The Hon Fran Bailey MP, Minister for Tourism will officially open AIME 2005, 13^th AsiaPacific Incentives and Meetings Expo on Tuesday 22 February. Following the opening and ribbon cutting ceremony, Minister Bailey will tour the exhibition.

Reed Travel Exhibitions today announced another increase in exhibitor and Hosted Buyer numbers for the event. A total of 825 exhibitors, 68 more than last year and 168 more than in 2003 will participate in AIME 2005.

Hosted Buyer numbers have also risen to 445, 69 more than in 2004, with additional buyers attending from Australia, Asia, Europe, South Africa and New Zealand. Trade visitor pre-registrations are also higher than at the same time last year.

“AIME 2004 was a great success and this has undoubtedly played a part in attracting more exhibitors this year,” said Rosemarie Sama, AIME Exhibition Manager.

“AIME’s increased profile in the international marketing place and its reputation as a first class event that delivers results has helped us to attract more high quality buyers to the event.

“With the latest industry research pointing to increased growth in business events in the Asia Pacific, we are expecting AIME 2005 to deliver the business results expected by both exhibitors and visitors,” she said.

More than 2,800 local, national and international delegates and media are expected at the home of the 13^th AsiaPacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) next week, the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC).

The MECC’s services and facilities will be on show for organisers of incentives, conferences, meetings, business events and exhibitions from 50 countries.

AIME’s largest exhibitor will be the Melbourne Victoria stand, covering 250 square metres and featuring 41 participants including the MECC, Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau, Regional Victoria Conference Group, both Melbourne and Victorian hotels and attractions.

Australasia’s largest incentives and meetings expo begins on Monday with a MECC hosted lunch. The 300-plus guests including the Minister for Tourism and Major Events, John Pandazopolous, will sample the MECC’s award-winning food, prepared by executive chef, Frank Burger.

The theme of the lunch is ‘Melbourne Style’, where icons representing the city will be on display at the Melbourne Convention Centre’s (MCC) Bellarine room. 

According to MECC’s Chief Executive, Mr Leigh Harry, Melbourne and the MECC offer enormous opportunities for organisers of events.

He says event organisers can expect to see the best of Melbourne, which offers delegates a memorable experience because of its art and cultural attractions and festivals, infrastructure and range of venues and hotels.

“The MECC plays a major role in AIME and this year visitors will inspect our conference and meeting facilities, which have undergone a $6 million refurbishment as part of the MECC’s commitment to maintain its facilities.

“Visitors at AIME will also be able to view the site of the convention centre development, which is due to begin mid next year.

“In March 2006, the entire centre will become a sporting venue and media centre for the Commonwealth Games with badminton, weightlifting, boxing and the print and electronic media housed at the MECC,” Mr Harry says.

The MECC has undergone a major technical upgrade, which makes it a state of the art facility and ideal for the international media broadcast centre during the games.

The network upgrade provides better networking, web casting and internet and video conferencing services, which is attracting increasing numbers of hi-tech conferences to the centre. The MECC has been a major sponsor of AIME since its inception in 1993.

Rosemarie Sama, AIME Exhibition Manager, says the MECC’s ongoing support was vital to the success of the event.

“The MECC is a key venue in Melbourne for national and international conference and exhibitions and its future plans are of great interest to our delegates. These delegates are expected to conduct business at AIME worth an estimated $1 billion,” Ms Sama says.

AIME 2005 is at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday, 22 and 23 February. Hours are 10am-6pm on 22 February and 10am-5pm on 23 February. To register visitor: www.aime.com.au