Ray Bloom, chairman, IMEX Group, brings the show to a close

The second edition of IMEX America came to a close earlier with the announcement that all of the show’s key performance measures were up on last year’s debut show.

Speaking at the show’s closing press conference, chairman Ray Bloom firstly thanked the show’s key partners who were also represented at the event - Cathy Tull, vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority; Cindy D’Aoust chief operating officer of Meeting Professionals International and Robert Rippee, senior vice president of marketing at The Venetian, The Palazzo.

Bloom then went on to express his deep satisfaction that the show had hosted 2,400 buyers from across North America and 43 other global markets – 20 per cent more than last year.

In addition, the trade show had also welcomed around 1,700 attendees.

He also explained that the new benefits and facilities package introduced for these attendees had been well-received.

This year 2,413 individual exhibiting companies showcased their destinations, venues, products and services at the three-day trade show, filling halls C and D to capacity.

As a result Bloom announced that the show will move, as planned, to bigger halls at the Sands Expo from 2013 to allow it to grow.

He also announced that the hosted buyer program would also be significantly increased for the 2013 show.

He explained that, in the weeks prior to opening, hosted buyers and buyer attendees together had made over 38,000 appointments to meet with exhibitors on their booths – a 60 per cent increase on the debut show.

A notable feature of the show is the amount of time that buyers spend on the show floor and the seriousness with which they take their appointments - many booking business during the trade show.