Attending IBTM World in person at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona (19-21 November 2024) was a remarkable opportunity to reconnect with the vibrant MICE community and experience the event’s dynamic atmosphere. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in Barcelona, IBTM World continues to be a cornerstone for fostering connections, sharing insights, and driving innovation in the global events industry.
As a content creator, producing real-time digital content on-site allowed me to capture the event’s energy and creativity, showcasing its impact in an engaging way. This Social Listening Report explores the pivotal role of social media and digital marketing at IBTM World 2024, highlighting emerging trends and key conversations.
Introduction
This report utilizes the powerful social media monitoring tool Brand24 to analyze digital conversations surrounding the official hashtag #IBTMWorld—the cornerstone of IBTM World in Barcelona—as well as related keywords like “IBTM World” Covering the period from November 3rd to December 7th, 2024, the analysis provides a comprehensive view of more than 30 days of online activity, capturing the full lifecycle of the event: pre-event buzz, live engagement during the show, and post-event reflections.
The monitoring spans a diverse array of platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X – Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, and websites. This multi-channel approach offers a holistic perspective on the IBTM World community’s digital engagement, highlighting key trends, standout content, and the role of social media in amplifying the event’s reach and influence.
IBTM World 2024 summary
The social listening analysis for IBTM World 2024 in Barcelona reveals a total of 2,507 mentions across various platforms, showcasing the event’s robust online presence. This includes 1,653 mentions on social media and 854 mentions from non-social sources.
The estimated reach is impressive, with 1,024,580 on social media and 2,051,599 from non-social channels, highlighting the event’s substantial visibility and influence within the MICE industry.
Engagement metrics reflect strong interaction, with 19,538 social media interactions, including 1,565 pieces of user-generated content and 18,477 likes.
The multimedia impact was notable, with 145 videos—spanning platforms like TikTok and YouTube—adding dynamic storytelling and extending the event’s reach.
Sentiment analysis indicates overwhelmingly positive feedback, with 99.7% of mentions being positive, underscoring the enthusiastic reception of IBTM World by attendees and participants. The advertising value equivalent (AVE) is estimated at $257.92k, further highlighting the event’s relevance and impact.
IBTM World 2024’s exceptional digital presence and engagement metrics reaffirm its position as a flagship trade show in the MICE industry, setting a high benchmark for innovation and connectivity.
Topic Analysis
The data provides valuable insights into the major trends, topics, and conversations shaping the MICE industry during IBTM World 2024. Below is a breakdown of the top categories based on mentions, reach, share of voice, and sentiment share.
IBTM World Event
This category centers on discussions about the IBTM World event in Barcelona, including participation highlights, attendee experiences, and the business opportunities it created for the MICE industry.
- Mentions: 1.4K
- Reach: 1.5M
- Share of Voice: 79.78%
Travel Industry Events and Advocacy
This category encompasses conversations about international travel and tourism events, industry trends, their economic impact, and advocacy efforts for the global events sector.
- Mentions: 217
- Reach: 388K
- Share of Voice: 20.03%
Global MICE Destinations
This segment highlights promotions for hospitality services, venues, and destinations tailored to MICE events, with a focus on offerings from Liberty International Tourism Group and other key players.
- Mentions: 9
- Reach: 3.6K
- Share of Voice: 0.19%
Infographic
Social media mentions and reach
The social listening analysis for IBTM World 2024 in Barcelona reveals impressive digital engagement, with a total of 2,507 mentions across a range of online platforms. Here’s a detailed breakdown of these mentions across different channels:
- X (Twitter): 349
- Instagram: 865
- Facebook: 120
- TikTok: 71
- Videos: 73
- News: 826
- Podcasts: 1
- Blogs: 29
- Websites: 70
The social listening analysis for IBTM World 2024 in Barcelona shows a wide range of online mentions across various platforms. On X (Twitter), there were 349 mentions, indicating active discussions and real-time engagement from participants and industry professionals. Instagram stood out with 865 mentions, reflecting the vibrant, visual content shared by attendees, showcasing event highlights, behind-the-scenes moments, and interactive posts. Facebook generated 120 mentions, with users posting and sharing content related to the event. TikTok had 71 mentions, highlighting the creative, short-form videos from attendees and influencers.
In terms of video content, there were 73 mentions across various platforms including YouTube, which helped to amplify the event’s messaging. News outlets contributed 826 mentions, further enhancing the event’s visibility with articles, reports, and press coverage. Podcasts had just 1 mention, with discussions and interviews related to IBTM World 2024. Blogs accounted for 29 mentions, offering deeper reflections and analysis from industry professionals. Lastly, websites generated 70 mentions, including updates and content related to the event.
