IBTM Trends Watch highlights importance of tech

An early preview of IBTM’s annual IBTM Trends Watch report has revealed that, despite ongoing economic and geopolitical instability, the future of the meetings and events industry looks bright, thanks in part to the relentless march of technological innovation. Indeed, a new section has been added to the report this year, focusing on global technological innovation and its impact on the events industry. The full report will be unveiled on the first day of IBTM World, which returns to Barcelona from 27-29 November. The report also promise a deeper diver into wider technological issues from outside the industry, such as personalisation and automation. The report will also give a basic assessment of the wider economic landscape and how this relates to the meetings and events industry. Alistair Turner, Managing Director of EIGHT PR & Marketing, and Dr Rob Davidson, Managing Director of Mice Knowledge, compiled the report using over 25 key sources of existing industry data and interviews with key figures, producing a compendium of analysis on the industry’s performance in 2018, with some predictions for 2019. Turner says: “Innovation is good for meetings and events, and we’ve benefited from a lot of it in recent months. For example, in pharmaceuticals we’ve seen an increase in wearables, self-diagnosis and nano-technology, all creating shifts in an historically stable industry. Similarly, the automotive industry is going through its own seismic changes. We add in the almost relentless dynamism of the ICT sector and we see great opportunities for events. When things change, people need to communicate and that is what we do in events.” He adds: “It is also important to underline that, in an unstable world, there are few things more definite than an event, and that when issues confront us, events provide a calm setting for reflection and problem-solving.” The IBTM Trends Watch report 2018 will be available to download at www.ibtmworld.com from 27 November.