The IMEX Incentive Show, MPI, SITE, ASAE, and the LVCVA Will Make Las Vegas the Center of the Incentive and Meetings Industry in October 2011.
Many Las Vegas Hotels, Destination Management Companies, and other meeting and event related businesses exhibit at the annual IT&ME (Incentive Travel & Merchandise Exposition) in Chicago. The incentive, meetings and event markets represent significant revenue generators for destinations and hotels all over the world.
Marketed as “The Motivation Show”, and held the last week in September, IT&ME brings together buyers of promotional products and incentives with industry suppliers, and attracts an international audience of exhibitors and other industry professionals. In the past the show has attracted up to 2,000 exhibitors of incentive travel destinations and merchandise. At one time, this was “the show” for destinations to exhibit, but competition from the European competitors IMEX and EITBM, along with decrease in qualified buyers has hurt the show. Las Vegas has been a very strong presence at this show for many years.
Now the competition really moves stateside! The organizers of IMEX and EIBTM (European Incentive & Business Travel Marketplace) are about to battle for the lucrative North American market. A new Las Vegas trade show for the meetings and events industry has been announced by Regent Exhibitions Ltd, the Brighton, England based organizers of IMEX in Frankfurt.
The show, called IMEX America, will make its debut at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas from 11-13 October, 2011. It will go head to head with the Reed’s AIBTM. And the presence of both shows in the North American market splits both exhibitors and buyers, creating problems for IT&ME.
Reed Travel Exhibitions acquired the EIBTM show from Ray Bloom before Bloom established IMEX following the expiration his and Paul Flackett’s non-compete clauses. Regent Expositions is taking advantage of Reed’s decision to postpone their inaugural AIBTM (Americas Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibitor) show now scheduled for June 21-23, 2011 at the Baltimore Convention Center to create a competitive show in Las Vegas.
IMEX America will host 1,500 buyers, 80 percent of whom will originate from within North America. Other travel and accommodations packages will be created to attract several thousand more key decision-makers from across the country.
Officials on hand for the press conference from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) where thrilled with the news of the exhibition. “IMEX America will help our efforts on the meeting side,’ says Rossi Ralenkotter, LVCVA’s president and CEO.”It once again stresses that Las Vegas is the place to do and conduct business. It will help us grow our international market that we would like to see grow by 20 percent.”
Not only will the trade show benefit Las Vegas, but an outstanding convergence of prestigious travel, meeting and hospitably executives will see Las Vegas at its best.
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the Strategic Partner of IMEX America and will help with education as well as IMEX’s successful Future Leaders Forum.
SITE (Society of Incentive Travel Executives) will hold its 2011 Annual Conference immediately following the first IMEX America from October 13-15.
ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) will be holding an association-focused educational event the day preceding IMEX America.
“We are confident that Las Vegas will provide IMEX America with a truly outstanding, long-term home,” adds Chris Meyer, vice president of sales for the LVCVA.
