IBTM World 2025 Sets a New Standard for the Global Business Events Industry

IBTM World 2025 has concluded with record-breaking results, reaffirming its position as one of the most influential gatherings for the global meetings and events sector. Bringing together nearly 12,000 professionals from around the world, the three-day event delivered an unprecedented level of innovation, engagement and commercial impact, with more than 79,000 pre-scheduled meetings taking place — an 8% increase on the previous year.

Held in Barcelona, the latest edition marked a milestone for the show, welcoming close to 2,500 exhibitors and achieving one of the highest exhibitor turnouts in its history. A 12% rise in returning participants highlighted the strong value the event delivers for both buyers and suppliers, while the international reach of IBTM World continued to expand, with almost half of all Hosted Buyers travelling from outside Europe.

Industry participants consistently praised the quality and diversity of connections made during the event. Destinations, convention bureaus and technology providers alike reported strong pipelines of new leads and partnerships, underlining IBTM World’s role as a key driver of business development across the MICE sector.

Innovation takes centre stage

Living up to its theme, People. Power. Potential., IBTM World 2025 introduced a series of bold new initiatives designed to shape the future of business events. Among the most notable was the launch of IBTM Ignite, a dedicated platform that connected more than 80 start-ups with investors, advisors and industry leaders. The initiative spotlighted emerging solutions across artificial intelligence, event engagement and sustainability, offering a glimpse into the technologies set to redefine events in the years ahead.

The debut of the Future Stage further strengthened the show’s innovation focus, hosting fast-paced talks from rising industry voices, while the BEFuture Pavilion created a collaborative space for investors and creators to accelerate new ideas and ventures.

Immersive learning and experience design

Experiential learning once again played a central role at IBTM World. The return of Exceptional Experiences attracted packed audiences eager to learn from globally recognised brands such as Amazon, Canva and WeTransfer. These sessions delivered practical insights into designing meaningful, memorable experiences that resonate with modern audiences.

Popular features from previous editions also returned, including The Hotel Pavilion, which provided independent and boutique hotels with a dedicated platform to connect with planners seeking distinctive venues and personalised offerings.

Advocacy, associations and industry leadership

IBTM World 2025 strengthened its role as a forum for industry-wide dialogue and advocacy. The Forum for Advocacy, delivered in partnership with The Business of Events, brought together policymakers and industry leaders to explore how unified storytelling and collaboration can elevate the societal and economic value of business events worldwide.

The Association Leaders Forum, developed with the European Society of Association Executives and supported by ExCeL London, focused on the power of association events to build communities, foster knowledge exchange and drive long-term engagement.

Insight-driven conference programme

The event delivered its most comprehensive conference programme to date, offering actionable insights across strategy, technology, wellbeing and experience design. Keynote sessions explored topics ranging from empathy and human connection in the age of AI to the creation of experiences that deliver both emotional and economic impact, as well as performance and wellbeing as drivers of professional potential.

IBTM World also served as a platform for new industry intelligence, with the launch of several influential research reports. These included the IBTM World Trends Report, which examined the growing influence of older demographics on event design, alongside new studies on bleisure travel and accessibility, highlighting critical gaps and opportunities for improvement across the sector.

Looking ahead

Reflecting on the success of the show, IBTM World’s leadership described the 2025 edition as its most ambitious and globally impactful yet, marked by a vibrant atmosphere of collaboration, creativity and opportunity.

Building on this momentum, IBTM World will return to Barcelona from 17 to 19 November 2026, promising to further connect the global business events community and continue shaping the future of the industry.