According to organiser, Reed Travel Exhibitions, the 2014 GIBTM Hosted Buyer Programme has been extended to accommodate surging demand from a regional and international audience eager to identify new destinations, venues and activities.
In 2013, GIBTM welcomed 251 hosted buyers with 67% placing orders in excess of US$650,000 each. “This year’s buyers represent 36 countries including key source markets such as Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, United Kingdom and United States who will attend more than 8,500 pre-scheduled appointments. We continue to raise the bar with this initiative and add value to exhibitor presence by identifying high value individuals and companies who have the region on their business radar,” said Lois Hall, Exhibition Manager, GIBTM.
This year, major industry players such as Kuoni Events, TE Connectivity, UHY International, Medicongress, Mary Kay, HelmsBriscoe, FEI Company, China International Medicine Exchange Association International Service Center, Contendam and Portigon Financial Services will all take part with a busy programme of meetings and events including a pre-event familiarisation trips within Abu Dhabi and post-event tours in Dubai as well as to Jordan and Qatar.
“The inclusion of fam trips to key destinations within the region is a great way to enable buyers to gain firsthand insight and vital knowledge of the offerings available in these host countries and view the MICE-related infrastructure, venues, facilities and attractions for themselves,” added Hall.
A number of country and themed pavilions will feature prominently, with the Europe Pavilion seeing a 25% increase in exhibitors this year and adding Arsenal Football Club from the UK, Russia’s iWay Express and Barcelo Hotels & Resorts of Spain to the list of participating companies.
Five new countries have also confirmed their attendance for 2014 as Kazakhstan, Russia, Morocco, South Africa and South Korea join 29 other nations on the show floor.
Also returning to the exhibitor line-up are the Business Travel Zone and Technology & Services Zone, with the sourceme Pavilion, launched in partnership with NPI Media, giving leading event service suppliers from around the region a platform at the event.
Growth in participating companies will see GIBTM welcome a broad cross-section of new exhibitors from Africa to Europe including Rovos Rail Tours, the Serbia Convention Bureau, EPI Georgia and Turkey’s Aygun Turizm. Hall confirms a total of 74 new exhibitors for 2014 with 22 main standholders and 52 new exhibiting partners.
“Pre-registration is up on last year by 27%, which reflects the positivity we are seeing from the industry across the region, and vindicates our strategy of continually developing the GIBTM product to keep it market relevant,” said Hall.
This year’s event will also play host to Business Travel @GIBTM, with a dedicated Business Travel Knowledge programme and exclusive networking complementing the Business Travel Zone.
Knowledge is a key focus every year and the launch of the first ever Middle East Buyers Report will headline the three-day seminar programme, which is sponsored by Qatar National Convention Centre. Presented by report author Rob Davidson, Senior Lecturer in Events Management at the University of Greenwich in the UK, the seminar will share the opinions and preferences of Middle East-based meeting and events planners.
“The findings provide valuable insights into how these buyers choose the destinations and venues for their events, and what are the most desirable qualities when making that selection. These findings will be extremely useful to suppliers in the Middle East and around the world,” remarked Hall.
