The official independent ABC audit confirms that EIBTM
achieved a total attendance of 8,131, a record number, establishing the event as the largest gathering of the global meetings industry that is independently audited.
Top line statistics from the record event:
- 8,131 total attendance marking a 8% increase on 2007, made up of 7838 visitors and Hosted Buyers and 293 VIP’s, students and press
- 3,725 Hosted Buyers up over 12% on the previous year
- A 29% increase (over 2007) in pre-scheduled appointments, which topped 51,000
- Over 2600 delegates participating in the education programme – 30% up on 2007
Comments from exhibitors, Hosted Buyers and trade visitors confirmed that EIBTM was a highly successful year.
Barbara Jamison, Sales Manager, Europe at Visit London said: “This year’s EIBTM proved to be one of the most successful shows to date. 2,000 clients visited the stand with £54 Million worth of enquiries to date, record visitor figures to both our London destination presentations and to our partner areas.
“EIBTM is a key industry event for Visit London and it has proved year on year to be a key driver for events in the UK capital. Our target for the show was to beat last year’s figures and following a very busy few days of appointments and stand activity we expect to at least double that amount in confirmed business this year. Proving that EIBTM is the place for ‘best business’ it was particularly pleasing to see that the Millennium Gloucester Hotel on our stand confirmed business from an Italian buyer worth £16,000 and received another tentative booking worth £110,000.”
Ms Tereza Zarogianni, Eventit Greece said: “It’s been fantastic business – no recession here; at least not here at EIBTM.”
Mr Peter Bull, Saleslink Marketing Portugal said: “We had 290 pre-scheduled appointments in three days. We didn’t stop. On Wednesday we had 14 signed specific group enquiries.”
Hosted Buyer Dicky Riel, General Manager A La Carte International said: “This was the most fantastic EIBTM event so far. I am very positive and did all my appointments plus twenty more.”
“You just had to walk down the aisles to see how many meetings were being undertaken and how much business was being negotiated,” said Paul Kennedy, MBE and Group Exhibition Director for RTE’s portfolio of Meetings and Incentive Events.
Final show statistics show that the largest ever gathering of Hosted Buyers came from as far a field as Australia, China, India, Thailand and the Americas. There was also an increase in visitors from all of the major markets, with over 92 countries represented, including more visitors from Germany, France, Switzerland, France, UK and Italy. The host country of Spain attracted 2810 visitors and buyers – and increase of 36.3% on 2007. Europe represented 89.2% of the total visitor attendance with the remaining 10.8% from the rest of the world.
Ihsan Gursory of Chicago Convention also had a victorious show. “A very successful show for us, we had about 55 appointments in 2 days. We are very happy with what we have achieved in Barcelona this year, and it’s going to be really interesting for our city”.
Thorsten Meier of Leading Hotels of the World said: “We had the best ever first day with over 250 highly potential appointments. The difference between EIBTM and other trade shows is that 10 minutes before opening time the floor was already busy – it was unbelievable”.
“These comments and EIBTM’s record figures show not only how resilient the meetings market is in challenging times, but the reputation EIBTM has as the place to do business. To me, it certainly seemed that more actual business was being transacted on the show floor than ever before, “ concluded Paul Kennedy.
Full post-event statistics can be found on the EIBTM website. Dates for the next EIBTM are scheduledfor 1-3 December 2009 in Barcelona. To find out how exhibiting at EIBTM can increase your business potential, contact the EIBTM team at www.eibtm.com or email eibtm@reedexpo.co.uk.
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