EIBTM, the annual global meetings and incentive exhibition held recently in Barcelona, attracted 3,125 exhibiting companies from over 90 countries.

The 22nd EIBTM also created a record 59 professional education sessions and held over 100 events in and around the show, said organisers Reed Travel Exhibitions.

Whilst EIBTM took place in a week that saw some of the worst weather conditions to hit Northern Europe in many years, all stands were open for business from the first day of the event.

However, some hosted buyers from the UK were stranded when Gatwick closed and remained closed for 48 hours. As a result, this year´s unaudited figures will reflect a small drop in Hosted Buyers – currently 3,582, 45 less than 2009.

However the number of trade visitors was 4,010, reflecting a 5 per cent increase on last year. Total attendance at the show reached 8,395, a 1 per cent increase on 2009.

“We tried to do everything in our power to get these Buyers out of the UK but sadly, the conditions prevented them leaving.  However, we are obviously delighted that those who did get to the event  - some having travelled via alternative routes, and many taking up to 12 hours to arrive -  proved that this was where they needed to be for their business”,  said Graeme Barnett, event director for EIBTM.

Barnett added that RTE is in the process of contacting every Buyer who didn´t make it to the show to help them make contact with the exhibitors they had planned to meet.

“Yesterday (December 2), we chartered a plane to get 224 of our Hosted Buyers and Exhibitors back to the UK and we organised coach travel on arrival back in the UK,” he said.

One of the new initiatives this year was the introduction of EIBTM TV – a live news channel broadcast on screens around the show floor.  Also online at eibtm.com, the content means that those buyers who didn´t attend have been able to view three days worth of event news and will be able to see the education sessions and presentations as well at a later date.

“Whilst we realise this doesn´t replace the face-to-face at EIBTM, it is  perfect timing, as we hope that those who didn´t make it to the show will be able to follow and catch up with all of the latest news, interviews, and features,”  added Barnett.

This year´s new format CEO Summit also attracted 60 industry leaders from around the world.

“Huge business potential for the industry in post recession growth with signs that the global economy is improving and CEOs are signing off discretionary spend, as people become cautiously optimistic,” said UK Economist Professor Dominic Swords

Nik Racic, director, Croatian Convention and Incentive Bureau, said: “Multinational companies are starting to spend money once again on meetings, so things are slowly recovering.” – TradeArabia News Service