The Global Meetings and Incentive Travel Show EIBTM got off to a flying start last night with the icebreaker event at Barcelona´s stunning Eurostars Gran Marina hotel.

The event provided an excellent networking opportunity for hosted meetings and incentive travel buyers and show exhibitors before EIBTM officially opened its doors – which it did at 10am this morning.

“Turnout has far exceeded expectations,” said Group Event Director Paul Kennedy in his icebreaker address. “We expected around 150, but numbers are closer to 350.”

The hosted buyer programme is key to the success of EIBTM. Under the scheme, meetings and incentive travel buyers and planners arrange pre-scheduled appointments with exhibitors in the run up to the show. “So far more than 41,500 such meetings have been set up,” reported Kennedy on the eve of the event.

Next year marks the 21^st anniversary of EIBTM, which has grown by 22% over the last two years. Held at the Fira Barcelona, close to the Olympic stadium, the show even has its own bus garage where hosted buyers will be dropped off and collected over the next three days.