IBTM ARABIA 2016 SET TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW BUSINESS CONNECTIONS

IBTM ARABIA 2016 SET TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW BUSINESS CONNECTIONS WITH LINE-UP OF 100% NEW HOSTED BUYERS IN THE 5 STAR LOCATION OF ABU DHABI

ibtm arabia 2016 (www.ibtmarabia.com), the leading event for the Arabian meetings, incentives, conference and events industry, is opening with a line-up of 100% new Hosted Buyers. ibtm arabia 2016 will host a global mix of agency, corporate and association buyers, with this year’s show seeing a 61% increase in the amount of corporate buyers attending.

Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager, ibtm arabia, commented, “Once again, we placed emphasis on buyer acquisition; we focused on finding undiscovered buyers who were new to our show and targeted emerging markets where prospective Hosted Buyers were just starting to learn about the fantastic industry they’re part of. We focused on elite, senior level decision makers with purchasing power; 73% of our Hosted Buyers are senior management, Managing Directors, or owners. As a result, we have an impressive, global line-up of brand-new Hosted Buyers set to attend the show this year.”

At the same time, ibtm arabia will once again offer a mutual match system that will allow both buyers and suppliers the opportunity to select who they want to meet with and set up a diary of up to 30 pre-scheduled appointments. Last year the show produced 3,000 appointments between Hosted Buyers and exhibitors.

Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager, ibtm arabia, continued, “Our Hosted Buyers organize events such as conferences and meetings, incentive travel, business travel, luxury travel, and are interested in products such as hotels, Destination Management Services, conferences/meeting venues, and attractions and entertainment. With so many MICE industries represented at ibtm arabia 2016, our mutual match system will help eliminate non-relevant meetings while ensuring that both exhibitors and Hosted Buyers have control of their time and investment at the event.”

Hosted Buyers will attend from regions such as Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Asia, South America, and the USA. Just some of the buyers set to attend include Incentive Connect International (Australia), ALATUR JTB (Brazil), AW Europe (Belgium), Egyliere (Egypt), SAP SE (Germany), Provident Global Capital Group (Hong Kong), Korea Railroad Research Institute (Korea), B.V.Coca-Cola (Poland), Peugeot Citroen (Russia), Allama Company (Saudi Arabia), Kuoni MICE & Special Groups (Switzerland), Abbott (UAE), Cognizant (UK) and Meridian Meetings Factory (USA).

Just some of the exhibitors attending ibtm arabia 2016 include Anabas Travel (Japan), L’Amphitrite Palace Morocco (Morocco), Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (Oman), Saint Petersburg Convention Bureau (Russian Federation), Singapore Tourism Board (Singapore), Melia Hotels International (Spain), Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (UAE), Rotana Hotel Management PJSC (UAE), Etihad Airways (UAE), Arsenal Football Club (UK) and Hard Rock International (USA).

This year ibtm arabia will take place at the exclusive 5-star Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi from 9th – 11th February. ibtm arabia is run with the support of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA), Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau and Etihad Airways.

For further information about exhibiting or to apply to be a Hosted Buyer, please visit http://www.ibtmarabia.com. For any enquiries, please contact ibtmarabia@reedexpo.co.uk

For a video explaining the new pod show format please visit http://www.ibtmarabia.com/About-Us/

IBTM ARABIA TO CONNECT ELITE MICE INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS AND BUYERS IN DYNAMIC THREE-DAY EVENT

IBTM ARABIA TO CONNECT ELITE MICE INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS AND BUYERS IN DYNAMIC THREE-DAY EVENT

This year ibtm arabia 2016 will take place from 9th to 11th of February at The Jumeirah at Etihad Towers on the famous promenade of Abu Dhabi with views of the Arabian Gulf and Cityscape.

The Jumeirah is an iconic development showcasing some of the best meetings facilities that Abu Dhabi has to offer. The luxurious 5-star hotel offers prestigious features such as exquisite hotel rooms, fine dining, a health club and Talise Spa and two levels of boutique shopping at the podium. The property will create the perfect setting for bringing together meetings industry professionals from across the globe.

Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager, ibtm arabia, comments, “The industry in the Gulf region is growing and certainly Dubai 2020 is having an impact on international buyers looking to place business at ibtm arabia. But the focus of this event is about creating a community, providing a one-to-one ratio of buyer to supplier and to mutually match the appointments, which means both buyers and suppliers can select who they want to meet“.

“ibtm arabia creates a true industry community, where participants stay in the same hotel and attend the same activities, from meetings to lunch, drinks to dinner. This enables genuine ongoing relationships to develop which leads to real business. ibtm events are not about the size of an event, it is about making that event 100% valuable to all attendees.”

ibtm arabia 2016 has seen an increase in the total number of buyers attending, as well as an increase in corporate and regional buyers. This year’s event will feature an impressive line up of new, fully Hosted Buyers, including Egyliere (Egypt), Helen Holidays (Egypt), Pomalo Travel (Jordan), Dakkak Holidays (Jordan), Piece of Cake (Lebanon), Belair Travel & Tourism (Lebanon), Kanoo Travel (Saudi Arabia), Allama Company (Saudi Arabia), Expotrade Global (UAE), Abbott (UAE) and QnA International (UAE).

All Hosted Buyers are handpicked, personally invited and verified against a strict qualification criteria, which requires that they are senior level decision makers with proven budget and business to place internationally. 80% of the Hosted Buyers confirmed to attend ibtm arabia 2016 have a budget over $5 million and organise a variety of events; 90% organise conferences and meetings, 80% incentive travel, 71% business travel, and 59% luxury travel. Confirmed Hosted Buyers this year have also indicated a variety of product interests: 88% indicated an interest in hotels, 80% in Destination Management Services, 66% in conferences/meeting venues, and 63% in attractions and entertainment.

ibtm arabia will also feature a number of new exhibitors, including Fairmont, Raffles & Swissotel Hotels & Resorts, Alpha Destination Management, Attikos Ilios S.A., Europe Hotel LLC, Golden Tours, Hill MICE Saudi Arabia and Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. All exhibitors at ibtm arabia will have access to the pre-scheduled appointment system, which gives exhibitors access to the world-class corporate, association, agency and incentive buyers at the show.

Exhibitors will be able to pre-schedule appointments with the Hosted Buyers that they identify as relevant to their business interests with a diary of up to thirty appointments. Last year saw over 3,000 appointments between Hosted Buyers and exhibitors at ibtm arabia, which we expect to increase in 2016.

The ibtm arabia 2016 experience will also include a ‘Discovery Day‘, combining a dedicated Knowledge Forum with networking and activities around Abu Dhabi which will invite buyers and exhibitors to discover the region and specifically its leading MICE products and services while enjoying exclusive networking events.

The Knowledge Forum will feature world-class keynote speaker, Carol Talbot, who sets out to empower professionals and help them think differently about their approach to work. Her objective is to support professionals towards creating and delivering a vision for themselves, which will ultimately accelerate them towards succeeding in this industry. Carol will highlight the difference between those who attract success and those that don’t. She will also share some of her top leadership tactics, which will provide attendees with useful tips around how to influence people.

The combination of the pre-scheduled appointments and nine networking opportunities at ibtm arabia 2016 including Discovery Day, a Welcome Reception and Gala Evening ensures valuable touch points for everyone to help make meaningful connections.

Post show research from 2015 confirmed that 95% of both exhibitors and Hosted Buyers were satisfied with the event and the business they did. So, this year ibtm arabia plans to deliver the same experience, which will continue to deliver maximum return on investment for all suppliers and buyers participating.

For more information visit www.ibtmarabia.com

IBTM ARABIA LINES UP IMPRESSIVE LIST OF BUYERS FOR 2016 EVENT

IBTM ARABIA LINES UP IMPRESSIVE LIST OF BUYERS FOR 2016 EVENT
The event for ‘serious high profile buyers and suppliers’ to connect

ibtm arabia (www.ibtmarabia.com), the leading event for the Arabian meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry has already seen a strong line up of regional and international buyers register to attend. The exclusive one-to-one event will take place at the 5-star Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi (9–11 February).

