More than 2,800 travel industry professionals are expected to attend the seventh instalment of the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM) show over the next three days, according to the show’s organisers. The event, the region’s leading platform for the meetings, incentives and conferences and events (Mice) industry, opens doors today at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in Abu Dhabi.
“GIBTM 2013 has grown 8 per cent in show space in 2012, with more than 36 countries being represented this year,” Lois Hall, GIBTM Event Manager, said in an interview leading up to the show. The exhibition, which continues until March 27, puts visitors in touch with international and regional suppliers for three days of business, education and networking.The increase reflects the significance of the region as a source market for international meetings and events destinations.
“We are delighted to welcome more than 70 brand new exhibitors to the show this year for the first time from destinations such as Madrid, Serbia, Athens, Georgia, San Francisco and Brussels.We have also seen a number of exhibitors double the size of their stands from 2012 such as Bahrain, Jordan and Etihad Airways,” Hall said. Other noteworthy new main stand holders include the tourism authorities of Qatar and Egypt.The growth in terms of European exhibitors has been substantial, Hall added.
Dedicated floor space for European companies has quadrupled since 2012 with no less than 19 European destinations and companies participating.“In order to support this increase we have introduced a specialist European exhibitor pavilion and European Market Focus Spotlight networking session, which will consist of 60 minutes of networking interaction between exhibitors and buyers targeting business in respective markets” Hall said. The Europe-focussed networking session will take place on March 26 at 8.30am.
Regional hotels and venues are also at the show, among them Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Dubai Department of Commerce and Marketing, Oman Ministry of Tourism, Turkish Culture & Information Office, Bahrain Ministry of Tourism, Kuwait Hotel Owners Association, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, and Rotana Hotels & Resorts.
At the centre of GIBTM’s success is the Hosted Buyer Programme, which attracts senior level buyers placing international business with suppliers from across the world. This year, GIBTM will welcome 300 senior level highly sought after meetings and events planners and corporate buyers from the GCC and from around the globe.Decision makers from the lucrative vertical sectors such as oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, IT, finance and automotive are expected to benefit from a pre-scheduled appointment system that sets up to 30 one-to-one meetings with suppliers over a three-day period. By connecting the 300 buyers with more than300 exhibitors, GIBTM organisers anticipated over 7,500 pre-scheduled appointments to take place over the next few days.
Technological solutions to improve the Mice experience are another important part of the show. Launched in 2012, the Technology Zone returns with exciting, new and developed products for the years ahead. PSideo will display how B-Com helps industry professionals manage every aspect of events from planning to delivery and post-event analysis as well as giving delegates the best event experience, whilst minimising costs, and maximising return on investment. UAE company Matrix Audio Visual and Entertainment shows how technology can be harnessed to create customised, cutting edge event solutions that engage and inspire audiences. Also noteworthy is DoubleDutch, an engaging mobile event application designed for companies to massively engage attendees, surface leads, and unlock data driven event insight with advanced mobile technology.GIBTM is organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions. More information is available at gibtm.com
