Industry trade show EIBTM attracted more than 15,300 meetings industry professionals to Barcelona, including a pre-audit visitor and buyer attendance of 9,262 (up from 8,395), and 3,904 hosted buyers (3,678 in 2010). There were 64,950 pre-scheduled appointments made across the three-day event.

There were also more than 100 professional education sessions held, with more than 3,000 delegates attending seminars. All attendee figures will now be subject to an independent ABC audit.

Graeme Barnett, EIBTM event director, said: “Globally, this industry is responsible for 1.7 million jobs and $106bn of GDP. Our role is to provide the platform and environment for the sector to meet and conduct business. Ultimately we believe we have achieved that and more and delivered value and profitable results for our customers.”

Esteban Miso, Solways Group, Congress & Incentives Department, said: “We have more than 80 per cent of the appointments and had more contacts than last year. We have also closed group bookings of approximately 2,000 persons in various groups for 2012.”

Samme Allen, head of sales at the Barbican Centre London, said: “My first meeting delivered a major bank who I hope will be bringing multiple events to the Barbican – it’s wonderful, the corporates are back.”

EIBTM 2012 will take place from November 27–29.