Meeting News - January 7, 2008 - (Page 48)

Cover Story AIBTM continued from cover and, believed to be said by Reed, will be as large as the EIBTM fair. A formal announcement will likely come early next year from Reed. Both Barcelona-based EIBTM and its Frankfurtbased competitor, IMEX, have seen substantial growth over the past few years. By comparison, the largest American incentive industry trade show, Chicago’s IT&ME, has shrunk, and the New Yorkbased Incentive Show (which was owned by a division of MeetingNews’ parent company) was canceled. Neither used hosted buyers. Stressing that the show’s numbers had not yet been audited, EIBTM Director Paul Kennedy said it attracted some 3,300 hosted buyers and more than 3,600 trade visitors this year—an increase of more than 20 percent over last year. They and more than 3,250 exhibitors arranged more than 41,500 appointments, he added. This week, Ray Bloom, chairman of IMEX, which also uses a hosted buyer format, predicted another record-breaking show this May. He said IMEX has no plans to add an American show. Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) Executive Director Karen Renk said the organization is “excited by the opportunity to have another venue to showcase incentive travel”in AIBTM, adding that the IMA’s Incentive Travel Council strategic industry group has already reached out to Reed about participating in the event. Renk noted that while hosted buyer shows are doing well—“When you can identify the buyer, that is probably the preferable model,” she said—nonhosted shows like IT&ME are also necessary. This is because the incentive industry, in large part, has not identified all potential American corporate buyers. Research bears out Renk’s point: The latest Incentive Federation Market Size study, released at IT&ME this past September, showed that corporate incentive buyers believe that only 34 percent of American companies use travel or merchandise incentive programs. Reed Travel Exhibitions Scuttles China Show Due to Olympic Games R They may be in Spain now, but come 2009, Reed Travel Exhibitions will land the new AIBTM in Miami. eed Travel Exhibitions has announced that it has canceled CIBTM, its business travel and incentive show in China, due to the Summer Olympics in Beijing. The show, which has been held in July, would have been staged just a month before the Olympic Games and thus led to problems ranging from hotel room availability to cost. “While the world is focused on one of the its greatest sporting events, we have decided it was best for exhibitors and visitors alike to focus on 2009 in order not to compromise CIBTM in any way,” said Paul Kennedy, group exhibition director at Reed. CIBTM will return in 2009 with a new date and venue: Sept. 8-10 in the brand new China National Convention Centre in Beijing. While Reed isn’t talking on the record, a large number of credible sources called AIBTM “an open secret.” Formal announcement is expected next year. “Host buyer status goes to identified buyers,” Renk said.“But, I still think we need shows that [reach out] to the target market more generally,” to attract new buyers. One industry expert who doesn’t see it that way is Bill Boyd, president/CEO of Sunbelt Motivation and Travel, in Irving, TX, and a past president of the Society of Incentive and Travel Executives. Noting that a rising tide lifts all boats, Boyd said,“IT&ME can’t suffer from ‘EIBTM’ coming to Miami,” but he added that the Chicago show needs to launch a hosted buyer program. “That’s how buyers expect to do business now,”he said. “If they do not launch [a hosted buyer program], it could be a threat.” Contact Leo Jakobson at leo.jakobson@nielsen.com I CHALLENGE YOU Governor Deval Patrick Massachusetts to put Boston to the test CON V CEN ENTIO N T THE ER OF YEA R 200 7 Arrange your special V.I.P. Challenge site visit. www.AdvantageBOSTON.com/challenge The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority owns and operates the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the Hynes Convention Center. 48 MeetingNews January 7, 2008 www.meetingnews.com http://www.AdvantageBOSTON.com/challenge http://www.AdvantageBOSTON.com/challenge http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - January 7, 2008

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