, marketing, careers and advocacy were the main themes of a conference programme designed to feed the industry’s appetite for collaboration.
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Photo: Edward Hill
Three powerful keynote speeches brought these themes to life. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, a five-time British Paralympic athlete, opened the first day’s main stage with an inspiring talk on the limitless possibilities that arise when empowering people, fostering team spirit and championing inclusion.
Simone Heng, a specialist in human connections, took the stage on the second day with a discussion on the importance of forging meaningful relationships across differences as humans move into the age of artificial intelligence.
Photo: Edward Hill
On the final day, Julius Solaris, founder of Boldpush, joined Goc O’Callaghan, Global Experience Lead at Buro Happold, and Louise O’Connor, CEO of Seen Presents Ltd, to delve into how the events industry can create human experiences in a world increasingly dominated by technology.
What’s new in 2024
New this year was Exceptional Experiences, a programme specifically designed to help in-house event professionals and marketers create experiences that drive business growth, with speakers from Amazon, Tik Tok and Canva.
In addition, the Hotel Pavilion, a space focused on independent hotels and small hotel groups, was launched.
Photo: Edward Hill
The Advocacy Forum is an initiative that brings together senior leaders, policy makers, legislators, industry associations and academics to broaden the existing debate around advocacy issues. The days discussed how business events can counter the challenges of over-tourism and climate change by contributing positively to local communities. The group also discussed the importance of lobbying beyond the Minister of Tourism to ensure that all government departments understand the impact of the business events industry on job creation, education and innovation.
Talent and trends
Day one featured The Trends Report by Alistair Turner, CEO of Eight PR & Marketing which this year highlights the importance of talent to the future of the industry and highlights the emergence of a new type of event professional who has evolved to adapt to the changing dynamics of the industry.
Photo: Edward Hill
The Business of Events presented its annual Global Destination Report. Highlights for 2024 include a promising trend towards budget stability in developed regions, as well as a continued call for alignment between the business events sector and government policy, including the need for greater advocacy and direct financial support. The report sheds light on the persistence of disparities in economic benefits between regions and draws attention to staffing issues that could hamper the sector’s ability to meet demand and achieve long-term growth.
Improving relationships through technology
One of the new features seen this year was Lead Booster, a specific tool designed to enable exhibitors to attract more potential customers by promoting exclusive offers. This was complemented by the Lead Manager application, which allows exhibitors to capture, review and qualify leads in real time.
Colleqt QR allowed attendees to capture information about exhibitors, sponsors and products without the need for bags full of brochures. By simply scanning a QR code, visitors received all the information they needed directly to their phones, and exhibitors received the contact details of visitors requesting more information to ensure no contacts were missed.
IBTM World turns 20
Claudia Hall, Director of IBTM World Exhibition, said: ‘It was an absolutely thrilling three days, not least because we were celebrating a very special 20th anniversary in Barcelona, which only added to the sense of camaraderie and togetherness. As every year, our wonderful IBTM World community arrived with a thirst for knowledge, a hunger for opportunity and an enthusiasm to make connections that will make the global events industry stronger and stronger.’
