Influential buyers attend EventIt 2018 as show cements reputation as high-quality platform for Scottish events industry

Influential buyers from across the UK gathered for EventIt 2018 yesterday as the trade show cemented its reputation as a high-quality platform for the Scottish events and festival industry.

More than 900 people registered to attend the show at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow as it moved into its third year as an annual showcase for the best suppliers in the industry, whose solutions drive success across the sector including for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions), outdoor, and team-building events.

Software solutions providers, data protection, PR & Marketing, education specialists, venues, transport providers, magicians, entertainment and outdoor survival experts were among the many and varied exhibitors who all feed into an increasingly diverse events and festivals sector which thrives on innovative products and services to drive experience hungry delegates and attendees.

Judith Wilson, Director of EventIt, said: “We are now in our third year and the quality of buyer just keeps on getting better. Over the course of the last three years we have listened to what the industry has had to say about the kind of buyer they want to meet at the show. We have invested significant amounts of time in trying to make that happen, and EventIt 2018, where we welcomed some of the UK’s leading events and festivals buyers, was testimony to that fact.

“A number of our exhibitors are already reporting that they have confirmed business as a result of attending EventIt, which is fantastic news and we will monitor feedback as it comes in from them in the coming days, weeks and months.

“Overall, the show was a great success in connecting our exhibitors to the markets in which they operate and ‘quality’ is the word we are hearing from them, which is great news.”

EventIt 2018 was held at the SEC in Glasgow on March 22nd 2018. Photograph by Mary Turner

EventIt2018 featured a number of well-subscribed professional development sessions which ran in parallel with the trade show during the day. The Learning Zone featured talks from Alison Johnston, Policy Officer with the Information Commissioner’s Office in Scotland about how the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will affect event organisers; there were sessions also on event volunteering, technology, team-building, PR and the benefits of professional organisations such as SITE.

Wilson added: “We have consistently pushed the message that EventIt is a packed programme of not only exhibitors but also for events professionals to develop their skills sets and learning opportunities. We had really well-attended sessions especially for the subject of GDPR, which comes into force in May and will affect the way event organisers collect and use personal data.”

She said: “We want to be at the cutting edge of the industry and I would like to extend my thanks to all of our exhibitors, performers, speakers and attendees who came together yesterday to deliver a truly magnificent show.”

She also thanked Cvent for its “fantastic registration platform” which smoothed communication between exhibitors, buyers, suppliers and speakers. Despite the many challenges we threw at them to ensure we created the right profile of visitors, they always came up with the perfect solutions.

Supporting partners also thanked included: EventScotland, Dundee and Angus Convention Bureau, Event Tech Live, SEC, The Meetings Show, ABPCO, VisitScotland, NOEA, ILEA, Convention Edinburgh, Glasgow Convention Bureau, Ross Promotional and Crowne Plaza, Glasgow, and of course to all our exhibitors without which this show would not be possible.