Advocating for the value of Business Events

 

The IBTM World Forum for Advocacy, created in partnership with The Business of Events, will bring together an invited international group of senior leaders, policymakers and influencers to the Torre Melina Gran Melia hotel on Monday 18th November 2024, the afternoon before the 20th-anniversary edition of IBTM World opens in Barcelona.

IBTM World Exhibition Director Claudia Hall will open the forum. She tells us what she’s hoping it’ll achieve and why advocacy is such an important issue.

 

Short for time? Scroll to the bottom to discover the key takeaways.

 

What are the objectives of the IBTM World Forum for Advocacy?

IBTM World is the leading event for the global business events sector, so we have a clear responsibility to champion the industry. By running the Forum for Advocacy in partnership with The Business of Events, we’re providing information and resources to our community to help resolve some of the major challenges we face when gaining global recognition for all the benefits that business events bring.

Ultimately, we’re reaching international policymakers, decision-makers, and government officials to ensure continued investment and funding, and that they understand how to advocate for the economic and social benefits, which business events provide. 

Business events are too often thought of as a subsidiary of tourism, but it’s an industry in its own right. It needs greater acknowledgement, which is something our international forum sets out to contribute. 



Who will attend the Forum?

In partnership with The Business of Events, we’re bringing together 60+ policymakers, heads of tourism boards, lobbying groups, CVBs, associations, and officials from countries including Brazil, Iceland, South Africa and Britain.

The IBTM World Forum for Advocacy is also supported by seven leading global organisations including PCMA, ICCA, the Events Industry Council, The Strategic Alliance of The National Convention Bureaux of Europe, the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), City Destinations Alliance, and The Iceberg.

It’s a chance for everyone to get together and discuss how the global events industry better communicates its economic and social value with one voice while identifying areas that require more support. 

Why is advocacy such an important topic for the business events sector?

As a global industry, we need to speak with one unified voice. Otherwise, the message becomes disparate and diluted. Collective and unified advocacy over the role business events play in improving local economies, social responsibilities, trade, innovation, and destination awareness is therefore vital.

Business events bring innovators, intellectuals and innovations to cities and destinations. They create impact and leave lasting legacies. They’re so important, but they need the right investment from local and national governments. We need to pinpoint who is the ministry responsible for business events in each country and engage with them on advocacy. The more they understand the value of business events, the more they’ll want to invest and be involved.

What outcomes are you hoping to see from the Forum? 

We want to leave with clear objectives to move the discussions forward and provoke action.

Key takeaways will then be discussed on the Impact Stage during the first afternoon of IBTM World, enabling the message of advocacy to reach more people and inspire greater change.

To request an invite to the IBTM World Forum for Advocacy or to register for IBTM World in Barcelona, please contact the event organiser.

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Key takeaways

  • The IBTM World Forum for Advocacy aims to elevate the business events sector by engaging international leaders and policymakers to champion the economic and social benefits of business events.
  • Unified advocacy is crucial for the business events industry to effectively communicate its value and secure essential investment and recognition from governments worldwide.
  • The forum seeks to establish clear objectives and action plans that will be shared during IBTM World, promoting continued dialogue and inspiring meaningful changes in the industry.
     


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