IBTM ARABIA – SETS THE BENCHMARK FOR A NEW STYLE OF MICE EVENT IN THE REGION

IBTM ARABIA – SETS THE BENCHMARK FOR A NEW STYLE OF MICE EVENT IN THE REGION

“It’s been excellent for us, we have some very strong leads and a very positive response”
“Chic, classy, sophisticated, I love the way it has been put together”

Press Release: 16 February 2015 – ibtm arabia which closed last Thursday in Abu Dhabi, created the first all-inclusive 5 star MICE event in the Middle East for international and regional suppliers and buyers.  It also brought them together as a community to do business and network over 3 days.

“Judging by the enthusiasm of our exhibitors and Hosted Buyers we feel very confident that this new event format has been a huge success. Our strategy to mutually match the quality of both buyers and suppliers ensured their compatibility with each other. We also wanted to create a memorable experience and a strong community in addition to the valuable pre-scheduled appointments and that has been key to the success for everyone involved,” said Lois Wilcox Exhibition Manager ibtm arabia.

The only MICE event in the region to bring international and regional Hosted Buyers and exhibitors in a one-to-one ratio format, ibtm arabia delivered more than 3000 mutually matched and pre-selected appointments over the 2 days of business meetings. “The combination of the pre-scheduled appointments and nine networking opportunities have provided more touch points for everyone to help make meaningful connections,” commented Wilcox.

Zdenek Giormani, Director of the Czech Convention Bureau, was delighted with the new concept. “It’s a good way to do business, it’s more personal, I prefer it and the value of my meetings has also been very good.”

Similarly, Lee Ford, Head of Operations for QNCC said: “It’s been excellent for us, we have some very strong leads and a very positive response. It’s also been great for networking, no time wasters, even with other exhibitors, we have been able to catch up on everything going on in the MICE industry in this region, I am sure we will be back.”

Nicoletta Paphitou, Cyprus Convention Bureau, added to the enthusiasm of exhibitors. “I think this is the most effective exhibition that I have every participated in.”

Carole O’Connor, Marketing MICE Division for Rovos Rail in South Africa, added that the value to her company was outstanding. “This has been a very different event.  Chic, classy, sophisticated, I love the way it has been put together. We have had good quality appointments and two very interesting incentive opportunities – of course we will be back.”

Marwan Haddad, Director of Sales & Marketing for Marriott Doha, said that the new appointment system and the fact that the event was “closed” to trade visitors worked well. “This has worked! The appointment set up where everyone moves after 15 minutes was right.  The mutual match was also perfect and we have had concrete enquiries – we will be back next year.”

Ronar Nammour from Iktissadevents, UAE, was a Hosted Buyer for the first time. “It’s been very helpful to my business. We work for corporates as well as the public and government sectors and I am sure we are going to generate business. We are looking for opportunities for our clients in Europe including Spain and Switzerland as well as the GCC, many contacts I had not been able to reach, but I have now met with in person!”

Next year ibtm arabia (previously called GIBTM) will celebrate 10 years in Abu Dhabi. “Its importance to the region has been fundamental to the emergence of the MICE sector. When the event was launched there was very little infrastructure that supported meetings, conventions, events and incentives, but that has all changed,” added Wilcox.  The number of meetings in the Middle East has grown even quicker than in other regions – in fact they have more than tripled over the last decade, according to Euromonitor’s International, MICE and Business Travel.

“Over the next five years we anticipate that the importance of the MICE sector will grow so that it will be the key to providing long term sustainability to the sector in Abu Dhabi” said Mubarak Al Shamsi, Director of the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, partners and official hosts to ibtm arabia. “The Mice industry contributes to the emirate’s tourism particularly since business visitors tend to have a larger disposable income than leisure visitors, we are confident that the success of the new style ibtm arabia will result in new business for our partners.”

For further information please visit www.ibtmarabia.com

 

ibtm arabia delivers new format MICE event for the Gulf Region

ibtm arabia delivers new format MICE event for the Gulf Region

International Hosted Buyers from 36 countries representing key and influential planners of MICE business have descended on Abu Dhabi for an exclusive closed door one-to-one meeting format in a revamped ibtm arabia (formerly GIBTM).

Opening at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi today, the event will be the only one in the region to introduce international buyers from Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, Africa and the Middle East, all representing leading corporations, associations, and agencies, to a mix of suppliers from the region and overseas.

With twice as many exhibitors as GIBTM 2014, 24 will be participating for the first time. There will also be 5 new countries represented including Scotland, Ethiopia, Japan, Mexico and Canada.

“ibtm arabia’s successful introduction is an endorsement of the strength of Abu Dhabi’s MICE proposition and proves we have evolved an established industry event to make it more relevant for delegates, buyers and exhibitors,” said Mubarak Al Shamisi, Director of the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, a division of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

The new exhibition format provides a platform for Abu Dhabi’s MICE sector to introduce new products and services, and present their products to industry experts specialising in a number of diverse fields such as international corporate groups and the expanding local wedding business, and promote packages to the local and GCC markets.

The “new” event brings everyone together for three days during which they will participate in “Discovery Day” where both buyers and suppliers get a taste of Abu Dhabi, and the experiences it offers for the MICE industry, followed by the opportunity to attend the ibtm arabia Knowledge Forum giving inspiration from two thought provoking speakers. Two days of business will follow, where over 3000 appointments will be held between buyers and suppliers with a diary of up to 30 appointments for each of them, plus networking and social events will bring everyone together.

“The significance of ibtm arabia is fundamental to the continuing growth of the MICE sector and has been built on the success of GIBTM. This new format however, creates a community for this industry, and for the first time everyone will work, learn and network together giving endless opportunities to meet, connect and do business as well as make new friends. ibtm arabia offers real exclusivity and with the quality of both buyers and suppliers, matched to have real influence on each other, we believe this new formula can enhance the experience of all our attendees,” said Lois Wilcox, Exhibition Manager ibtm arabia.

Highlights of ibtm arabia include: Discovery Day, Knowledge Forum, Pre-scheduled appointments, 9 networking events.

For further information please visit www.ibtmarabia.com