AIME 2005 has won the Event of the Year Award in the Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) state finals, placing it in the running for the national award to be announced at the MEA National Conference in April.

AIME, the AsiaPacific Incentives & Meetings Expo, is the largest international industry event held in Australia and an economically significant event for the Asia Pacific.

Accepting the award on behalf of Reed Travel Exhibitions, AIME Event Director, Rosemarie Sama said that she was delighted to receive the award for AIME.

“AIME is a particularly significant event for Australia. Each year it brings into this country, major international buyers of convention and incentive business. For AIME 2005 those buyers were expected to spend US$590 million dollars in the Asia Pacific region.

“I think it is important to recognize that AIME’s owner, Melbourne CVB, is the only Bureau in the world to establish an international event for the industry of this magnitude, and much credit goes to them,” she said.

Ms Sama said that Reed Travel Exhibitions has worked extremely hard to increase AIME’s profile internationally in the last five years.

“I know that my colleagues in London, will also be delighted with this award.”

Ms Sama thanked her small, dedicated team in Sydney and: “the wonderful and professional people in this industry, who support the event, year after year. Without their support, I wouldn’t be here tonight, accepting this award,” she said.

AIME 2006 will be held on 6 & 7 June at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Australia.