A greater range of products and services for the meetings and incentive industry is expected to be on display at next year’s Asia-Pacific incentive and meetings expo AIME 2008 following a strong response from companies wishing to participate for the first time.
 
“There has been an increase in demand from companies in the leisure tourism sector who have not previously exhibited at AIME, but are now recognising the value of the lucrative incentive and pre and post-conferencing market,” said AIME sales manager Stephen Ricardo. “AIME is a business-to-business exhibition and these companies see the value of exhibiting in a proven event where they can expand their product distribution.”
 
Travel Essentials, a Melbourne-based company that supplies portable catering packs and corporate gifts under the Travelfare brand, will exhibit in AIME 2008’s New Products Showcase.
 
“We commenced business in late 2004 with our catering and breakfast packs, working with hotels and apartments in the leisure market,” explained the company’s Angus McLeay. “Groups began to approach us through our hotel clients and soon we were also supplying our packs for use with conferences and incentives. AIME will help us promote these packs to this market.”
 
Personal development experience company Move Mountains is also exhibiting at AIME for the first time, along with Vietnam-based customised travel services company Trails of Indoshina.
 
Ricardo believes that the strong mix of new exhibitors combined with AIME’s highly regarded exhibitor base of hotels, venues, convention and tourism bureaus, airlines and service providers will add a new dimension to the event in 2008.
 
“Visitors and buyers to AIME 2008 will see an exciting variety of new products and services on display. There will be everything for the high end buyer to the individual planner or person from the corporate world simply looking for some great new ideas for their next event,” he said.
 
AIME 2008 will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 19-20 February. For further information visit www.aime.com.au