AIME 2002 LAUNCHED AT EIBTM

AIME 2002 -The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo - the key event for the industry in the southern hemisphere, was launched recently at EIBTM in Geneva. AIME is held annually in February in Melbourne, and attracts exhibitors and delegates from throughout the world.

“AIME 2002 will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday, 19th & 20th February,” said AIME exhibition manager, Ms Gabrielle Stephens.

“AIME continues to grow rapidly. Last year’s event included 613 exhibitors and product and services from 62 destinations. It was an enormous success, attracting a record 2,404 visitors plus 304 hosted buyers,” Ms Stephens said.

A survey of delegates and exhibitors also endorsed the strength of the event and provided excellent feedback for organizers, Reed Travel Exhibitions. Well organized, bigger, brighter and the best ever, are just some of the ways buyers, and exhibitors described AIME 2001.

“Our survey of delegates, hosted delegates and exhibitors at AIME 2001, provided excellent feedback on the event and will assist us to fine-tune some of the features of the show and to increase business opportunities for all participants,” Ms Stephens said.

Key survey findings included:

More than 80% of delegates and more than 84% of hosted delegates rated the diversity of product available at AIME as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’.

- 81.7% of delegates to AIME 2001 intend to visit the show in 2002 and 74.4% hosted delegates also would like to return in 2002.

- 94.6% of hosted delegates said they were interested in’ placing business with an exhibitor at AIME.

- 35.6% of delegates said they would ‘definitely’ place business with an exhibitor at AIME and a further 31.2% said they would ‘possibly’ place business with AIME exhibitors.

- AIME 2001 exhibitors were also pleased with the results. 71.3% of those surveyed intend to return in 2002 and a further 28.7% will ‘possibly’ return.

- 75% of exhibitors attended AIME 2001 to meet conference and meetings buyers and 61.2% preferred to meet incentive buyers.

What’s new in 2002 ?

As a result of extensive feedback from exhibitors, delegates and hosted delegates to last year’s event, AIME 2002 will also include some new features.

- The popular ‘seller meet buyer’ session, introduced at AIME 2001, will be complimented with a new ‘buyer meet seller’ session, allowing buyers valuable time and flexibility to establish additional meetings with sellers.

- Both sessions are an addition to the pre-scheduled appointment (PSA) programme, whereby appointments are arranged for buyers and sellers based on mutual choice and availability of both parties during the appointment time The new buyer meet seller session is likely to take place before the show opens.

“Feedback from AIME 2001 revealed that whilst most people found the pre-scheduled appointments valuable, sometimes the appointments did not include a particular buyer or seller they wished to see. Our new sessions have been introduced in response to this, and aim to provide an additional forum to make contact with prospective clients,” said Gabrielle Stephens.

AIME will also give those on the PSA Programme the option of increasing their number of daily appointments by scheduling extra appointments outside the mandatory time slots if desired.

- To help build the number of buyers attending, for the first time PSA Exhibitors will be encouraged to provide RTE with names of potential or key buyers to be included in the hosted program. If the buyers attend and qualify, the exhibitor will be given kudos in the invitation letter and given an appointment with the buyer at the show.

- Improved AIME website – exhibitors, delegates and buyers will be able to access and lodge their preferences for PSAs over the Internet.

- New three-tiered system of buyers – AIME is extending the PSA Program to the three tiers of buyers: Hosted buyers, who are fully hosted and involved in the PSA program; Semi-hosted buyers, who are hosted on the ground and involved with the PSA program; and Trade buyers, who are not hosted for travel or accommodation, but will now be able to qualify for the PSA program. Trade buyers may be local, interstate or international.

2001 – a first for Reed

AIME continues to grow in stature as the southern hemisphere’s biggest meetings event, after a successful show in 2001.

AIME 2001 was, for the first time, organized by Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE), the world’s leading travel trade event organizer. RTE organizes eleven events worldwide including the world’s largest meetings and incentives show, EIBTM, held annually in Geneva.

While AIME remains heavily targeted to the Asia Pacific region, interest from other parts of the world reflects the rapid success and growth of the event.

“AIME has developed an international reputation and credibility by delivering the right audience to exhibitors and has become a must-attend event within the meetings industry,” said Ms Stephens.

AIME is renowned as a showcase of the very best of Australia and the Asia Pacific under the one roof, including accommodation, conference and exhibition venues, incentive travel deals and other products associated with the MICE industry.