Report
M & I maintains its mojo in Marrakech
RAMY JAMES SALAMEH TAKES THE MARRAKECH EVENTS EXPRESS AGAIN TO M & I FEST GLOBAL IN MOROCCO
" Busy stands not busy aisles”
has long been the mantra of Richard Barnes, CEO of M & I. His focus on quality over quantity has guided the company for two decades, targeting a niche in boutique, in-destination events that pair buyers with suppliers in meaningful ways.
That’ s why launching M & I Fest Global Marrakech in 2024 was a bold move. As M & I’ s largest event format to date, it brought together 600 buyers and suppliers at the Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi. The question loomed: Could M & I scale-up without sacrificing the personalised, high-quality experience it’ s known for – especially when Barnes believes large scale trade shows often leave delegates frustrated with their return-on-investment?
Based on feedback from the event’ s second edition, the answer is a resounding Yes. Many top hotel and CVB suppliers returned, alongside a healthy number of new exhibitors. The event welcomed over 200 senior buyers – half of them first-timers.
Scaling up for meetings at M & I Fest Global in Marrakech
“ M & I Fest Global was easily navigable,” said Leigh Bacon, project and venues manager at Wearemeat. com.“ I loved the set-up alongside their AIpowered meeting matches, which were appropriate and useful. I came away with great connections, product information and destination knowledge.”
The event also attracted new participants like Meet in Austria. Barbara Gerstl from Austria Tourism explained their choice:“ This larger M & I event enabled our regional CVBs and hotel partners to meet key contacts within a dedicated Austrian Pavilion and host a private buyer luncheon.”
For the second edition, M & I focused on refining rather than reinventing. Additions included more stands and pavilions, a Tech Zone, a TED-style motivational speaker, and more hotel showcases. Cultural experiences were trimmed to a single afternoon, giving attendees more flexibility.
Fest Global’ s exhibition-style concept bridges the gap between boutique forums and mega trade shows, offering a unique scale that remains competitive globally.
The cultural experiences were poured into one afternoon for the 2025 edition
“ Fest Global’ s exhibition-style concept bridges the gap between boutique forums and mega trade shows”
The M & I team have noted that scale brings flexibility, something they plan to further explore.
The rise of Fest Global taps into industry dissatisfaction with larger-scale MICE trade shows, where relevance and ROI often fall short. At Fest, suppliers voiced concerns about high costs and low returns at traditional events, while buyers noted too many irrelevant meetings. Still, many feel compelled to attend big shows simply because“ size matters”. Even Barnes acknowledges this gravitational pull:“ The major trade show model is based upon reaching a mass,” he said,“ but there’ s growing frustration with the results.” In contrast, Fest Global operates at a more manageable scale, with AI-curated meetings and storytelling opportunities tailored for impact.
“ We are blending the best of both worlds to deliver value with Fest Global,” Barnes concluded.“ We are developing the trade show of the future.”
M & I’ s latest creation is a wellbalanced mix of boutique intimacy and exhibition-style scope. With more innovation promised, the industry is left wondering: What’ s next? n
ISSUE 136 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 67