Organisers of IMEX America, the new model trade show for the meetings, events and incentive travel industry in the US, have announced they intend to offer two free ‘Wild Card’ places come the show’s launch on October 11th next year.
As a result, the IMEX Americas Wild Card program is now open to applications from emerging destinations, or new venues in such destinations, that have not previously attended an international trade show within the meetings, events and incentive travel industry. The program gives them the chance to win one of two free exhibition places plus a full marketing support package which utilises IMEX’s extensive knowledge of the global meetings market. To qualify to enter, destinations from North America, South America or the Caribbean must be able to prove they have both the ambition and sufficient infrastructure to support business from the sector.
As Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO explains: “This is a terrific opportunity for destinations or venues that have sound experience, perhaps in the leisure tourism sector, but who want to secure business from the meetings and incentive travel market. We have run a similar program at our Frankfurt show for many years and several winners from the past are now well established in the marketplace as a result. They made excellent use of their prize to launch themselves onto the world stage and used the power of the ‘IMEX effect’ to become a fully fledged supplier to the international meetings and incentive travel market. The Wild Card program will put destinations in front of thousands of high quality US and international buyers in a way that most can only dream of when they are first getting established.”
Winners of each of the Wild Card places will have the chance to exhibit on a dedicated ‘Wild Card’ booth at the Las Vegas show. They will also receive a free support package that includes complimentary accommodation, as well as extensive pre-show marketing advice from a dedicated IMEX America advisor and exposure to the market-place.
The first IMEX America will take place at the Sands Expo at the Venetian/Palazzo, Las Vegas on October 11 – 13 2011. The trade show, which will be organised by the IMEX Group, has a unique model built around a program of 2000 carefully screened hosted buyers. The IMEX hosted buyer model will ensure that 80 per cent of buyers are from the US and 20 per cent from other world markets. To qualify to attend the show as a hosted buyer, each individual must prove they place business both within the US and internationally. IMEX America is also unique thanks to the scale and depth of its industry partnerships which includes Strategic Partner, MPI; plus a broad coalition of industry support including DMAI, Site, PCMA, ASAE, ICCA, ACTE and more.
Destinations or venues from across the United States, South America and the Caribbean are invited to enter the Wild Card program free of charge using an online application form. See http://www.imexamerica.com/wildcardamericas.html for more information.
The closing date for entries is 1 June 2011.
