'Seller meet buyer' session Introduced at AIME 2001

Buyers, hosted buyers and exhibitors at next year's AsiaPacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME 2001) will have the chance to participate in a new 'seller meet buyer' session.

AIME 2001 is being held on 20 & 21 February at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. The show is the largest event of its kind in Australia, one of the top three MICE events in the world, and the leading MICE event for the Asia Pacific region.

During the two-day event, AIME operates a pre-scheduled appointment programme from 10.30am to 4.00pm. Appointments are arranged for buyers and sellers based on mutual choice and availability of both parties during the appointment time. With around 2,400 visitors and more than 500 exhibitors expected to attend AIME 2001, making the right contacts is essential to success.

To allow greater flexibility and provide an even better service to buyers and sellers, AIME has arranged a special 'meet' on the Monday prior to the event (19 February) for those participating in the pre-scheduled appointment programme. At the 'seller meet buyer' meet, exhibitors will be able to approach buyers to arrange additional appointments, and alter or swap appointment times to satisfy both parties.

"While most people find the pre-scheduled appointments a valuable facilitator of new business relationships, sometimes the appointments may not include a particular buyer or seller you may wish to see. Our new 'seller meet buyer' session will provide an additional forum to make contact with prospective clients," said AIME exhibition manager, Gabrielle Stephens.

The AsiaPacific Business Events Forum, also held on Monday 19 February, will for the first time be organised by Reed Travel & Meetings Asia. The Forum will tackle the difficult issues with the aim of stimulating discussion and positive outcomes. A valuable and well-attended series of education seminars is also a major part of AIME 2001. Involving leading Australian industry associations, the seminars cove new trends, new technology and information for professionals in the incentive, conference and exhibition industries.

"AIME 2001 is expected to be larger than ever before. Expressions of interest from international exhibitors have been extremely strong, with many exhibitors wishing to increase their space at AIME. We expect space reserved for international exhibitors to increase by 20% for AIME 2001," Ms Stephens said.

AIME 2001 is organized by Reed Travel Exhibitions, the world's leading travel trade event organizer. The company organizes ten events worldwide including the world's largest meetings and incentives show, EIBTM, held annually in Geneva.

AIME 2001 will be held on 20 & 21 February at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.