AIBTM 2011 has something for everyone
As the temperature rises to 85 degrees in June, the first large scale meetings industry event in America, AIBTM, is gearing up for the scores of networking and social events that will keep Baltimore buzzing from Monday 20th June through Thursday 23rd June.
AIBTM’s America Meetings Week kicks off on Monday 20th June with the PCMA (The Professional Convention Management Association) opening general session, followed by the PCMA Welcome Reception at the Renaissance Hotel. PCMA and CIC, two of the US industry’s most influential organisations, are running major events during America Meetings Week as strategic partners of AIBTM.
Tuesday 21st June offers three networking opportunities following the day’s Education Conferences from both AIBTM and PCMA. America Meetings Week will attract the international marketplace as it is the one spot in 2011 where a Who’s Who of the world’s entire meetings industry will gather for networking, education and business. PCMA welcomes the international meeting professionals with an International Reception at the Renaissance Hotel. The evening continues with two spectacular networking events. AIBTM’s Ice Breaker Reception, by invitation only, happening at the Maryland Science Center and the CIC Hall of Leaders Gala, which takes place at the Baltimore Convention Center.
The prestigious Hall of Leaders Gala attracts a Who’s Who of the meetings and convention industry as it honours the industry’s outstanding leaders and innovators. This is a ticketed event and more details on how to attend can be found at www.conventionindustry.org.
Wednesday 22nd June will be the first full day of the AIBTM trade exhibition, preceded by a pre-show AIBTM education session running from 8:30 – 10:00am and a continuation of the PCMA Education Conference. PCMA’s education conference will end on Wednesday with a Happy Hour and AIBTM’s opening day exhibition will close with a Visit Baltimore Welcome Party.
The two-day trade exhibition continues on Thursday 23rd June, where AIBTM exhibitors will have the opportunity to meet with over 3,000 meeting professionals from all over the world, 2,000 of which are individually qualified Hosted Buyers. Pre-show education seminars take place from 8:30 – 10:00am also on this day.
The big event of the week will see some 1,000 plus lucky participants with tickets to attend the U2 world tour concert in Baltimore’s downtown M&T Bank Stadium. Being distributed over the coming months, the tickets to see the living legends of rock “will surely be the networking event of the industry in 2011”, says Steve Knight, AIBTM’s Project Director.
“We have worked with all our partners to achieve a combination of networking opportunities, some are wild, others full of glitz and glamour and then some rather tame, but we think all of them will add a unique element to our first US event”, said Knight.
For further information please visit www.aibtm.com.
