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While still a year away, anticipation continues to gain momentum for AIBTM, to be held at the Baltimore Convention Center June 21-to -23, 2011. This event, produced by Reed Exhibitions International, is designed to enhance bring destinations throughout the Americas and meeting planners together through a range of educational seminars, networking activities, an extensive trade show floor and Meetings Week, an umbrella concept encompassing an array of Meeting Industry events that will coincide with AIBTM, which is expected to attract more than 3,000 meeting planners and 300 exhibitors, including destinations, venues and related product and service providers.

“We have been delighted by the meetings industry’s response to the launch of AIBTM throughout the United States and internationally,” said Steve Knight, AIBTM Project Manager.

The latest stamp of approval came via two of the US’s most influential meeting industry organizations – Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Convention Industry Council (CIC)—who in June of this year announced their co-location of two major meetings events at AIBTM. 
 
Deborah Sexton, President/CEO, PCMA, which represents more than 6,100 meeting industry leaders from 16 chapters in the United States and Canada, confirmed that the organzation will be holding their bi-annual education conference at AIBTM.  “June 2011 provides the ideal timing for the Association and its members, as does the location in Baltimore,” said Sexton, who used a high-profile stage for announcement—PCMA’s 2010 Education Conference, held recently at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. 

“Our members will not only benefit from our conference but from doing business with leading US and international suppliers at AIBTM,” added Sexton. “We already work very closely with Reed Travel Exhibitions’ international portfolio of shows on their educational programs, so this link up is a natural and welcome fit.”

The CIC event that will be part of the first AIBTM will be the 2011 Hall of Leaders Gala. “Both Reed Travel Exhibitions and Visit Baltimore will be excellent partners in this prestigious event,” said Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, Chief Executive Officer, CIC. “The Reed family of shows has a history of bringing together leaders from the global meetings, association and travel industry, and therefore we expect our attendance at the dinner to far exceed the record we set this year.”

 “The decisions by both PCMA and CIC to co-locate their bi annual conference and Gala evening is a testament to the importance both organizations place on AIBTM and America Meetings Week,” said Craig Moyes, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Group Exhibition Director, Meetings & Events Portfolio.

Throughout the next 12 months, several additional America Meetings Week events are expected to be announced – as well as specific times and locations. Already scheduled are a “CEO Summit” expected to attract representatives of the most influential buyers and suppliers in the marketplace, including domestic and international hotel chains and airlines. CEO Summit will have a Town Hall type format, giving these industry leaders an open to discuss future trends and issues impacting Meetings, Conventions andTrade Shows. Augmenting this informative discussion program will be the official release of a much anticipated, major new research study by Meeting Professionals International, entitled the “Value of Meetings.”

“The Week gives the industry an opportunity not only to shout about the value of meetings to the US economy but for buyers and planners to develop their businesses and gain industry knowledge that will impact directly on their corporate and personal development,” added Moyes.

AIBTM may “officially” stand for Americas Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition, the I actually stands for “Incentives.” Incentive travel and related markets will be part of the convention, of course. The event will be tailored after other Reed Travel Exhibition conventions, such as the European Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (EIBTM),  Gulf Incentive Business Travel & Meetings (GIBTM), and the China Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM). The American version will include many of the same features of these well established events (EIBTM is 22 years old and considered to be the largest international meetings event held annually.)

Besides the global scope of the event, the education and networking programs and some of the largest destination booths ever seen on a trade show floor, Reed events are renowned for the Hosted Buyer Program. Buyers, meeting planners and other decision makers who qualify for this program have all their expenses to the event paid for by Reed, and even set up appointments with exhibitors through an exclusive online scheduling system.

“Our worldwide reputation, through our meetings and events portfolio, is key in attracting exhibitors who want something new and fresh whilst giving them return on investment,” said Knight. “With buyers individually qualified, and with pre-scheduled appointments set up online before they even walk into the exhibit hall, exhibitors can be certain that the event will deliver business.”

Reed is considered one of the world’s largest events company, organizing more than 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. The company’s portfolio of meetings and events represent 44 industry sectors.

Knight also points out that the Baltimore location will optimize the effectivness of the inaugural AIBTM. “With America’s highest concentration of industry planners located in the Northeast within easy reach of Baltimore, and with excellent transport links from the rest of the United States, we guarantee a platform to interact, network and educate on a scale that no other American industry show is able to match.”

Not surprisingly, Baltimore agrees with this assessment. “We are thrilled that AIBTM and Reed are offering this dynamic opportunity for the meetings industry to gain strategic insights from the top notch education during America’s Meetings Week,” added Amy Calvert, Vice President of Convention Sales and Services, Visit Baltimore.