Poland sums up IBTM World 2025 in Barcelona

LOT Polish Airlines, convention bureaus from Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań, Mazovia, Silesia, the Lublin Province, as well as the Lublin Conference Center, Poznań Event Hub (MTP Group) and DMC Poland, JAN-POL DMC Poland, Mazurkas DMC Poland, and Travel Projekt DMC Poland.

The presence of such a wide representation allowed for a comprehensive presentation of the potential of Polish cities, facilities, and service providers – from association congresses to tailor-made incentive programs.

The Polish Tourist Organization was represented at IBTM World 2025 by Magda Mazgaj and Jarosław Marciuk.

- In addition to scheduled meetings with event organizers, we gave three presentations at the Polish National Stand for invited hosted buyers during the three days of the fair. Nearly 50 participants received concise yet inspiring information about Poland as a destination for meetings and business events. IBTM World is also an important space for us to build relationships with trade media journalists and opinion leaders, B2B influencers, who were able to learn about the latest developments in the Polish MICE market. We were also pleased to hear that the Polish stand served the best coffee – this was confirmed by numerous visitors to Fira Barcelona and the morning queue at the entrance for hosted buyers. The fair was also an opportunity to promote important events in Poland next year - CONNECT Aviation in Lublin and GDS-Forum & Impact Day 2026 in Szczecin - said Jarosław Marciuk, chief marketing specialist at the Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourist Organization.

Partner statements

- During three intense days at the IBTM World trade fair in Barcelona, we held 45 meetings with potential clients. All with one goal in mind - to encourage them to organize their next event in Poland. Our conversations clearly show that Southern Europe remains the most popular destination for MICE event organizers, while Poland is consistently gaining in importance as a unique and increasingly recognizable destination. We had several extremely promising conversations and received a few specific inquiries for 2026 and 2027, said Joanna Montenarh, board member and co-founder of Travel Projekt DMC.

- Participation in the IBTM trade fair in Barcelona was an extremely valuable experience for the Lublin Conference Center. We are particularly pleased that the Polish stand attracted a lot of interest, and that the Lublin Province and Lublin were recognized as a modern and attractive business destination. For the LCK, the fair proved to be an excellent opportunity to establish new relationships, exchange experiences, and present our potential on the international arena. We returned with many inspirations that will help us further improve our offer and better respond to customer expectations, while remaining competitive with conference centers in Europe and around the world. This is particularly important now that we are preparing for next year's 10th anniversary of LCK and for the organization of one of the biggest events in the history of our facility – the international aviation congress CONNECT Aviation 2026. Such a large and prestigious event is a great honor for us, but also a responsibility that requires continuous improvement, summarized Dr. Katarzyna Kwiatosz, Deputy Director for Development and Sales at the Lublin Conference Center.

- At the Polish National Stand, we held 47 meetings and established business relationships with 72 partners, which should be considered a very good result for this year's edition of IBTM World. Our interlocutors already know Poland – from their own visits or from recommendations from friends – so their questions mainly concerned specific facilities, unique venues, and incentive travel programs. I believe that the prospects for next year are very promising. However, there are still customers who have associations with Poland from the past. In this context, the role of the Polish Tourist Organization and the Poland Convention Bureau is crucial in consistently promoting Poland as one of the safest countries in Europe. What our interlocutors particularly emphasized was also cleanliness, modernity, and Polish hospitality, which they could also experience at our stand. I still believe that “I didn't expect that” is one of the most frequently uttered phrases by our customers when viewing our presentations, photos of hotels and facilities. We are even more pleased when we hear these words after their visit to Poland, said Agnieszka Faracik-Leśniak, Managing Partner, DMC Poland.

- Comparing IBTM to other tourism fairs, e.g. in London, we can definitely say that there is more going on in Barcelona. We have a lot of meetings, new contacts, and opportunities for cooperation, which results in more opportunities for us, for Mazovia. Our baristas definitely attract people to the stand, there are lots of people who want coffee and, at the same time, they come and find out what is happening here and what we have to offer. On the first day, we had about 17 meetings. It is intense, so I don't always find time to go to the panels, but I find the program very interesting. I wasn't here last year, but I hope to be able to attend the next edition, said Małgorzata Dąbrowska from the Mazovia Convention Bureau.

From a Polish perspective, IBTM World 2025 confirmed that Poland is perceived as an attractive destination for congresses, conferences, corporate events, and incentive travel. Joint activities of MICE industry representatives from the Poland Convention Bureau POT not only allowed us to build new relationships, but also to strengthen Poland's image as a country that is consistently building its position in the global meetings industry.

A special international edition of THINK MICE magazine was also available at the Polish stand.

Prepared by: Jarosław Marciuk Photos: Natalia Wisniewska Photography. Website of the organizer of the IBTM World Barcelona trade fair.