With less than a week until IBTM World 2026 opens in Barcelona, the organisers expect to welcome 12,000 international event professionals for an immersive three days of innovations, serious business and connections, 17-19 November.
Centred around this year’s theme, ‘Meet the Moment’, the 2026 edition will introduce a range of initiatives, experiences and opportunities designed to help attendees navigate industry change and explore trends.
Event highlights
Delivered in partnership with allpoints and running across all three days of the show, IBTM Ignite is a programme connecting investors with the next generation of events industry businesses. Combining investment-ready support, live pitching and structured introductions, Ignite is designed to create a route from early potential to real commercial opportunity. Fifteen investors and 30 start-ups are expected to attend IBTM Ignite this year.
This year’s event places greater emphasis on event technology and services, and the expanded Event Tech & Services Zone features experiential and engagement-focused suppliers a and event technology providers such as Cvent, vFairs, ACS Audiovisual Solutions, fielddrive, CrowdComms and Swoogo.
New for 2026 and delivered in partnership with Boldpush, AI for Events – Demo Day LIVE brings together leading AI and event tech start-ups alongside established solution providers for a curated showcase of the technologies shaping the future of events.
As part of IBTM’s focus on creating more opportunities for people to connect, share ideas and solve challenges together, Braindate, the event technology networking solution, will make its debut at this year’s event.
Meanwhile, The Future Stage is where visitors can explore what’s next. Designed for event planners, buyers and strategists who want to stay ahead of the curve, this stage dives into up-and-coming products and services across technology, destinations, hotels and venues.
Reflecting the growing trend for more informal and interactive learning experiences, The Skills Exchange is a new collaborative learning experience where event professionals can put their ideas into practice. Whether joining a Lunch & Learn, Brain & Brew or Sip & Skills workshop, The Skills Exchange is a community focused setting which blends curated learning with networking.
Conference highlights
This year’s conference programme centres on the theme, The Age of Disruption, with sessions exploring the broader political, economic and societal landscape affecting the industry.
Delivering the event’s opening keynote will be historian, Sunday Times best-selling author and internationally recognised speaker Dr Eliza Filby. Her session is titled, ‘Now and Next: Understanding People in a Changing World’.
Launching day two’s Exceptional Experiences programme, and taking place on the Main Stage, will be best-selling author and storytelling expert Will Storr, who will challenge audience expectations about how experiences are designed, remembered and shared.
Documentary filmmaker Deeyah Khan will join interviewer Oisin Lunny for ‘The Courage to Connect: How Listening Can Bridge Divides, Transform Relationships and Inspire Hope’, on 19 November at 9.15 where she will consider how her experiences can inform difficult conversations and help people find common ground.
Organisers say the Hotel Pavilion is set to be bigger than ever, convening a mix of returning and new brands including Gothia Towers, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and UK hotel group Aviator.
Claudia Hall, IBTM World exhibition director, said: “IBTM World offers three days like no other, bringing event professionals together in an inspiring environment filled with fresh ideas, exciting possibilities, meaningful connections and valuable business opportunities. It has always been a key date in the industry calendar, and this year we’re building on that even further, delivering more value and helping professionals prepare for what’s next through an enhanced focus on technology, innovation and the skills and insights they need to thrive in an evolving industry.”
Register to attend: https://www.ibtmworld.com/en-gb/select-tickets.html
