Graeme Barnett is a voice with so much to say on MICE industry. The Exhibition Director of EIBTM, the most important fair on meetings, incentive and events industry, accepted to answer our questions just a month before the 2012 edition kicks-off. On this interview’s first part, Barnett looks into recent changes on MICE industry and reveals some new features scheduled for the forthcoming EIBTM.
EIBTM arrives to its 25th edition. How has the industry changed on this quarter of century?
The meetings industry has evolved a great deal over the past 25 years. The way we communicate for instance, has witnessed dramatic changes over the past 25 years. Typewriters and Telex printers have been replaced with emails and social media networks, which are growing at an exponential rate. We are now able to use our social media portals to share news, videos, webinars and other useful content with our followers across the globe at the click of a button. Who would have thought that possible back in 1988!
And EIBTM meeting accompanied these changes…
EIBTM is continually changing to meet the developing demands of its stakeholders, clients and the market, which are consequently affected by the resources and technology available to them at each point in time.
Developing infrastructure and improved transport links have also made the world a much smaller place. These improved facilities have made EIBTM so much more accessible to exhibitors, trade visitors, hosted buyers and media. They have also enforced the truly global element of EIBTM and as a result we are delighted to confirm that we will have representation from over 150 countries at EIBTM 2012.
As the meetings industry has evolved, its professionals have become much more aware of the benefits which exhibitions such as EIBTM can offer to them and the ways in which this business platform can be used to gain the maximum amount of return on investment. EIBTM has become more than a place for the world to meet, it has grown to be a community which drives the industry forward, pioneering meaningful education and bringing together over 15,200 meetings professionals for world class business and networking opportunities each year.
On this year edition, the fair will release a new and exciting feature: a 2-hours forum organized the day before the fair starts. Can you explain us more about this new event?
As part of the evolution of EIBTM, we are always looking at ways to introduce new ideas and concepts that meet the needs of our customers. Feedback from our advisory board and other stakeholders suggested that a conference and networking led event that officially opens EIBTM would be a great way to kick-start the week.
With this in mind, as well as EIBTM’s 25th Birthday, we are delighted to launch the first ‘EIBTM Forum’ which will take place the day before the exhibition opens at 4:30pm on Monday 26th November in the Fira Montjuic Barcelona.
As our innaugural keynote speaker, we have attracted one of the world’s leading luminaries on the subject of leadership, Barbara Kellerman, lecturer in Public Leadership at Harvard University and ranked by Forbes.com as one of the ‘top 50 Business Thinkers’.
Barbara will present her insightful and provocative views on how leadership has changed dramatically over recent years and how the power has shifted to followership. What this means for us all in the future is compelling, irrespective of your position within any organisation. Having listened to Barbara speak recently in the US, I can promise an enthralling session.
Do you want to highlight any other new event or feature on EIBTM 2012?
The Forum will also feature the presentation of the first ever ‘EIBTM Lifetime Achievement Award’, which will be presented to a figurehead of the international meetings industry in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the sector over the last twenty-five years.
The final ingredient to the forum will be an invitation only reception at the Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona, one of the city’s most prestigious hotels where guests will be able to network and enjoy the new meetings facilities following the completion of a two-year renovation.
The E&TB blog will release the second part of the interview tomorrow. On the second part of this Q & A, we will ask Graeme Barnett why Barcelona has a big potencial as a venue for events, among other important questions. Stay tuned to E&TB blog!
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