PCMA to co-locate 2011 International Summit at IMEX America

The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has announced further details of its industry partnership with IMEX America. The new partnership will mean that PCMA’s 2011 International Summit will be co-located alongside IMEX America when it takes place in October 2011 in Las Vegas.


PCMA will aim to attract 150 top association and corporate meeting planners to next year’s International Summit on October 13-14, all of whom will attend IMEX America, October 11-13, as part of the tradeshow’s unique hosted buyer program. As the majority are directors or higher in their organizations, their participation is likely to be a strong attraction for exhibitors. Approximately 50 PCMA supplier members are also expected to attend.

PCMA will provide its signature education, allowing attendees to take part in sessions that address issues relating to conducting business in a global marketplace and have the chance to share best practice, fresh ideas, and to learn from their peers and colleagues.

The power of the IMEX hosted buyer program is evident through research conducted amongst buyers following IMEX’s show in Frankfurt in May of this year. The research showed that hosted buyers placed orders worth $450 million USD with exhibitors during the exhibition and expected to place over $2.2 billion USD of business with IMEX exhibitors in the following 12 months.

The IMEX America hosted buyer program will follow exactly the same model as Frankfurt, with a focus on attracting only the best buyers in the industry. The model will give buyers the freedom to make their own appointments with exhibitors of their own choosing on their booths. Each buyer will take full control of the timing and content of their appointments and have exclusive access to personal diaries and planning tools using the IMEX online diary and appointment system.

“The profile of the PCMA International Summit delegates fits precisely with the type of buyers we are committed to hosting to IMEX America,” said Ray Bloom, chairman of the IMEX Group. “These PCMA members all plan and organize meetings and conventions internationally and are influential buyers of products and services both inside and outside the US. IMEX America will deliver the largest hosted buyer program in North America, with 80 percent of buyers from the U.S. planning both American and international meetings, and 20 percent from other world markets. Being closely involved with such a dynamic association as PCMA will give us a big advantage in fulfilling this promise.”

“PCMA members play an important and influential role in the international marketplace and the co-location of PCMA’s International Summit with IMEX America will provide attendees with new and cutting-edge solutions to the challenges they face in conducting business globally, while offering a unique opportunity to network, make appointments, and conduct business with exhibitors and attendees from around the globe,” said Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO. “The co-location of the PCMA International Summit and IMEX America creates one of the most powerful hosted-buyer events in North America.”