ibtm arabia in Abu Dhabi hailed a 'great success'

ibtm arabia 2017 has been hailed a ‘great success’ by exhibitors and Hosted Buyers. Over 2,100 pre-planned meetings took place during two days that took place from 7-9 February at Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi. One hundred and twenty Hosted Buyers from 32 countries for the three-day long event joined eighty-two exhibitors from 15 countries. Luma Khatib of the Jordan Tourism Board, said: “This is the first time that Jordan Tourism Board has taken part in ibtm arabia using the ‘pod’ structure. We found the format was of great benefit for us and, along with the diversity of buyers from across the globe and from a broad spectrum of different types of business, ensured we had very successful meetings and made many excellent business connections. “The networking events also were very useful; the relationships generated throughout the functions allowed participants to get to know to each other in an informal environment which resulted in greater personal interaction.’’ Hosted Buyers were equally complimentary, with Adam Wing of Bibby Financial Services saying: “ibtm arabia was a fantastically immersive event that combined business meetings with a city experience and generated some great connections who I will definitely work with in the future.” The event utilises a ‘pod’ format with one-to-one meetings taking place during days two and three of the event. ibtm arabia 2017 featured a total of nine networking events and also offered the opportunity for attendees to experience some of the best attractions Abu Dhabi has to offer. The first day, Discovery Day, was designed to allow attendees to get to know each other in a fun and informal environment ahead of formal business meetings. With an itinerary designed by partner Hala Abu Dhabi, guests enjoyed excursions including to the Falcon Hospital and Yas Island Attractions, lunch at some of the newest hotel restaurants in Abu Dhabi, followed by a Desert Safari and dinner in a desert camp. Shinu Pillai, event director, ibtm arabia, commented: “We’re delighted to have received such positive feedback immediately following ibtm arabia. Ultimately, our goal is to create the very best possible backdrop for doing business in this region, and to have such high quality brands and Hosted Buyers attending means it’s important that the event really delivers. “Once again this year the calibre of our exhibitors meant that we had extremely high demand from Hosted Buyers to attend the event. Of the total number of Hosted Buyers who applied, our rigorous evaluation process led to 40% of applicants qualifying to attend, all of whom were selected with ROI of both parties in mind, ensuring their budgets and requirements were closely aligned with our exhibitor needs. We had a 98% satisfaction rating last year and I’m very hopeful that we’ll at least meet, if not exceed that this year.”