This distribution reflects the event’s broad and varied digital presence, demonstrating its strong influence and reach across multiple online channels within the global MICE industry.
The power of Social Listening in tourism and the MICE industry
20 of the most influential public profiles
This section of the report highlights the top 20 most influential public profiles, providing their social media handles, voice share and estimated social reach.
The most prominent profile is liberty_itg, which dominates the conversation with a 5.953% voice share and an estimated social reach of 60,998. Following closely is RCBrwanda with a 3.728% voice share and a reach of 38,200, and IBTMevents at 3.096% voice share, reaching 31,720.
Other significant contributors include larazon_es (2.377%, 24,357 reach), Fira_Barcelona (1.314%, 13,461 reach), and another liberty_itg profile on Instagram, which holds a 1.294% voice share and reaches 13,260.
Profiles with notable reach across Twitter (X) include BeritaJakarta, TCB_Tenerife, and PolandCvB, while others like VoyagesAfriq, shepherdesstravels1 (TikTok), and familiatorres also contribute to the growing conversation around the event.
| # | Profile | Source | Voice share | Est. Social Reach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | liberty_itg | Twitter (X) | 5.953% | 60,998 |
| 2 | RCBrwanda | Twitter (X) | 3.728% | 38,200 |
| 3 | IBTMevents | Twitter (X) | 3.096% | 31,720 |
| 4 | larazon_es | Twitter (X) | 2.377% | 24,357 |
| 5 | Fira_Barcelona | Twitter (X) | 1.314% | 13,461 |
| 6 | liberty_itg | 1.294% | 13,260 | |
| 7 | BeritaJakarta | Twitter (X) | 1.099% | 11,256 |
| 8 | TCB_Tenerife | Twitter (X) | 0.996% | 10,200 |
| 9 | PolandCvB | Twitter (X) | 0.979% | 10,028 |
| 10 | VoyagesAfriq | Twitter (X) | 0.889% | 9,109 |
| 11 | shepherdesstravels1 | TikTok | 0.834% | 8,545 |
| 12 | familiatorres | Twitter (X) | 0.780% | 7,991 |
| 13 | JaroslawMarciuk | Twitter (X) | 0.724% | 7,420 |
| 14 | SATravelTrade | Twitter (X) | 0.721% | 7,390 |
| 15 | BledSlovenia | Twitter (X) | 0.625% | 6,400 |
| 16 | CyLEsVida | Twitter (X) | 0.611% | 6,262 |
| 17 | JoseMaGarciaSua | Twitter (X) | 0.605% | 6,194 |
| 18 | costablancaorg | Twitter (X) | 0.591% | 6,054 |
| 19 | Del_Wranglers | Twitter (X) | 0.584% | 5,982 |
| 20 | turism_palencia | Twitter (X) | 0.547% | 5,600 |
This data reflects the diverse mix of influential voices across different platforms that helped amplify IBTM World 2024.
20 of the most active public profiles
The activity summary for the top public profiles at IBTM World 2024 reveals diverse engagement across various social media platforms.
This dataset reveals a detailed view of the social media activity surrounding the top public profiles involved in the IBTM World in Barcelona. The liberty_itg profile stands out with its strong presence across multiple platforms, notably Instagram, where it has 2,590 followers and received 56 mentions, as well as Twitter (X) with 491 followers and 32 mentions. The diversity in social media platforms reflects varying engagement levels, with Instagram being the dominant platform for most active profiles, such as miceinfluencer with 2,282 followers and 10 mentions, and rcbrwanda with 4,714 followers on Instagram, receiving 5 mentions.
On the other hand, Twitter (X) remains a crucial source of interaction, with significant mentions for profiles like IBTMevents (17,385 followers, 10 mentions) and PolandCvB (458 followers, 14 mentions), highlighting Twitter’s key role in the MICE industry conversations. YouTube also contributes, with profiles like Wanderlust Wayfarer (795 followers, 32 mentions) and KONGRES MAGAZINE (3,130 followers, 7 mentions) fostering industry discussions, though it does not generate as many mentions as Instagram or Twitter (X).
