The Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo’s (AIME) new exhibition and event management supplier, Talk2 Media and Events, will look to dramatically increase the show’s hosted buyer programme by recruiting more extensively from the wider Asia-Pacific region.
CEO of Talk2 Media and Events, Matt Pearce, said the goal is to ensure AIME sits alongside IMEX Frankfurt, IMEX America and ibtm World as the pre-eminent trade show for the Asia Pacific meetings and incentives industry.
“At the heart of our approach is looking at the key areas we have discovered need attention,” Pearce said. “In relation to exhibitor numbers, we have looked at this from a local and an international perspective and have had encouraging discussions with current and lapsed exhibitors.
“More specifically, our focus will turn to the hosted buyer program and we have committed to increase the number of international hosted buyers dramatically. It can’t be an Asia-Pacific event and appear to rely on Australia, so we will be going out and bring in hosted buyers from around the region.”
Pearce also acknowledged that while increasing the number of buyers for next year’s show is the aim, ensuring their quality and suitability will be just as important.
Pearce adds: “We have been given a very clear direction from the market that not all of the hosted buyers have met expectations, so we will collaborate with the Australian industry to ensure an appropriate level of seniority and buying power.
“Paramount to the success of the hosted buyer program will be the right software that we run and we have been working very closely over the last 12 months and looking at what is available and there are some fantastic products out there.”
Speaking to Spice News, Graeme Barnett, Senior Exhibition Director of AIME’s departing event management supplier Reed Travel Exhibitions, wouldn’t confirm whether the company would be launching a new event of their own for the region. Barnett did, however, outline the fierce competition that trade shows within the MICE market and the affect this has on acquiring quality buyers. Read the full article, here.
