“This is the biggest US show I have seen”

28/06/2011

Following the end of the show last Thursday, the inaugural AIBTM has been judged an unqualified success by participants.

With 789 exhibitors, 740 hosted buyers and 11,200 appointments made, many of those interviewed spoke of how useful the show had been for meeting new faces and generating business. Gary Musich, of Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, commented “The format is excellent. The industry needed a new format and this is it. We couldn’t be more pleased.”

Singled out for praise were the Hosted Buyer program, and specifically the quality of the hosted buyers, and the fact that trade visitors were only allowed admission after they were qualified.

For the first time in the history of the US meetings industry, AIBTM offered an education program which was aimed at both buyers and suppliers. Every one of the program's 21 sessions was overbooked, and this too was judged an overwhelming success.

“The decision to provide education for exhibitors as well as meeting planners was clearly the right one,” remarked Erica Keogan, Associations & Education Manager for AIBTM. “The response from the industry has confirmed that the subjects, speakers, sessions on content were right on target and the format will certainly be replicated for 2012.”

With a great number of exhibitors and hosted buyers promising to return for AIBTM 2012, it appears that this new trade show has already become an unmissable event on the global MICE calendar.

www.aibtm.com