Last November’s edition of IBTM World saw one of the highest exhibitor turnouts for years, a 12% rise in returning participants and close to 12,000 participants attending the show.
One of the most interesting aspects of how IBTM changed, though, wasn’t in the numbers behind its growth – but rather in how it ‘festivalised’ (to use an industry buzzword).
Hosting events with DJs, networking events at bars across the city, immersive domes, live music in the breakout area, a startup hub where entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to potential investors. Even ambient music playing as delegates left the hall.
Individually, these are fairly small changes to what is an established event, continually attracting buyers and sellers across the global market. As a whole, they are quite a substantial transformation that push the experience a little beyond the corporate feel that many event planners are increasingly trying to avoid.
Startups and new formats
Alongside the core meetings programme (which still saw around 79,000 pre-scheduled appointments) organisers introduced a series of new formats.
A new startup platform, IBTM Ignite, brought more than 80 early-stage companies to the show, with around 25 investors invited to hear pitches and meet founders. Claudia Hall, exhibition director, said the idea for Ignite came from seeing the startup village at Mobile World Congress (another show held at Fira Barcelona). “I was also inspired by MWC’s quality of delivery. That was something we tried to bring to our show in November.”
Startup “villages” have become a frequent fixture of tech shows, as an opportunity to bring exciting thinkers and exciting ideas to the content of the event.
Opening up the show floor
Elsewhere, changes were more subtle but more visible. Lounges were opened up to both buyers and exhibitors, rather than being restricted spaces. A dedicated networking hour encouraged attendees to step away from scheduled meetings and use the show floor more freely (an existing initiative, but one that contributed towards ‘opening up the show floor’).
These are small adjustments, but they have an impact on how people move through the event. They can help the show to feel less corporate and transactional – which is arguably a better environment for a show’s true purpose, which is to spark connections (perhaps a better indicator than sales).
Music, atmosphere and experience
Another area that Claudia and her team put a significant amount of effort was music. DJs played during parts of the day, including sets from DJ Hesta, and there was a two-piece band playing in the breakout area towards the end of the event.
New spaces were also used to shift the tone. A wellness dome hosted shorter “refuel” sessions, offering a break from the pace of meetings. An immersive dome – including a destination-led experience from Thailand – ran scheduled sessions that drew both exhibitors and buyers away from stands.
“The immersive dome was really popular with exhibitors and buyers,” Claudia told me.
Ticket pricing
Responding to attendee feedback, IBTM sought to improve the experience for visitor buyers in 2025. They introduced a new self-scheduling meeting system, as well as exclusive perks like entry to The Lounge and daily lunch at the IBTM Food Court.
The introduction of ticket charges for visitor buyers to cover this change, and for visitors registering after 20 October, was done with the intention to reinvest this additional revenue back into the conference programme and this can be seen in the visible value it added to the show.
Changes that reflect the industry’s gradual evolution
None of this replaces the core model. IBTM remains a meetings-led event, built around pre-scheduled appointments and a structured buyer-supplier format. As is true for much of the exhibition industry, the basic format is largely the same as it has been for decades.
But the additions indicate the gradual shift in how organisers are thinking about time spent outside those meetings. How to keep people on site for longer, and how to make the gaps between appointments more useful, and more enjoyable.
The direction is not unique to IBTM. Similar elements are appearing across major shows: more informal networking, more experiential content, more attention to atmosphere. But it is something that IBTM did particularly well last year. We look forward to seeing what new ideas they come up with in 2026.
