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Media Contacts:
Sara Hisamoto
BACVA
410-659-7071

BACVA Books International Event that Will Bring Meeting Planners from around the World

Tradeshow to meet in Baltimore for five consecutive years

(Baltimore, MD) – Today, Mayor Sheila Dixon joined the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association (BACVA) to announce that Baltimore will be the host city for Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (AIBTM), a first-time global event that will put Baltimore on the map as an international convention and meeting site. AIBTM will officially hold its inaugural tradeshow in Baltimore June 29-July 1, 2010, and is committed to the tradeshow here through 2014.

“This is our opportunity to showcase Baltimore to thousands of potential clients who will be in the city at one time,” said Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon.  “And because this conference will be here for five consecutive years, they will have an opportunity to watch as the city grows.”
The AIBTM booking is the direct result of the three-city sales partnership BACVA President and CEO Tom Noonan formed with Fort Worth and Sacramento last year. Fort Worth President and CEO David DuBois and his team sent BACVA the lead after meeting with AIBTM organizers who indicated they were looking for an East Coast destination.  

According to show organizers, Baltimore was selected because of its location, airlift for international attendees, and strong venues and hotel package. The first year of AIBTM is expected to draw 3,000 attendees from around the world and generate $3 million in direct spending. Attendees include national and international meeting planners, international destinations, and travel-related exhibitors. It is also expected to attract 150 international media representatives.

“This is a true testament to the power of our three-city sales partnership with sales managers on the East Coast, in the Midwest and on the West Coast generating new business opportunities for the three destinations,” says Noonan. “The impact of AIBTM will be felt for years to come in terms of future business generated with national and international customers and exposure for Baltimore from the media that attends.”

AIBTM was created by Reed Travel Exhibitions, the world’s leading exhibition and event organizer, which currently produces more than 500 events in 38 countries every year. AIBTM is the American version of Reed’s other highly successful international tradeshows, including the EIBTM in Barcelona, Spain, and similar shows in Beijing, China; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and Melbourne, Australia. EIBTM alone draws 7,500 international meeting planners and 160 destinations from around the world.

“This is the biggest familiarization trip that Baltimore will ever host with potential customers experiencing the city firsthand and it will keep on growing,” says Paul Kennedy MBE, group exhibition director for Reed Travel Exhibitions. “We’re looking for a permanent home for this show and the fact that the Baltimore Convention Center could host this event for five consecutive years, together with the city’s location and infrastructure, were all significant factors in our decision to hold our event here first.”

“Reed Travel Exhibitions is making a significant investment in Baltimore to host this new event. One of its UK managers is moving to Baltimore, and Reed Travel Exhibitions will open an AIBTM office here shortly to house the core show team to focus on producing this show and growing it over the five-year period,” Kennedy concluded.

“AIBTM is smart business for Baltimore and that is why it has the support of the city, state and business community,” says Noonan. “Any city on the East Coast would be thrilled to host this tradeshow and its planners, but AIBTM chose Baltimore and that says a great deal about our destination and convention package.”

Kennedy also commends the city on the quality of its convention center, hotel and leisure facilities.