IBTM Events

Name

IBTM Events

Legal name

Reed Exhibitions Limited

Website

https://ibtmworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Exhibition & Trade Show Management (Conference-Adjacent) (THAHACAF), Exhibitor/Sponsor Management (Corporate Conferences) (THACAFAN)

Keywords

• B2B exhibition trade shows
• Meetings and events industry
• MICE marketplace platform
• Hosted buyer matchmaking
• Event technology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond, Surrey

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor Booth and Sponsorship Sales: Revenue generated from exhibitors purchasing booth space and sponsorship packages at IBTM events. Exhibitors include destinations, hotels, venues, DMCs, and event service providers.
2. Visitor and Buyer Registration Fees: Trade visitors pay registration fees (free before deadline, then €100), while visitor buyers pay €399 (€499 after September 16th) for enhanced access to meetings and networking.
3. Hosted Buyer Programme: Complimentary programme for qualified hosted buyers including flights, accommodation, and access. Sponsored by exhibitor and organiser investment in buyer acquisition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IBTM Events is a global B2B trade show organiser for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) industry, operating a portfolio of physical exhibitions (IBTM World in Barcelona, IBTM Americas in Mexico City, IBTM Asia Pacific in Bangkok from 2027) and the permanent online event IBTM Wired. Revenue is generated by selling exhibition booth space and sponsorship packages to destinations, hotels, venues, DMCs and event service providers, and by charging visitor/buyer registration fees, with a flagship Hosted Buyer Programme that delivers pre-scheduled, qualified meetings between exhibitors and corporate buyers.

Product overview

IBTM Events operates a portfolio of B2B trade shows and digital products for the global meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) industry. The core offering is IBTM World, an annual flagship three-day trade show at Fira de Barcelona connecting destinations, hotels, event tech providers, and suppliers with Hosted Buyers and visitor buyers via pre-scheduled meetings, a conference programme, and networking events. Supporting products include IBTM Wired (a permanent online event platform built by Sector Global, delivering regional content and matchmaking across time zones), and IBTM Asia Pacific (a new regional show launching in Bangkok in 2027). Exhibitor-facing add-ons include Lead Booster (targeted lead attraction), Lead Manager (real-time lead capture app), and Colleqt QR (scan-to-contact lead capture). Show-floor features include the Hotel Pavilion, Exceptional Experiences, IBTM Ignite (startup-investor platform), Forum for Advocacy, and Association Leaders Forum. The portfolio also includes the IBTM World Trends Report and IBTM On Demand content hub. All events operate the IBTM matchmaking system and Hosted Buyer programme managed by RX (Reed Exhibitions).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exceptional Experiences: Programme showcasing groundbreaking solutions for in-house event professionals and marketers to create experiences that fuel business growth
• IBTM Ignite
• Hotel Pavilion
• Forum for Advocacy
• IBTM World Tech Watch Award
• Future Stage
• Association Leaders Forum
• IBTM Accelerate

