More corporate demand, increase and diversification of buyers according to the needs of Italian and international offer, an organisation which places…
More corporate demand, increase and diversification of buyers according to the needs of Italian and international offer, an organisation which places exhibitors at the system core and is aimed at facilitating the highest possible number of contacts among market players: BTC gets ready to fight and, relying on the positive results and signals that characterised the 2005 edition, presents its guidelines for the next edition of the event, which will be held from 7th to 9th November 2006 in Florence, Italy.
BTC, the place where the negotiations for the Mice world take place
The MICE world has changed, as has the way professionals in this sector do business: shorter and shorter planning and booking times, reduced budgets, great attention to return on investment, stronger competition among offer transactors and significant weight of new players in decision-making: starting from the good results of the 2005 edition, BTC 2006 fits its project to an Italian sector in need of a more international and entrepreneurial attitude and presents the 2006 edition as the privileged place of business and negotiations of the MICE world.
This is done in three steps taking shape from the results of the first edition organised by ExMedia: 1,000 hosted buyers, 880 exhibitors, 5,207 visitors, 12,800 appointments carried out between supply and demand. An excellent starting point – claimed Marta Pieralli, the new project manager of Btc – from which we have built our offer to the market for 2006. Pieralli, who had dealt with buyers for years in BTC, has been in charge of the project for a few months and leads a team of young and motivated professionals who know the market, its protagonists and the BTC system.
Offer: aiming at increase and higher qualification
More supply, more demand: the increase foreseen for exhibitors is 10%. However, mostly relying on one of the strong points in the 2005 edition, the exhibitors are still at the core of the BTC System. This has two main meanings: flexible and diversified trade propositions as well as overall accuracy in selecting buyers and contacts.
In particular, the trade offer has been rationalized and prices have remained unchanged compared to last year. Four different packages are proposed to exhibitors: two of them include basic services and visibility by assuring that the exhibitor enters into contact with buyers; the other two are characterised by high value-added services, among which vocational training courses aimed at acquiring methods and techniques for relating to potential customers.
An important innovation has been introduced to facilitate contact among professionals: all exhibitors will be given the buyer list in advance to fix appointments independently thanks to a specific software. Aiming at buyer increase and greater involvement of the main decision makers from national and international firms. Only demand can guarantee that this sector will increase: the aim of BTC 2006 is to take 1,100 buyers to the fair (50% Italians and 50% foreigners) and reach a 20% increase compared to the last edition. On this front the action plan includes steps aimed at the involvement of the main decision makers and a strong selection of players, to which the Technical Committee of the BTC System and the network of contacts and strategic cooperation activated by the organisation on the national and international level will contribute.
More contacts in shorter time: BTC 2006 draws the exhibiting space
A new Space has been reorganised to allow exhibitors and visitors the highest possible number of contacts in the shortest time: square metres staying the same, the exhibition area will be spread on two floors of the Spadolini Hall, instead of three as in 2005. In addition, a specific space for stately homes will be created, because this typology of exhibitor is highly required by national and international buyers.
Moreover, to assure more contacts in shorter time, the appointment system has been planned anew and it now includes the possibility for buyers and exhibitors to fix free appointments by using the BTC website directly, which will be transformed into a real pre-negotiation market for supply and demand in the 2006 edition.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