| # | Profile | Source | Followers | Mentions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | liberty_itg | 2,590 | 56 | |
| 2 | wanderlust..wayfarer | TikTok | 101 | 32 |
| 3 | Wanderlust Wayfarer | YouTube | 795 | 32 |
| 4 | liberty_itg | Twitter (X) | 491 | 32 |
| 5 | PolandCvB | Twitter (X) | 458 | 14 |
| 6 | miceinfluencer | 2,282 | 10 | |
| 7 | IBTMevents | Twitter (X) | 17,385 | 10 |
| 8 | JaroslawMarciuk | Twitter (X) | 3,735 | 8 |
| 9 | KONGRES MAGAZINE | YouTube | 3,130 | 7 |
| 10 | IBTM Events | YouTube | 826 | 6 |
| 11 | London_CVB | Twitter (X) | 10,260 | 6 |
| 12 | rcbrwanda | 4,714 | 5 | |
| 13 | news_ies32031 | Twitter (X) | 40 | 5 |
| 14 | Fira_Barcelona | Twitter (X) | 29,594 | 5 |
| 15 | emecotravel.eg | 468 | 4 | |
| 16 | Travel And Tour World | YouTube | 3,200 | 4 |
| 17 | OUR VOICE BY MUPENDA, LLC. | YouTube | 1,360 | 4 |
| 18 | puntomice | Twitter (X) | 4,279 | 4 |
| 19 | alicanteplaza | Twitter (X) | 13,260 | 4 |
| 20 | VoyagesAfriq | Twitter (X) | 7,110 | 4 |
In terms of overall engagement, liberty_itg leads in both mentions and followers, but several smaller profiles like wanderlust..wayfarer (TikTok) and news_ies32031 (Twitter X) show that niche players are still able to generate meaningful conversations with fewer mentions. The mix of profiles across different platforms reveals the dynamic nature of engagement in the MICE industry. The analysis suggests that brands and event organizers should focus on Instagram and Twitter (X) for larger engagement while not overlooking YouTube and smaller platforms that contribute to ongoing industry conversations.
Trending hashtags at IBTM World
This table presents the top trending hashtags related to IBTM World 2024, showing their respective mentions across social media platforms.
| Rank | Hashtag | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | #ibtmworld | 955 |
| 2 | #barcelona | 326 |
| 3 | #ibtm2024 | 280 |
| 4 | #mice | 276 |
| 5 | #ibtmworld2024 | 276 |
| 6 | #ibtm | 219 |
| 7 | #eventprofs | 194 |
| 8 | #ibtmbarcelona | 135 |
| 9 | #peoplepowered | 127 |
| 10 | #events | 112 |
| 11 | #libertyatibtm | 91 |
| 12 | #libertytourism | 91 |
| 13 | #libertygroup | 85 |
| 14 | #networking | 81 |
| 15 | #libertydmc | 68 |
| 16 | #travel | 62 |
| 17 | #miceevent | 61 |
| 18 | #personaltouchworldwide | 60 |
| 19 | #spain | 60 |
| 20 | #businessevents | 59 |
The top 20 hashtags reveal key insights into the IBTM World 2024 event:
- Event-Focused Hashtags: The dominant #ibtmworld (955 mentions) reflects the event’s central role, along with related tags like #ibtm2024 and #ibtmworld2024 (276 mentions each) boosting event visibility.
- Geographic and Industry Context: #barcelona (326 mentions) highlights the host city, while industry-related tags like #mice (276 mentions) and #eventprofs (194 mentions) expand the conversation beyond the event.
- Branding and Networking: Hashtags like #libertyatibtm (91 mentions) show targeted branding efforts, while #networking (81 mentions) and #peoplepowered (127 mentions) emphasize collaboration and the event’s theme of human connection.
- Tourism and Broader Themes: #travel (62 mentions) and #spain (60 mentions) connect the event to the wider tourism and travel sector.
Overall, the hashtags capture the event’s focus on networking, branding, and its broader industry and geographic impact, with a strong emphasis on the #peoplepowered theme of this year’s IBTM World.
Emoji Analysis
One of the most insightful aspects of the social listening process for IBTM World is the Emoji Analysis, which highlights the emotional dynamics of the event’s online conversations. By examining the use of emojis, this analysis provides a deeper understanding of the mood and sentiment expressed by participants, offering valuable insights into how attendees connected with the event and its content.
Podcast
Would you rather listen than read? Here’s the SoundCloud version of the article, brought to you by Google’s AI tool, NotebookLM.
What strategies could boost engagement at future events? How do you see social media shaping the future of the MICE industry? I’d love to hear your insights!
