03 May 2024:  London – The Business of Events (TBOE) and IBTM World have announced a partnership to develop the IBTM Forum for Advocacy, with the first event taking place ahead of IBTM World on Monday 18th of November 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. 

TBOE is a UK-based think tank and advocacy network for the global business events sector, whose primary role is to raise the importance and profile of business events as a driver for economic, community and societal growth, and to maximise the opportunities for destinations and the wider industry to further grow the global event economy. 

Claudia Hall, Exhibition Director at IBTM World, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with TBOE, stating: "We're thrilled to collaborate with TBOE for the second consecutive year and to unveil the Forum for Advocacy in Barcelona. As we celebrate our 20th year in this vibrant city, we are committed to fostering dialogue between industry luminaries and governmental stakeholders. Our goal is to showcase the immense value that the business events sector brings to economies and societies worldwide."

The IBTM Forum for Advocacy is a significant milestone for IBTM World, as it continues to solidify its position as the premier global hub for the business events industry and place the topic of advocacy at the very heart of its industry engagement activities.

Martin Fullard, Director at TBOE, emphasised the importance of advocacy in the current global landscape, remarking: "Advocacy remains paramount in our sector, especially amidst the backdrop of democratic elections occurring worldwide in 2024. As governments seek innovative solutions and avenues for progress, our industry stands ready to demonstrate the economic, cultural, and social dividends it offers. By aligning with policymakers and speaking their language, we can effectively champion our cause and contribute to their policy objectives." 

The IBTM Forum for Advocacy will convene as an exclusive invitation-only gathering, with TBOE’s Director of News & Content, Martin Fullard, curating and chairing the first forum. The event will see senior leaders and stakeholders from the business events community joining politicians and policymakers to discuss issues designed to grow and strengthen the global event economy. Insights gathered from the forum will be summarised and shared on the first day of IBTM World (19th November 2024) on the Impact Stage, ensuring that attendees, buyers, and exhibitors are equipped with actionable takeaways. 

For more information about the IBTM Forum for Advocacy and IBTM World, visit IBTM World's website. 

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About The Business of Events (TBOE):  

The Business of Events (TBOE) is a UK-based independent Think Tank for the events sector; an industry that has enormous economic potential.

Its primary role is to raise the importance and profile of business events as an economic, policy, and community driver and to maximise the opportunities achieved by having a strong business events sector. 

This is achieved this through a combination of Policy, Advocacy, Content and Engagement, bringing together senior leaders from across the business events sector to discuss policy ideas and initiatives and to connect with government, policy makers and influencers, public sector organisations and politicians.

Established in 2018 by brand communications agency davies tanner, our shared vision is supported by several strategic partners, including the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Events, VisitBritain and UKEVENTS (formerly the Business Visits & Events Partnership), along with many of the world’s leading business events destinations, venues and trade associations.

About IBTM World

IBTM World, the leading global event for the meetings and events industry, is the must-attend three-day event for the worldwide meeting, incentives, conference and events industry. Thousands of meetings and events buyers, suppliers and international trade media visit Fira Barcelona every November for IBTM’s flagship show. 2024 is the 37th anniversary of IBTM World and the 20th year the event has been hosted in Barcelona.

Next event: Tuesday 19 November to Thursday 21 November 2024 at Fira Barcelona

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About RX  

RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people.  RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com. 

About RELX

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 36,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.

*Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors