A mix of international and U.S. exhibitors have re-booked their participation for AIBTM 2012 following this year’s inaugural event, and others new to the exhibition are following suit.
Based on the business done at AIBTM 2011, Mark Theis of Starwood Hotels & Resorts was one of the first to re-sign. “This first U.S. event was certainly appropriate. It was an exceptional, productive opportunity for us to meet first hand with potential business to business buyers.”
More than 20 U.S. regional CVB’s, as many Tourism Bureaus and Authorities from around the world, plus Hotel Consortiums and Groups, join DMC’s and other suppliers to make up the largest re-booking of any inaugural meetings industry event launched by Reed Travel Exhibitions.
Mike Fegley, VP America Sales for Intercontinental Hotel Group said onsite
“We have an army of sales people here, hotels from all over the world and at opening we had 450 appointments on the books and we have added to that. It’s been a phenomenal event for us. None of this two minute speed dating stuff, our new property in Times Square has had every timeslot fully booked – it was rocking!”
Among those first time exhibiting at AIBTM 2012 will be Palm Springs CVB, Long Beach CVB and Seneca Niagara Casino who will be joining some of the global meetings industry’s biggest brand names including Belgium Convention Bureau Club Med, Costa Rica Tourism Board, Crystal Cruises, Embratur, Brazilian Tourism Board, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott Hotels, Shangri-La Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Preferred Hotels, Royal Caribbean, as well as U.S. suppliers to the sector including Chicago Convention and Tourism Board, Greater Boston CVB, St. Louis CVC, Visit Denver, NYC & Co, Meet Washington State and New Orleans Metropolitan CVB – the full list is available on www.aibtm.com.
On the heels of the Convention Industry Council’s Economic Impact Study that estimated the U.S. meetings and events industry is the biggest in the world with a contribution to U.S. gross domestic product of $106 billion, the recovery of the sector is well under way. AIBTM Project Director Steve Knight commented, “Our first event this year marked a new era for the meetings industry in the U.S. The feedback from both suppliers and buyers has been amazing and proved that the business environment was right and early bookings show that our exhibitors want to come back for more. We intend to build on the first success to ensure that 2012 delivers new opportunities to maintain our poll position as the premier event in the U.S. to deliver for all those involved.”
