Following months of development and consultation, visitors to this year’s European Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings exhibition (EIBTM) in Barcelona will experience a completely new layout to the show that aims to provide them with a far better experience and more interaction with exhibitors. Taking place in November at the city’s Fira Gran Via, EIBTM attracts over 8,830 visitors and hosted buyers from across the globe. The re-design represents and major change for an event that has been running for a decade, and is no doubt a calculated risk by the organisers Reed Exhibitions.
Jennifer Booth, Reed Travel Exhibitions Group Operations Manager (EIBTM), answered some key questions for Exhibition Industry News readers regarding the redesign.
Why has EIBTM decided to update the floor plan?
The EIBTM floor plan has been relatively static since we arrived in Barcelona and so we felt it was time to review how we can continue to innovate and to add value through the event layout and hall content. With our 10th anniversary in Barcelona ahead, it is the perfect time to take stock and deliver a new and improved product, which will offer an enhanced experience to all EIBTM attendees.
In addition to the core objective of EIBTM, which is essentially to generate the greatest level of business opportunities possible for all attendees, we need to ensure that the space we offer to facilitate these meetings is conducive to delivering optimal new business, networking, education and innovation. As event organisers ourselves, producing an event for the Meetings and Events Industry essentially means that we have to set the bar high as our clients and participants naturally have high expectations of us. The latest technology, education and infrastructure will feature and support what we can provide.
Was there any prompting from existing exhibitors to address the floor plan and reconsider how the show was laid out?
The decision to change the layout of the floor plan was part of a long-term plan for innovation in everything we do for EIBTM. One of our first tasks was to design an event for the meetings industry that not only created a better flow of traffic around the show floor but also increased the potential for visibility and exposure to passing trade visitors.
Please can you explain more about the science/theory of a maximising the potential of a floor plan?
The main driver behind the re-design was to bring more balance to the exhibition floor and provide a better flow of traffic to all areas. By framing the two ends with features to draw traffic through, adding two additional horizontal straight aisles, creating two central piazzas for networking and catering and improving the vertical aisles, we hope to change the behaviour of the attendees to EIBTM. In previous years they have traditionally stayed on the central aisle, which is now very congested, only veering off if they have an appointment to attend. The re-design encourages them to use the whole space and experience all of EIBTM and what it has to offer.
What are the aims behind the new floor plan?
The key aim behind the floor plan is to deliver the highest levels of return on investment possible for all attendees. The way the floor plan will help to achieve this is by creating a better flow of traffic on the show floor, increasing the potential for visibility and exposure to passing trade, which adds to the potential business that will be secured via the pre-scheduled appointments and meetings with Hosted Buyers. The added feature areas will also provide extra spaces for additional business through networking and meetings, enhancing the essential face-to-face element of the event.
What can attendees expect to find on the new features?
Included in the new feature areas we can reveal that we have introduced two new ‘Piazza’ feature areas – a Champagne Piazza and a Tapas Piazza located off the central aisles in the east and west of the show. This is as a direct result of feedback which we received from key partners and the EIBTM Advisory Board, which indicated that we needed to provide more opportunities for networking and look to showcase Barcelona and what it has to offer both in terms of event services but also in terms of the cultural elements the city can bring to the show.
In addition to this, a new entrance feature will greet participants as they enter the exhibition hall, with all attendees entering the hall from the central walkway for the first time. The space has been designed to offer a more relaxed arrival experience with two new information and meeting points, lounge style seating and a central activity area.
The idea is that the new Piazzas and entrance features will provide practical, enjoyable and attractive spaces for relaxation, networking and refreshments and enhance the experience for all attendees the show.
Is there ever a danger that networking areas can detract from the exhibition stands and how hard is it to get the balance right?
EIBTM is an international show with a total unique attendance of over 15,000 people from all over the world each year. In order to meet the needs of all of these attendees – Hosted Buyers, trade visitors and exhibitors – it is important that we provide separate areas in which to network and relax. These areas also create an additional space to meet and build relationships, contributing to the face-to-face element that is vital to exhibitions.
In terms of getting the balance right, the new piazzas were introduced following direct feedback from the EIBTM Advisory Board which indicated that we should introduce more networking areas on the show floor.
EIBTM is a big event attracting an international audience. Can smaller exhibitions take any inspiration from how your event has addressed the issue and incorporate similar ideas?
I think that smaller events can definitely incorporate aspects of what we have implemented at EIBTM on a scale to suit their own event. The principals that we are working with, such as increasing return on investment for attendees and generating additional business through networking, are relevant and transferable to all events, regardless of size. The new piazza features, for example, have been introduced to provide all these and also to incorporate cultural elements of the host city. This is something that all meeting planners can implement as attendees are generally interested in engaging with the destination in which the meeting is being hosted.
Have you been able to incorporate any other new aspects in to this year’s show in addition to the new floor plan?
Yes, we have lots of new features planned for the 2013 edition of the show. We are still in the process of confirming details but will be making announcements soon so watch this space!
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