Companies represented by buyers looking to attend the show include Peugeot & Citroen (Russia), Cognizant (UK), Conference Direct (USA), The International Association of Public Transport (Belgium), Tata Capital Financial Services Limited (India), Google (UK), Abbot (UAE), Society of Petroleum Engineers (UAE), Prisme International (UAE), Moelis & Company (UAE), Land Division at KCA Deutag (UAE), HSBC (UAE), OiLibya (UAE), International Live Events Association (UAE) and Nova IVI Fertility (UAE) as well as interest from a variety of other countries in the Middle East and beyond.

Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager, ibtm arabia commented: “This year is very much about building on the success of last year’s event. Following the 2015 event we received so much positive feedback. We’ve secured a number of returning exhibitors already, including Arsenal Football Club, Meliá Hotels International, Matrix Audio Visual & Entertainment, Rovos Rail Tours Ltd as well as newcomers Hill MICE Saudi Arabia and Golden Tours Egypt“.

“Part of the success of the new pod show format is the mutually matched, pre-scheduled appointments system. Added to this is the quality of buyers that we hand-pick to attend. Hosted Buyers are invited based on their purchasing authority, where they place MICE business and the volume of business placed.”

David Escolar Díez, Regional Director of Sales – Middle East, Meliá Hotels International, who exhibited at this year’s show and will be returning next year commented: “ibtm arabia 2015 was very well organised and provided us with a platform to meet good quality buyers which led to some business leads. We are looking forward to being back in 2016 to continue to develop our international brand awareness to build the Meliá Hotels International profile in the Middle East. We will also be updating our business prospects with news regarding the new opening status of our properties within the region – ME Dubai, INNSIDE JLT Dubai, Meliá Dubai Residences and ME Doha.”

Bilal Al Barmawi, Managing Director, Hill MICE, who will attend the show for the first time, commented; “We are looking forward to exhibiting at ibtm arabia this year as it will provide us with many opportunities to connect, network, explore and partner with global MICE leaders. ibtm arabia is the perfect platform to meet with the industry’s finest MICE buyers, build relationships and grow our business.”

For further information about exhibiting, please visit www.ibtmarabia.com. For any enquiries, please contact ibtmarabia@reedexpo.co.uk

Hosted Buyer applications will be going live from Monday 21st September. For further information, please visit www.ibtmarabia.com/Hosted-Buyers

For a video explaining the new pod show format please visit http://www.ibtmarabia.com/About-Us/

ibtm africa opens today in Cape Town as the African continent is set to record a projected +5% economic growth in 2015

ibtm africa opens today in Cape Town as the African continent is set to record a projected +5% economic growth in 2015
Offering an events programme full of one-to-one business meetings, education sessions and networking opportunities

International Hosted Buyers from 16 countries including the Middle East, Europe, Asia, North America, and Russia, have arrived in Cape Town to attend ibtm africa (www.ibtmafrica.com), a highly targeted, exclusive event for Africa’s incentives and meetings industry.

“Quality is priority and we have worked to bring together attendees who will not only enhance our offering through their attendance from both a buyer and supplier perspective but who will also be able to gain the maximum amount of business from their participation”, commented Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager for ibtm africa.

ibtm africa, opening today at the Cape Town International Conference Centre, offers an exclusive opportunity for African meetings industry suppliers to connect and engage with top level international decision makers representing meetings, events and incentive planners from large corporations and agencies.

Companies represented by these qualified buyers at this year’s event include; BI Worldwide China (China), HelmsBriscoe (Turkey), Maesse Marketing Consultancy Ltd. (Germany), Blaycation (Canada), The Scienomics Group (U.S.), Inception Global Ltd. (UK), Haye Incentive Travel (Netherlands), Paragon Europe (Belgium), Speed Sailing International (UK), AstraZenace (Russian Federation), Carlsberg Polska (Poland) and Abbott (United Arab Emirates).

Mark Tiles, Blaycation, attending as a Hosted Buyer from Canada commented, “As a Hosted Buyer, it will be key for me to meet the local experts who can help me source my business travel and incentive solutions. I am hoping to meet with likeminded travel partners who can become my ‘go to’ suppliers in Southern Africa.”

