Strong demand from US and international associations, hotel groups and agencies to bring their top buyers to IMEX America when it launches in October 2011 has led organisers, the IMEX Group, to announce an increase in expected hosted buyer numbers. The announcement comes just four months after the show was launched.
Today [22 February 2010] Chairman, Ray Bloom, announced that 2000 qualified buyers will now be hosted to the new Las Vegas trade show for the meetings, incentive travel and events industry – an increase of just over 30 percent on the figure announced at launch. 80% of these buyers will come from North America, with the balance attending from around the world.
Says Bloom: “Our previous figures were confident but conservative. Recent discussions with our partners and other new business alliances make it clear that that there is pent-up demand. I’m confident we will see 2000 hosted buyers at IMEX America – an increase of more than 30 percent on our previous announcement. As mentioned before, the IMEX hosted buyer program is set to be the largest of its kind for any such US trade show and unique in this regard.”
IMEX America is set to follow a completely different model to any other trade show of its kind in the US due to the scale of the hosted program. Qualification for places on the program will follow the strict guidelines that have been used to build the authority and credibility of IMEX in Frankfurt. The program will bring top quality association, corporate and agency buyers from every corner of the meetings and events industry onto the show floor to do business with exhibitors. In addition, according to the ‘IMEX model’ they will spend longer periods of time on the show floor meeting exhibitors compared to non-hosted trade visitors.
As Bloom explains, “IMEX puts extremely high levels of effort and detail into making sure that only buyers who are active, serious and proven to place business attend as our hosted buyer guests. We already have some excellent partnerships with intermediaries who are similarly committed to these high standards and to driving serious business at the show. Together we place the strongest emphasis possible on getting this aspect of IMEX America absolutely right from the start. This is what our exhibitors expect and this is why IMEX has an unparalleled reputation. MPI, Site, PCMA and ASAE are just some of the most important organizations we will work with in the US to drive buyer attendance. They know and understand our unique model and are highly committed to it. Other US and international partnerships will be announced shortly.”
Bloom sums up: “Although the first IMEX America is over a year away, we have a very clear vision of what success will look like for our exhibitors, hosted buyers and trade visitors and we have a clear plan for bringing that vision to life at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas October 2011.”
Future dates for IMEX America are also now confirmed as 9 – 11 October 2012 and 15 – 17 October 2013.
Exhibitors and buyers can register their interest in IMEX America at http://www.imex-america.com/users_prereg_interest.php.
