IBTM World Forum Unites 80 Global Leaders to Examine the Impact of Business Events
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The IBTM World Forum for Advocacy, in partnership with The Business of Events, convened 80 senior leaders and policymakers from across the globe on Monday to delve into the economic and social effects of global business events.
Hosted at the Torre Melina Gran Melia Hotel in Barcelona, the event sparked dynamic and thought-provoking discussions right from the start.
Sherrif Karamat, President of PCMA, set a bold tone by urging Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) to redefine their roles as “Destination Stewards.” He stressed the need for the business events industry to expand its advocacy beyond tourism ministries, ensuring all government departments recognize the sector’s contributions to job creation, education, and innovation.
The forum then turned its focus to the findings of the recently released Global Destinations Report, a joint effort by SFA Connect, ICC Belfast, and IBTM World. The report revealed significant hurdles such as staffing shortages and the difficulty of securing funding, particularly in regions that fail to fully appreciate the value of the business events industry.
Eloísa Urrutia, Head of Global Sustainability Meetings & Events at American Express Global Business Travel, and Christoph Tessmar, Director of the Barcelona Convention Bureau, shared insights on how business events can address challenges like over-tourism and climate change by fostering positive community impact.
The forum wrapped up with an engaging session in which attendees exchanged ideas and reflections on the discussions.
Ana Maria Viscasillas, Chair of the Events Industry Council, said: “My key takeaway is that as a global industry, we need to work on our messaging. We influence 27 million jobs, so we need to share more about what we do. There’s no government, no organisation, no association and no industry that doesn’t benefit from meetings and business events. Without them, there’s no creativity, no innovation and no impact. The US$1.6 trillion of total GDP supported by international business events changes economies and transforms cities. We need to share more of our transformational stories, showing our true impact.”
Barbara Jamison, President of City Destinations Alliance and Head of Europe at the London Convention Bureau, said: “One way London has been able to engage more politicians is by partnering with successive Deputy Mayors for Business and embedding them into our organisation. We’ve now had three Deputy Mayors for Business act as Chairpersons of London & Partners. It has fostered more engagement and a lot more understanding of the work that a convention bureau does and the power of events.”
Þórdís Lóa, President of the City of Reykjavik, said: “I have learned a lot today, particularly around the importance of distinguishing between the value of business events and the challenges of over-tourism. I will take back to Reykjavik the importance of communicating and educating our communities and media on the positive impact that business tourism has on our society and economy.”
After the Forum, attendees gathered for informal discussions at the Meetings Leadership Network Reception, held on the hotel’s rooftop terrace.
IBTM World Exhibition Director, Claudia Hall, said: “The Forum was a fantastic prelude to IBTM World 2024. How we articulate our impact as an industry is vital, and I’d like to thank all the associations and organisations that have supported and participated in this initiative to drive advocacy on the eve of the 20th-anniversary edition of IBTM World.”
The IBTM World Forum for Advocacy, in collaboration with The Business of Events, received support from PCMA, ICCA, the Events Industry Council, the Strategic Alliance of The National Convention Bureaux of Europe, the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), City Destinations Alliance, and The Iceberg.
