IBTM World 2025, held at Fira Barcelona Gran Via from 18–20 November, concluded with very positive outcomes for Poland’s MICE industry. Among almost 2,479 exhibitors from 140 countries, the Polish National Stand H100 was a distinctive showcase of what Poland offers the global meetings and events sector – modern infrastructure, professional partners and an increasingly strong competitive position on the international market.
Poland’s MICE industry at IBTM World
At the joint stand, LOT Polish Airlines presented its offer alongside convention bureaux from Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań, Mazovia, Silesia and the Lubelskie region, as well as Lublin Conference Centre, 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 broad representation made it possible to present, in a comprehensive way, the potential of Polish cities, venues and service providers – from association congresses to tailor-made incentive programmes.
The Polish Tourism Organisation (POT) was represented at IBTM World 2025 by Magda Mazgaj and Jarosław Marciuk.
“Alongside our pre-scheduled appointments with event organisers, over the three days of the show, we delivered three presentations at the Polish National Stand for invited hosted buyers. Almost 50 participants received concise yet inspiring information about Poland as a destination for meetings and business events. IBTM World is also an important platform for us to build relations with trade media journalists and opinion leaders – B2B influencers who had the chance to learn about the latest news from the Polish MICE market. We were also delighted to hear that the best coffee at the show was being served at the Polish stand – this was confirmed by the numerous comments from visitors at Fira Barcelona and the morning queue at the hosted buyers’ entrance. The trade show was also an opportunity to promote key events in Poland next year – CONNECT Aviation 2026 in Lublin and GDS-Forum & Impact Day 2026 in Szczecin,” said Jarosław Marciuk, Chief Marketing Specialist at Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourism Organisation.
Partners’ perspectives
“During three intensive days at IBTM World in Barcelona, we held 45 meetings with potential clients. All of them had one goal – to encourage them to organise their next event in Poland. Our conversations clearly indicate that Southern Europe remains the most popular choice among MICE organisers. However, Poland is consistently gaining importance as a unique and increasingly recognisable destination. We had several particularly promising meetings and received a few concrete enquiries for 2026 and 2027,” said Joanna Montenarh, Board Member and Co-Founder of Travel Projekt DMC.
“Taking part in IBTM in Barcelona was an extremely valuable experience for Lublin Conference Centre. What is particularly encouraging is that the Polish stand attracted a great deal of interest, and the Lubelskie region and Lublin were noticed as a modern and attractive business destination. For LCC, the show proved to be an excellent opportunity to forge new relationships, exchange experiences and present our potential on the international stage. We returned with many inspirations that will help us further improve our offer and respond even better to our clients’ expectations, remaining competitive with conference centres across Europe and worldwide.
This is especially important now as we are preparing for next year’s 10th anniversary of LCC and for hosting one of the biggest events in our venue’s history – the international aviation industry congress CONNECT Aviation 2026. Such a large and prestigious event is a great honour for us, but also a responsibility that requires continuous improvement,” summed up Dr Katarzyna Kwiatosz, Deputy Director for Development and Sales at Lublin Conference Centre.
“At the Polish National Stand, we held 47 meetings and established business relations with 72 partners, which should be regarded as a very good result for this year’s edition of IBTM World. Our interlocutors already know Poland – from their own visits or from friends’ recommendations – so their questions focused mainly on specific venues, unique spaces and incentive travel programmes. In my view, the outlook for next year is very promising. There are still clients whose perception of Poland is based on the past. In this context, the role of the Polish Tourism Organisation and Poland Convention Bureau is crucial – to consistently promote Poland as one of the safest countries in Europe.
What our partners highlighted in particular was the cleanliness, modernity and Polish hospitality they experienced at our stand. I still find that ‘I didn’t expect that’ is one of the most frequently heard sentences from our clients when they see our presentations and photos of hotels and venues. We are even more pleased when we hear these words after they visit Poland,” said Agnieszka Faracik-Leśniak, Managing Partner, DMC Poland.
“This year, we observed an exceptionally high number of meeting planners from the UAE and other Arab countries, as well as from India and Brazil. A very positive surprise is the strong interest in our country among incentive travel organisers from South America. At the same time, clients from the United States already have concrete plans to bring events to Poland,” added Faracik-Leśniak.
“Comparing IBTM with other travel trade shows, one can definitely say that more is happening here in Barcelona. We have a lot of meetings, new contacts and cooperation opportunities, which translates into a greater number of prospects for Mazovia and for us. Our baristas definitely attract people to the stand – there are plenty of visitors keen to try our coffee and, at the same time, to have a look at what is happening in our region and what we can offer. On the first day alone, we had around 17 meetings. It’s intense, so I don’t always find the time to attend the education sessions, but I consider the programme very interesting. I wasn’t here last year, but I hope to take part in the next edition,” said Małgorzata Dąbrowska from 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 by MICE industry representatives and the Poland Convention Bureau of PTO not only helped build new relationships but also strengthened 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.
Created by: Jarosław Marciuk; Photos: Natalia Wisniewska Photography
IBTM World Barcelona official show website.
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