A total of 5,560 visitors attended EIBTM 2002 in Geneva last week, including 3,034 Hosted Buyers, 2,128 trade visitors and 126 Meridian Club visitors. In addition, the event attracted a record number of long haul visitors.
Organisers have called the leading global event a remarkable business success, bucking the trend of many other industry events held in the past nine months. A total of 3,000 exhibitors (main exhibitors and sharing companies), from 100 countries participated, including 42 new main exhibitors.
There were also an increased number of trade professionals travelling long haul from the USA, Japan and Russia to attend the event. The number of visitors overall from Germany, Italy and Spain all increased in comparison to last year.
There were also a number of Hosted Buyer groups travelling long haul from the USA, South Africa, Brazil, China and India, including professionals from new groups from Hungary and Russia.
Although the figures have yet to be audited, organisers are confident that despite some travel problems, EIBTM had been a catalyst for excellent international business.
As predicted on the second day of EIBTM 2002, visitor figures were down by just 7%. But despite the slight drop, Tom Nutley, Managing Director of Reed Travel Exhibitions said: " This has been a trend in all exhibitions since the events of
11 September. In addition, these figures unequivocally and undisputedly smash the
rumours and myths that appear to be circulating about the event and its overall success.
" It was an outstanding success, particularly given the current global recession.
"We are already getting extremely positive feedback about very significant business being conducted during the week - not only from delighted exhibitors but also from Hosted Buyers. They are telling us that this was a very productive event for them.
"This was a truly remarkable achievement for EIBTM at a time when the industry is still facing considerable challenges as well as opportunities and when notably, most travel and leisure and sector industry events are experiencing a sizeable decline in visitors, sometimes of more than 20%."
Mr. Nutley said that many visitors to the event were totally unaware of the travel problems experienced by some visitors this year.
"Thanks to the quick action, professionalism, dedication and commitment of the EIBTM team, most of the problems were solved either beforehand or actually on site at Palexpo", he said.
Mr. Nutley said that Reed Travel Exhibitions had taken the decision last year to improve the travel arrangements for the event by outsourcing all flight arrangements and ticket administration to a company who have a good track record for moving people to and from major international events.
"We were totally unaware of any problems until one week before EIBTM. Once we were aware of these problems, every member of staff from RTE worked to minimise the effect of any problems and inconvenience, ensuring that we were still able to deliver the kind of volume and quality of visitors to exhibitors that we had promised.
"Where we were not able to solve a travel problem, we agreed to immediately reimburse Hosted Buyers, who had made their own way to Geneva.
" There were less than 100 Hosted Buyers who did not attend EIBTM because of the travel problems."
Mr. Nutley said the situation had been exacerbated by three key factors, resulting from the aftermath of 11 September. These are: the reduced capacity of flights into Geneva; the collapse of Swissair (last year the majority of flights were with Swissair and Crossair); and lower capacity levels generally on many airlines worldwide.
"We want to make clear our appreciation to SWISS for all their invaluable help and support during and prior to
EIBTM.
"We have been open and honest about the problems which faced us, even though they were not of our making. There will now be a top-level investigation into why some professionals experienced travel problems and we will be announcing at an appropriate time, exactly how we intend to manage the travel arrangements satisfactorily for next year.
"Our policy has always been never to be complacent, never to stand still. It was for this reason that we had made a number of improvements and created many innovative new features for this year's event.
"I am pleased to say these were very well received and will help us to go on improving and refining the kind of worldwide product we offer the industry. There was hardly an element of the event that had not been improved and enhanced this year."
Improvements included
· EDUCATION - the first ever programme of professionally run stage events at EIBTM, such as keynote debates and presentations; a new association seminar programme, in conjunction with the European Society of Association Executives, as well as a comprehensive schedule of workshops and seminars in partnership with SITE, ICCA, MPI and
AIPC.
· TECHNOLOGY - another first with the Technology for Meetings area, which explored the very latest ideas and developments; also, the third Worldwide Watch demonstration, by the New York-based Static & Motion Inc on 'Throughlines', a powerful new technology breakthrough, enabling an audience to view a video presentation and vote for various options, using individual hand controls.
· ENCOURAGING INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE - presentation of the second EIBTM Awards to 11 award winning companies, plus a Grand Prix champion as well as Best Event in Europe and Best Event outside Europe.
· OPENING DAY FOCUS - with an entertaining and thought provoking Opening Ceremony featuring Mr. Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Germany's former long term Minister of Foreign Affairs and one of the world's most respected international politicians; the opening ceremony was attended by more than 100 industry leaders and VIP's.
· INDUSTRY LED - a further meeting of the Industry Coalition Group, chaired by Tom Nutley and attended by 14 industry association leaders from across the world discussed joint initiatives; a new style format Politicians Dinner, chaired by Christian Mutschlechner, President of the EFCT and Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau, was held on the day before the event, where politicians and industry leaders studied and discussed the possible introduction of pan-European industry standards; this followed an MPI presentation by Didier
Scaillet.
Exhibition Director Debbie Jackson said that there is now factual evidence from exhibitors and visitors as well as via the final figures of EIBTM success.
"Our goal is to ensure that we provide the best global industry forum, where exhibitors and visitors can not only conduct important and new business, but also network, identify new markets, learn new skills and participate and exchange views on burning issues that effect the industry, both now and in the future.
"Against all the odds, we fulfilled that goal."
"Our next task is to undertake extensive independent research so that we listen to what exhibitors and visitors have to say before making plans for 2003.
We are in a new and very exciting phase of EIBTM's future development, which includes a decision later this year about whether we should remain in Geneva or move to a new European city in 2004.
"The remaining five cities have outstanding applications, which includes the formation of Host Committees. We do not expect to be able to make an announcement until the autumn, but based on what we have already seen, the decision is going to be very tough."
EIBTM 2003 will be held at Palexpo, Geneva 20-22 May. |