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,000+ participants, 79,000+ pre-scheduled meetings, 2,479 exhibitors (2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments7 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026TCEB is the Official Host Destination Partner for IBTM Asia Pacific 2027 in Bangkok. TCEB will work closely with RX BITEC to create a dynamic platform connecting the international business events community while showcasing Thailand's world-class capabilities.
• BEFuturestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025BEFuture is a project dedicated to driving positive change in the Business Events sector across Europe. Partnered with IBTM Ignite to provide visibility, mentorship, and strategic connections for start-ups. BEFuture's acceleration programme has supported 81 SMEs and start-ups.
• SACEOS (Singapore Association for Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 June 2021Partnership with SACEOS to create SMF X IBTM Wired, integrating the hybrid Singapore MICE Forum (SMF) into the IBTM Wired programme with education focusing on community engagement, design thinking, and innovation.
• Events Industry Council (EIC)strategicOthers · 24 June 2021EIC granted IBTM Wired preferred provider status for its Knowledge Programme. Delegates can earn Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) points for education sessions, up to 20 hours of continued education over the four-day event. EIC's CMP programme has been running for over 36 years.
• Sector GlobalcoreTechnology or Integration · 26 November 2020Partnership with event technology company Sector Global to create IBTM World Virtual platform. Features developed include pre-event matchmaking, HD video meetings, enhanced exhibitor directories, exhibitor zone, and integrated live conference streaming with on-demand sessions.
• RX (Reed Exhibitions Limited)coreOthersIBTM is operated by RX, a global leader in events and exhibitions with presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, hosting approximately 350 events annually. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools.
• ESAE (European Society of Association Executives)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ESAE to design and deliver the Association Leaders Forum at IBTM World. ESAE is the leading organisation in Europe for Association professionals, facilitating exchange of best practice and ensuring understanding of Association business and strategy.
• The Business of EventsstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading global think tank for the events sector partnered with IBTM to launch and support the Forum for Advocacy. The forum brings together senior leaders, politicians, policymakers, industry associations, and academics to amplify advocacy issues.
• Davies TannerstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerPR agency managing IBTM World communications and media relations. Handles press releases, media enquiries, and media partnerships.
• PCMAstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional Convention Management Association supporting the Forum for Advocacy. PCMA President Sherrif Karamat speaks at forum events.
• ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association)strategicGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational association supporting the Forum for Advocacy initiative and participating in industry collaboration efforts.
• The IcebergminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia and advocacy organization supporting the Forum for Advocacy, presenting awards including the Iceberg Excellence Award.
• The Thought PartnershipstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Exceptional Experiences programme at IBTM World 2025, helping design and deliver content for in-house event professionals and marketers.
• American Express Meetings & EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting IBTM's Elite Corporate Programme with insights specifically focused on the needs of corporate Hosted Buyers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Cvent: Major event management technology platform that both exhibits at IBTM World (Event Tech & Services area) and increasingly delivers competing event tech, registration, and matchmaking capabilities. Represents an emerging technology competitor in the MICE stack.

Others

• Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE): Specialized association for the incentive travel segment of the MICE industry. SITE's incentive travel audience is a sub-segment of IBTM's blueprint Meetings and incentive buyers, making it an adjacent ecosystem player in the MICE buyer community.
• Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA): Leading association for meeting and convention professionals that partners with IBTM on the Forum for Advocacy but also delivers its own Convening Leaders and other events for the same target audience, making it an adjacent ecosystem participant.
• International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA): Global association for the international meetings industry supporting IBTM's advocacy and awards work. Serves the same association and congress organizer buyers that IBTM World targets as exhibitors and Hosted Buyers.
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI): Global association for meeting professionals that serves the same enterprise event planner audience as IBTM. Although not a direct trade show competitor, MPI influences education, certification, and community engagement that IBTM also targets.

Broad incumbents

• Comexposium: Paris-based major global exhibition organizer with B2B trade shows across multiple industries including travel and hospitality. Operates comparable large-scale exhibitions and competes for similar exhibitor and association buyer spend.
• Informa Markets: Global B2B exhibition organizer with a broad portfolio across industries including travel, hospitality, and events. Informa Markets is a major incumbent in the trade show space with deeper scale and an overlapping customer base, although MICE is not its sole focus.
• Hyve Group: UK-listed international events group operating large B2B exhibitions and trade shows across multiple industries. Comparable business model and scale to IBTM's parent RX, with overlapping professional event organizer capabilities.
• CloserStill Group: London-headquartered B2B event organizer with a portfolio of professional trade shows across healthcare, technology, and business services. Competes with IBTM for exhibitor sponsorship dollars and operates a similar event-driven business model.

Direct peers

• IMEX Group: IMEX Group operates IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America, the two leading competitor MICE trade shows directly comparable to IBTM World. Both target the same exhibitor (destinations, hotels, DMCs, event tech) and Hosted Buyer audiences with pre-scheduled meetings and a similar hosted-buyer programme model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IBTMevents
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/eibtmteam
• Facebookfacebook.com/ibtmevents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ibtmevents
• Instagraminstagram.com/ibtmevents
• TikToktiktok.com/@ibtmevents

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IBTM Events