Exhibitors who will be attending ibtm africa 2015, include: African Travel Concept Pacific World, CSIR International Convention Centre, Fairmont Zimbali Resort, Guvon Hotels & Spa, Private Safaris, Sea Cliff Resort & Spa Zanzibar and The Sandton Indaba Hotel and Double Tree by Hilton Cape Town.

ibtm africa will be held over 3 days, with exclusive one-to-one pre-scheduled business appointments, 10 exclusive networking opportunities and the ibtm africa Forum which will open the show, keynote speaker Lynn Baker and James Fernie will deliver inspiring and engaging sessions which will give attendees the opportunity to learn and grow within their career and keep ahead of the evolving industry.

Together with the two other co-located shows – ILTM Africa and World Travel Market – more than 30 industry related debates, forums, conferences, seminars and lectures will be delivered during Africa Travel Week, which will also create further opportunities for participants across all events to build communities and business relationships across the sector and across borders.

To find out more about ibtm africa, please visit www.ibtmafrica.com

IBTM AFRICA NOW ACCEPTING HOSTED BUYER APPLICATIONS

IBTM AFRICA NOW ACCEPTING HOSTED BUYER APPLICATIONS#

www.ibtmafrica.com/hbapply

Hosted Buyer applications are now being accepted for ibtm africa 2015 (www.ibtmafrica.com), a highly targeted, exclusive event for Africa’s incentives and meetings industry, taking place at the Cape Town Convention Centre from 13 – 15 April 2015.

ibtm africa offers an exclusive opportunity for top level international decision makers to connect and engage with African and Indian Ocean exhibitors including destinations, venues, hotels, DMC’s and MICE support services over three days of one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments, networking and education.

In addition to their diary of up to 36 pre-scheduled business appointments with MICE exhibitors, qualified buyers will benefit from complimentary accommodation and transfers as well as a substantial contribution towards international flights to Cape Town and will have the opportunity to apply to attend a post event tour.

Shinu Pillai, Exhibition Manager for ibtm africa, comments: “Africa holds enormous potential for the MICE industry with great investment in infrastructure. The rapidly growing demand for meetings industry suppliers within Africa has been reflected in the unprecedented interest witnessed from international Hosted Buyers who applied to attend the first ibtm africa and is expected to pave the way for the 2015 event.”

Suresh Puri, Spice Travel, India who was a Hosted buyer at last year’s show commented: “It’s very well organised and full of quality and I see it on both sides not only as a buyer but also the exhibitors, who are representing the region very adequately. So my impression is that the intimate one-to-one sessions give buyers an opportunity and an insight into the products the region has to offer, my compliments to Reed Exhibitions.”

Meetings and incentives professionals who apply to attend this event as Hosted Buyers will be qualified under strict criteria including their purchasing authority, their annual MICE business, their annual budget and future business to place in Africa. They will also be first-time attendees at ibtm africa. Successful applicants will be senior decision makers from the Middle East, Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, South America and Russia, therefore representing a cross-section of the most senior meeting and incentives planners in the industry.

The second edition of ibtm africa, taking place in Cape Town (13-15 April) as part of Africa Travel Week, will bring together up to 60 African and Indian Ocean suppliers and international buyers over three days for business, networking and education.

To find out more about ibtm africa or to register to attend as a Hosted Buyer, please visit www.ibtmafrica.com

 

IBTM INDIA CONFIRMS VENUE FOR 2014 EVENT

IBTM INDIA CONFIRMS VENUE FOR 2014 EVENT

Press Release: 8th January 2014 | The organisers of the Reed Travel Exhibitions’ IBTM Global Events portfolio (www.ibtmevents.com) have confirmed that they will be holding the 2014 edition of IBTM India (www.ibtmevents.com/ibtmindia) at the ITC Grand Chola, Chennai from 3-5 September 2014.

Shinu Pillai, Reed Travel Exhibitions, IBTM India Project Manager commented, “IBTM India has now established itself as a key event in the meetings industry calendar in India. The launch edition, hosted in Mumbai, was a huge success and as part of our ongoing drive and determination to develop the meetings industry market in India we have chosen to move the show to another up and coming MICE destination.”

IBTM India 2014 will assume the same exclusive table-top format as the launch event, which is a proven successful format across Reed Travel Exhibitions’ events. Limited to 100 international and Indian suppliers of product and services to the MICE industry, it is designed to facilitate pre-arranged meetings between international and Indian buyers with suppliers over a table-top environment at a 1:1 ratio.

Pillai continues, “Chennai is the fifth most populous city in India and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. According to the Confederation of Indian Industry, the city is estimated to grow to a $100–billion economy, almost 2.5 times its present size, by the year 2025. With favourable government policies, Chennai currently boasts of vast advancement in the automobile, banking and healthcare industries.”

Dinesh Sriram, Managing Director at Bharat MICE, Chennai, who exhibited at the launch event of IBTM India and plans to attend the second edition hosted in Chennai commented, “The very second we heard IBTM was coming to India, the first thought that struck us was to reserve a space immediately.

“From there on, the professional services team of IBTM including their senior management ensured that no stone was left unturned and we were provided with a seamless customer experience throughout the registration process. IBTM India’s progressive thinking and innovative business model has enabled us to position ourselves to a global market and get our message across to our potential buyers.”

Verena Jandak, CMP, Marketing Manager (USA, Canada, Australia, India),Vienna Convention Bureau, Vienna Tourist Board who also exhibited at IBTM India and plans to attend the 2014 edition commented, “Chennai as a MICE destination has great potential and it has not yet been used much for any other meetings industry events, that is why I consider this a smart move!

“Attending IBTM India 2013 as an exhibitor was very successful in all respects for us. The quality of the buyers was very good, as well as the concept and the organisation of the event! We are very much looking forward to the 2014 edition where we plan to meet new clients and reinforce existing relationships with others. IBTM India, hosted in Chennai will provide us with a great and qualitative platform for us to do so.”

To find out more about IBTM India or to register to attend as an Exhibitor, please visit www.ibtmevents.com/ibtmindia or email shinu.pillai@reedexpo.ae

IBTM AFRICA TEAM GO ON THE ROAD

IBTM AFRICA TEAM GO ON THE ROAD

EARLY SIGNS SHOW STRONG SUPPORT FOR FIRST IBTM AFRICA
www.ibtmevents.com/ibtmafrica

Following on from a successful partnership with Kenya Tourism Board, SITE and ICCA that organised the first MICE Seminar to take place in Kenya this month, Reed Travel Exhibitions took the opportunity to update some 50 attendees from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania on the upcoming launch of IBTM Africa which is scheduled to take place in Cape Town from 28-30 April 2014 as part of Africa Travel Week, www.ibtmevents.com/ibtmafrica

Shinu Pillai, Project Manager for IBTM Africa outlined the format of next year’s inaugural event, siting the success of the inaugural IBTM India, which took place in September and was the first 3 day table top event of its kind for the meetings industry in Asia. IBTM Africa will follow this successful format and proven business model that is also used across other Reed Travel Exhibitions’ events. Delivering up to 50 African and Indian Ocean suppliers of products and services to the MICE industry through pre-arranged meetings with international Hosted Buyers, this will be the first focused MICE event of its kind in Africa that will also include the IBTM Africa Conference.

Hosted Buyer registration will go live on the IBTM Africa website in December and advance interest has already been significant from international buyers. Through the pre-scheduled appointment system, this event will allow both exhibitors and buyers to mutually match their appointments. Details will soon be announced about the Post Event Tour programme available to selected Hosted Buyers attending IBTM Africa.

Steve McCormick, The Explorer Club, Southern and Eastern Africa was one of the exhibitors at IBTM India and confirmed that they will be part of IBTM Africa as well commented, “India was a first for us and the show was a huge success. The queries and information requested by some quality appointments demonstrated that India is an emerging incentive market interested in Africa. We are also hoping that IBTM Africa will attract global interest in group and incentive travel to The Victoria Falls and the surrounding region”.

IBTM Africa will also feature a half-day conference and seminar programme, with keynote and industry topics.

For further information, please see http://www.ibtmevents.com/ibtmafrica.
www.africatravelweek.com.