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REED TRAVEL EXHIBITIONS ACQUIRES TWO NEW TRAVEL INDUSTRY EVENTS
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8 July 2002

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) has acquired two major global travel and tourism events, underlining its growing reputation as the world’s market leader.

La Cumbre, which sells and markets the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean, plus International Luxury Travel market (ILTM), the first trade event dedicated to the top end of the worldwide luxury travel, have joined the company’s ‘stable’ of regional, sector and global exhibitions, now totalling 12. 

Tom Nutley, Managing Director of RTE said these important strategic developments are part of the company’s long term business plan. 

"La Cumbre’s offices in Florida will now become RTE’s headquarters in the United States, while ILTM is a unique and highly promising new event that has already demonstrated huge specialist interest.

"Our portfolio strength is crucial if we are to continue our programme of investment in the development of competitive and innovative worldwide business solutions that add value to the events, provide improved customer service and efficiency and outmatch anything currently offered within the travel and tourism industry."

In 2002, for the first time, destinations from throughout the Americas will have the opportunity to participate as exhibitors at La Cumbre. The event is estimated to see nearly US$1.4 billion of business conducted during two days of negotiation. 

Rick Still, who co-founded La Cumbre with Barbara Cesare 13 years ago, will remain as Managing Director of the event. Barbara Cesare, a veteran of more than 30 years at the forefront of the US industry remains in an advisory capacity. 

"This is a crucial, sophisticated and dynamic marketplace for the company. We are very fortunate that Rick Still will continue to be at  the helm of La Cumbre and with his invaluable help, we look forward to taking La Cumbre on to the next chapter of its development. 

"Rick is one of the leading experts in the research, development and management of tourism conferences. He pioneered the one-to-one, computer driven matching system, that has, in the past two decades, been successfully applied to a number of prestigious industry events in the US, Caribbean and  Canada, generating billions of dollars in sales," said Nutley.

Rick Still said the merger with RTE brings valuable new resources to the task of uniting business interests in the Americas. 

He said: "Business is changing and the need for efficient trade meetings has never been greater. La Cumbre’s merger with Reed Travel Exhibitions is a marriage of one of this hemisphere’s leading travel industry events with the resources and expertise of the world’s most eminent trade fair organisers. 

"For 13 years, La Cumbre has successfully brought together Latin America and the Caribbean's premier buyers with the USA's leading destinations. As we  expand this year's event to include product from throughout the Americas, our agreement with Reed Travel Exhibitions establishes an even broader platform from which to expand travel business opportunities."

This year’s La Cumbre will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nevada between 4-6 September when approximately 1,700 delegates will be present. 
More than 25 countries will be represented with the largest attendance from the US, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.  

ILTM Media Ltd, organiser of International Luxury Travel Market, taking place in Cannes from 10-12 December 2002, has achieved incredible momentum in the international marketplace since its launch at the beginning of this year. 

"ILTM has already attracted some of the world’s leading luxury travel brands as exhibitors", said Nutley. "With 3% of travellers representing 20% of travel expenditure, the luxury travel sector has, in the current environment, become a vital target for many travel organisations and governments. 

"Once again RTE is pioneering a new travel segment on a worldwide scale. The company’s own resources and expertise means we can offer buyers and sellers in the luxury travel market, new and lucrative opportunities." 

Among the luxury hotel chains alone, there are 20 exhibitors to-date including Concorde Hotels, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Charming Hotels Group, The Oberoi Group, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces and The Leading Hotels of the World. Key national tourism stands are also showcasing their luxury product, including destinations such as Barbados, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, Mexico, Egypt, Botswana and Dubai. 

Serge Dive, Managing Director of ILTM Media Ltd said: "The creation of a new company with RTE means the luxury travel market is now benefiting - not only from the best leisure, corporate and meetings and incentives databases in the world - but also from Reed’s particular expertise in computerised appointment systems" 

David Hammond, ILTM Exhibition Director said: "Rather than expecting our exhibitors to test a first-year event, we are hosting the full cost of 400 of the world’s top trade buyers of luxury travel.  

"The 400 hosted buyers will enjoy complimentary benefits including their flights to Nice, helicopter or limousine transfers Nice to Cannes, hotel accommodation in one of Cannes famous palaces, and on-site VIP services such as a unique concierge service. 

"Our extensive buyer research has identified the true luxury trade buyers in the top 23 outbound countries of the world. Usually small, hidden-away companies,  these elite travel planners are from all sectors: Leisure tour operators, leisure travel agents, meetings and incentive and business travel agents as well as private travel planners for the rich and famous, star and celebrity, royalty and governmental clientele in their respective countries.

"The exclusive hosted buyer list will be given to all exhibitors in advance of the event, to pre-arrange appointments on their stand. Our computerised appointment system will also allow exhibitors and hosted buyers to have full access to detailed information on each other in advance of the event, and will enable them to approach each other on-line to pre-arrange back-to-back appointments on-site over the three day period."

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