AMERICAS - IMEX America organiser, IMEX Group, says the show will expand to fill two halls at Sands Expo this year.
 
IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom says organisations that have already booked larger stands for 2012 include: Boston, Chicago, Memphis, Palm Springs, Argentina, Croatia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Ireland and Scandinavia. New exhibitors include Abu Dhabi, Hawaii and Long Beach and Dave and Busters.
 
Bloom says: “We’ve been pleasantly surprised to see such a high demand for stand space with eight months still to go before the next show.
 
“Of those exhibitors who have contracted since the start of the year, just over a third have doubled the size of their booth. It’s a very positive start to the year and augurs well for the months ahead.”
 
Bloom says the hosted buyer programme will also grow for 2012. Last year 2,000 hosted buyers attended the IMEX America, of which 80 per cent were from North America with the balance originating from 34 world markets. Existing partners, including Strategic Partner, Meeting Professionals International (MPI), and the show’s Headquarters Hotel, The Venetian|The Palazzo, are set to bring bigger groups of their key customers to the show.
 
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