In its latest move to build strong partnerships that further enhance IMEX America’s strong business and education value, organizers have announced a partnership agreement with CIC, The Convention Industry Council. IMEX America is the new worldwide exhibition for the incentive travel, meetings, and events industry debuting October 11-13, 2011 in Las Vegas at the Sands Expo and Venetian/Palazzo.

At the heart of this new partnership is CIC’s role as the exclusive sponsor of the IMEX America LearningCurve Zone. The LearningCurve Zone will showcase a wide choice of education and training for the meetings industry, recognizing the importance of raising standards and developing personal and professional skills. The LearningCurve Zone will be sited on the show floor to allow quick and easy participation by all attendees. Short drop-in workshops will run throughout the show for both buyers and exhibitors - connecting attendees and experts in an effort to drive business forward.

CIC’s members represent more than 103,500 individuals and 19,500 firms and properties involved in the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry. CIC offers many tools and programs designed to support the industry and meet its challenges; facilitate the exchange of information and ideas; and educate the public on the industry’s profound economic impact.

“CIC is pleased to be sponsoring the LearningCurve Zone at IMEX America,” stated Karen Kotowski, Chief Executive Officer of CIC, “Continuing professional education is a key component of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) program requirements, and I am confident that IMEX America will prove to be another outstanding source for meeting professional education.”

Ray Bloom, Chairman of IMEX Group added: “With their dedication to raising the bar for professionalism and education in the meetings industry, CIC is a natural to sponsor the LearningCurve Zone. We’re working closely with them at IMEX in Frankfurt in May and look forward to bringing their same energy and value-add tools and insights to the attendees and exhibitors at IMEX America in October.”

In addition to serving as the exclusive sponsor of the LearningCurve Zone, CIC also plans to hold CMP one-on-one application assistance on-site for interested attendees, plus work with IMEX America to promote the newly-released Economic Impact Study, FaceTime It Matters Campaign, and APEX Green standards. Educational sessions at IMEX America will also be awarded CMP certification or re-certification hours by the CIC team.

By partnering with CIC, IMEX America is now allied to organizations and associations with a total reach of more than 100,000 individual meetings industry professionals around the world. The show’s strategic partner and premier educational provider is Meeting Professionals International (MPI) with more than 23,000 global members. It also has key partnerships with all the leading meetings industry trade associations including the USTA (US Travel Association), IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events), DMAI (Destination Marketing Association International), PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, ACTE Global (Association of Corporate Travel Executives), plus ADME (Association of Destination Management Executives), AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres), ECM (European Cities Marketing), JMIC (Joint Meetings Industry Council), and ICCA (International Congress Convention Association).