Business first as EIBTM closes

This year's EIBTM confirmed by Mandy Torrens, EIBTM Exhibition Director, as having attracted the largest ever gathering of Hosted Buyers and the most pre-sheduled appointments in the event's 21-year-old history.

She announced that unaudited figures showed that the event attracted a record number of Hosted Buyers - 3,791, up 2 % on the previous year; 54, 255 pre-sheduled meetings were organised over the three day event - up 4 %. Overall total attendance is expected to hit the 8, 000 mark.

Mandy Torrens commented: "These figures show not only how resilient the meetings market is in challenging times but the reputation EIBTM has as the place to do business, learn and network."

She added: "We welcomed our largest ever gathering of Hosted Buyers from Europe, Africa, Asia, USA, South America, Middle East and Australia and we are already receiving requests for space for next year."

EIBTM's professional education programme saw numbers top over 3, 000, up 15 % - another record for the event - making it the largest European education gathering of industry professionals.

The Association Programme attracted record attendances from twenty-four countries including Russia, Israel, Sweden, Chile and China; a truly international and cosmopolitan gathering of Associations representing an array of sectors.

A major success has been the expansion of the event's Spanish educational programme with ten dedicated sessions organised over the three days with speakers from APCE, MPI, Malaga Convention Bureau, Viajes Iberia Congresos, Oviedo Congress Palace and Le Meridien Barcelona. This initiative has impacted positively on the number of Spanish visitors at the show and is set to become a stable part of the show in future years. 

MICE CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE magazines have been a Media Industy Partner of the EIBTM for three years. Our readers, clients and partners can always find our most recents magazines distributed at several locations at each EIBTM event.