Meet In Wales is set to collaborate with Google’s Experience Institute (XI) and experience strategy collective StoryCraft Lab on a specialist content session at this year’s IBTM World trade show. The joint initiative will bring together international experience design expertise with the destination’s focus on creating a strong sense of belonging for business event attendees.
The session, titled “Designing Belonging: A Story…”, is scheduled for the first day of IBTM World and will run from 14:15 to 15:15. Delegates will be able to explore how concepts of belonging and connection can be integrated into event and experience design, with input from both global and destination perspectives.
Collaboration between Destination Platform and Experience Specialist
The partnership centres on Meet In Wales, the business events platform for Wales, working alongside Google XI and StoryCraft Lab to develop the session format and content. By combining a destination-led approach with the methodologies of two organisations focused on experience design, the partners aim to examine how business events can be shaped around human connection and meaningful participation.
Google XI operates as Google’s Experience Institute, focusing on how experiences can be designed to support community, engagement, and impact. StoryCraft Lab functions as a creative think tank and consultancy working with experience design, audience strategy, and participatory formats. Their joint work with Meet In Wales at IBTM World will draw on these specialisms to address how belonging can be a deliberate outcome of event architecture rather than a by-product.
Session Focus on Belonging and Story-Led Experience
The “Designing Belonging: A Story…” session is framed around the question of how business event organisers can create environments in which participants feel genuinely included and connected. While specific session formats have not been disclosed, the collaboration is positioned to explore the role of story, environment, and interaction in building that sense of belonging.
Belonging has become an increasingly discussed dimension of business events, spanning conferences, exhibitions, incentives, and corporate meetings. The session aims to unpack how these ideas can be made practical for planners, with particular attention to designing journeys, touchpoints, and program elements that support diverse audiences.
Meet In Wales Emphasis on Destination Identity
Meet In Wales will use the IBTM World platform to showcase how a destination’s culture and identity can inform event experiences. The organisation positions Wales as a place where heritage, landscape, and community values can be reflected in the way meetings and events are hosted.
By aligning with Google XI and StoryCraft Lab, Meet In Wales intends to highlight how a destination can move beyond logistics and infrastructure to contribute to the emotional and narrative framework of a business event. The collaboration suggests a focus on how local stories, values, and environments can be integrated into program design to create a stronger sense of place and belonging for delegates.
Role of IBTM World as Business Event Platform
IBTM World serves as a major global marketplace for the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions sector, attracting planners, destinations, venues, and technology suppliers. Education sessions form a significant part of the trade show’s programme, providing a platform for destinations and partners to share approaches to event design and attendee experience.
The inclusion of “Designing Belonging: A Story…” on day one of the event positions the topic within IBTM World’s broader emphasis on innovation and attendee-centric planning. The timing early in the show’s schedule allows visiting buyers and planners to engage with the theme as they consider destinations and partners for future events.
Experience Design within Business Event Strategy
The partnership between Meet In Wales, Google XI, and StoryCraft Lab reinforces the growing prominence of experience design in business event strategy. While event technology, data, and logistics remain critical, the collaboration foregrounds human experience as a central design driver.
By focusing on belonging, the session is expected to address how event planners can think about their audiences not only in terms of demographics and buyer profiles, but also by considering emotional needs and community-building objectives. This includes looking at program structure, networking formats, and the design of physical and digital environments to encourage participation and connection.
Implications for Destination and Venue Positioning
For destinations and venues, the Meet In Wales initiative signals a continued shift toward positioning themselves as partners in experience creation rather than solely as providers of space and services. The collaboration with technology-driven and creative experience specialists highlights how destinations can align with external experts to sharpen their value proposition to planners.
At IBTM World, this approach may resonate with buyers who are looking for locations and partners capable of supporting more personalised, story-led, and inclusive experiences. By foregrounding belonging, the joint session offers a lens through which destinations can articulate how their specific attributes can enhance engagement and satisfaction across different types of events.
Opportunity for Planners Attending IBTM World
Event professionals attending IBTM World will have the opportunity to hear perspectives drawn from a destination platform and two organisations associated with experience strategy and innovation. For planners balancing budgets, technology choices, and programme design, the session provides a dedicated space to consider how belonging can be embedded into event planning from the outset.
With the session allocated a one-hour slot on day one, attendees will be able to build on its insights as they navigate the show floor, meet with suppliers, and evaluate new solutions. The presence of Meet In Wales alongside Google XI and StoryCraft Lab underscores the role that partnerships between destinations and experience specialists can play in shaping future event experiences.
