Refreshed look and feel show up as immersive experiences, emphasising the value of human interaction in the age of AI, at a time when business events contribute billions of dollars to Gulf – and global – economies
As artificial intelligence (AI) applications are increasingly used across the travel sector, IBTM World 2025 emphasised how business events create real-life experiences and boost the global economy with a refreshed brand identity debuted last month. The event, which ran from November 18 to 20, welcomed nearly 2,500 exhibitors to its Barcelona show floor, including more than 200 from the Middle East and North Africa.
Claudia Hall, IBTM World Exhibition Director, describes the new identity as a renewed commitment to driving meaningful experiences and innovation in the events industry. “But it’s just the beginning – it sets the stage for new experiences, content and partnerships that will shape the future of business events,” she told TTN Middle East on the sidelines of IBTM World 2025. As meetings and events have diversified the GCC’s tourism product mix – from business networking magnets such as Gitex Global and Adipec in the UAE to the annual Formula One races in Bahrain and elsewhere across the Gulf – IBTM World has seen a corresponding uptick in exhibitors from the region. “The Middle East’s business events landscape is evolving at a remarkable pace and our exhibitor line-up certainly reflects that exciting growth,” Hall says. Dubai Business Events returned with its largest stand to date, while Ajman, the UAE’s fifth biggest city, made a comeback following an impressive debut in 2024. Regional suppliers at the event included Abu Dhabi’s ADNEC Centre, home to six onsite hotels; tour operators Corsini Travel Egypt and adventure-focused Authentique Tunisie, and Q Moments, the Qatari destination management company dedicated to MICE and luxury. The MENA region outpaces the global average in international meetings growth, an IBTM World report using data from the International Congress and Convention Association revealed earlier this year. With a growth rate of 5.1 per cent, the region is well ahead of the global average of 3.7 per cent. Those numbers are only set to grow. The UAE’s MICE market is expected to increase more than 50 per cent to $9.26 billion by 2030, from an estimated $6.03 billion this year, according to Mordor Intelligence. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia could see a corresponding rise from $3.22 billion at present to $5.33 billion by the end of the decade. Meanwhile, at IBTM, show attendees experienced the brand refresh in dynamic new activations onsite, from projection-mapped visuals animating the entrance walkway, to a new immersive showcase called Meet the World, where exhibitors can tell their story through an immersive, multi-sensory showcase. An emphasis on the real-life component meant a greater number of ways to network, including in a new lounge aimed at facilitating informal connections between exhibitors and buyers. Also new this year was IBTM Ignite, a platform for start-ups to connect with advisors and investors, with a dedicated showcases area and ‘lightning short’ talks and a dedicated showcase area. Over a hundred new start-ups covering sub-sectors ranging from event technology and sustainability to new concepts and inclusive talent sourcing will take part in the programme. “These changes reflect our commitment to helping the global events industry connect, evolve and truly meet the moment,” Hall says. The human touch is more important than ever as AI revolutionises the way we plan, deliver and measure events, she adds. Although the technology can help analyse vast data sets, drive matchmaking, personalise experience and improve networking outcomes, she says personal relationships remain the bedrock of every great event, and something AI simply can’t replicate. “The sweet spot lies in partnership: humans and AI working together. By combining data-driven insights with the power of human connection, event professionals can deliver events which are more engaging, more impactful and even more beneficial for attendees,” she says. On-site AI tools provided real-time translation into more than 60 languages and automated session summaries, allowing international attendees to engage fully without language barriers or manual notetaking. Returning this year is the IBTM World Forum for Advocacy, with attendees hammering out new strategies to shape the global event economy at the Hotel Miramar Barcelona on November 17. Hall described this year’s discussions as a “bold conversation,” that focused on how the sector can amplify its impact through international cooperation, policy innovation and effective political advocacy that delivers measurable results. “These questions are crucial when you consider the business events industry generates an estimated $662.6 billion in direct gross domestic product worldwide – yet there remains a lack of understanding from governments about its transformative power and potential,” she says. “The Forum for Advocacy aims to change that – bringing our MICE community together as one united, purpose-driven and powerful voice to raise the profile of business events around the globe and the vital role they play in shaping economies and societies.”