The IBTM World 2025 meetings and events industry trade show, one of the most important global events for the meeting, incentive and event industry, was held from the 18th to the 20th of November at the Fira de Barcelona exhibition centre. This year, Croatia achieved its strongest appearance to date – a total of 36 exhibitors gathered at the joint stand of the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB), ranging from the Convention Bureau of Dubrovnik and Zagreb to tourist boards, hotel groups and specialised DMC agencies.
According to the organisers, the IBTM attracted more than 12,000 professionals, including 2,479 exhibitors from more than 140 countries. Thanks to an extremely efficient matchmaking system, more than 78,000 B2B meetings were arranged in advance, confirming IBTM’s status as a key global platform for generating business opportunities in the world of business events.
Intensive Meetings and Strong Interest in Dubrovnik
The Convention Bureau of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board had an exceptionally dynamic schedule over the three days. Based on preferences selected in advance via the matchmaking platform, all available timeslots for pre-arranged meetings were filled, and a total of 50 business meetings were held during the fair.
Interest in Dubrovnik was highly concrete, especially from the markets of the USA, South America, Australia and the United Kingdom. Numerous inquiries were recorded for events from 2027 onwards, as well as several projects that were forwarded immediately at the show to Dubrovnik hotel groups for further communication and preparation of offers.
Networking Among Croatian Partners and Additional Promotion of Dubrovnik
At the CNTB stand, Dubrovnik was represented by hotel groups Valamar Riviera, Adriatic Luxury Hotels, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik and Hilton Imperial, as well as DMC agencies Elite Travel and Marber. Dubrovnik Travel exhibited at the group stand of the Body and Soul International DMC Network.
On the second day of the show, the CNTB organised its traditional gathering with partners and buyers at the Croatian stand. As part of the event, a prize draw was held with the support of hotel groups Valamar Riviera, Sun Gardens and Hilton Imperial, while the Dubrovnik Tourist Board – Convention Bureau provided three guided city tours as an additional promotional activity.
Industry Trends: AI, Empathy and the Politics of the Future
IBTM World 2025 opened with a strong focus on the future of business events. The keynote speech by Nathalie Nahai highlighted the importance of human values, empathy and authentic communication in an era dominated by artificial intelligence.
Particular attention was drawn to the conversation between Julius Solaris and a humanoid robot named Ameca on the new “Future Stage”. When asked whether AI is ready to take over event organisation, Ameca replied: “In short, AI is a tool, and human creativity is the artist. Together they create events that are smarter, more personal and more human.”
On the evening before the opening, the IBTM World Forum for Advocacy was held, where 42 international leaders discussed the policies needed for further industry growth. The forum’s conclusions were presented on the main stage on the first day of the trade show.
The appearance at IBTM World once again confirmed that Dubrovnik remains one of the most recognisable and desirable Croatian MICE destinations. The high level of buyer interest, concrete inquiries and the growing presence of the Croatian industry on the international scene are strong indicators that Dubrovnik and Croatia are positioned at the top of the global business events market – with a clear perspective for growth in the years ahead.