EIBTM 2013: A bit more Barcelona

The EIBTM will take place for the tenth time in Catalonia since its move from Geneva. For this little anniversary its organisers have treated it to a new outfit.

This time something will be different when the EIBTM opens its gates from 19 to 21 November at the Fira Gran Via. The international MICE convention will not just be held a week earlier, its appearance will be noticeably changed as well. Those responsible at Reed Travel Exhibitions want to receive the 3,000 exhibitors and 10,000 buyers in a new look. Of course, the key function of the show will remain the same: to bring suppliers and buyers together. There was a need for action, however, so that the renovation of the event is not just an end unto itself. The new “layout” is meant to guarantee a better flow of visitors, which in the past sometimes ran into a bottleneck on the main aisle. The organisers strive for a more even distribution of MICE professional among all of the exhibitor stands with the new layout. This will benefit the return on investment of each exhibition stand, as Reed explains. 

But this is not just a purely business decision. The immediate surroundings of the exhibition will be re-designed in a more attractive and pleasant manner for participants. As soon as they arrive, visitors will encounter a transformed entrance area where they can relax. Two new information and meeting points, seating in lounge style, and a “central activity area” have been conceived. The show will be even more generous in the exhibition area. Two “ piazzas ” will offer participants more space for networking. At the same time these two squares will be where guests are supplied with food. The culinary offering will be expanded with the addition of local foods and drinks. The plans are to bring a bit more of Barcelona feeling to EIBTM. Thus a selection of traditional Catalan tapas will supply local colour.

The happenings at the exhibition will be changed in another manner. This year the “Technology Village” will be even larger. The background for this is the growing demand for technological solutions for the MICE area. Diverse IT and software providers will once more be represented. Aside from high-tech, the focus at EIBTM will naturally remain on destinations. Good times seem to be prophesised, for example, for Latin America. 39 percent of the “hosted” event planners at the last exhibition reported having “a direct interest” in business relations with this region. The survey corresponds to the development among suppliers in Barcelona: Last year more than 200 exhibitors came from Latin America, in particular from Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Standards there have improved markedly, both quantitatively and qualitatively, report experts. This applies to event centres just as much as to hotels and airlines; the number of flights and flight routes, for example, has increased noticeably. This translates into favourable conditions for future MICE events (www.eibtm.com).