Strong growth predicted for AIME 2005

Reed Travel Exhibitions has said it is expecting AIME to increase in size in 2005, covering more space than ever before. Eight hundred exhibitors from 45 countries, four cafes, an internet café, Hosted Buyer Lounge and a restaurant will see AIME’s new floorplan span 8,000 square metres of space at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

The optimistic outlook for AIME 2005 follows the outstanding success of AIME 2004, and an excellent response from exhibitors to the AIME 2005 Exhibitor Prospectus.

“AIME has always been a good event that delivered what it promised, but I think AIME 2004 saw the exhibition reach a new level,” said Rosemarie Sama, AIME Exhibition Manager.

“AIME 2004 broke all records and our research shows that all of our stakeholders – exhibitors, Hosted Buyers and visitors – rated the show as one of the best, if not the best they had attended.”

Ms Sama said the future growth was expected to come from international exhibitors, particularly from Asia, and from Australian and New Zealand exhibitors.

“If you look around the region, tourist and business tourism figures are returning to, if not exceeding, the levels they were prior to 9/11 and SARS. There is also a great deal of new infrastructure within the Asia Pacific region. New venues, looking to fill their exhibition and convention spaces and tourism agencies and bureaus, keen to attract more business travellers, see AIME as fundamental to their marketing plans in 2005,” she said.

Ms Sama said that response to the recent distribution of the AIME 2005 Exhibitor Prospectus has been extremely pleasing.

“Fiji, immediately increased its space, and other exhibitors have enquired about larger sites. For any company thinking about exhibiting in AIME, now is the time to consider extending your space, or choosing the right site if you are a first time exhibitor.”

For AIME 2005, exhibitors can choose from three types of shell scheme packages, as well as space only, allowing greater flexibility with the design and layout of their stands.

Hosted Buyers numbers will also increase, with more than 400 buyers from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and North America to attend AIME 2005.

Visitor numbers, which increased by more than 16% to 2,540 in 2004, are expected to rise again, with a new advertising campaign and a continuation of last year’s successful e-marketing campaign being launched in August.

“AIME is one of the few industry events that is audited each year by the Circulations Audit Board. AIME verifies its registration figures, does not include re-visits (people who visit the show more than once), which artificially inflate some event numbers, and does not include students or exhibitors who register as visitors, in its figures.

“This year we are looking at all our activities and how we can enhance AIME in 2005,” says Ms Sama.

AIME 2005, the 13th AsiaPacific Incentives and Meetings Expo, will be held on 22 and 23 February at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.