Simply exhibiting from a dedicated U.S. Pavilion on the 2013 CIBTM show floor in Beijing from Sept. 2-4 will allow American companies to quickly maximize their exposure to the China meetings market, putting them in a prime location to conduct business with buyers.
The idea for the first-ever U.S. Pavilion was born out of research showing that Chinese hosted buyers had a strong interest in doing business with American companies. Show officials conducted the research following the 2012 China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM), a global show that acts as a gateway between exhibitors worldwide and hosted buyers.
“U.S. exhibitors will benefit from a dedicated PR campaign on U.S. participation at the show, including email campaigns to our database of over 2,500 Chinese hosted buyers and editorials published in the CIBTM Show Daily, which has a readership of over 6,000,” explained Jeffrey Xu, project manager, CIBTM, Reed Travel Exhibitions.
As part of the U.S. Pavilion package offered, American companies will exhibit from a 2m x 2m space, which includes one table with two chairs, carpet, a wall panel that can highlight artwork, a name plate, and electricity and lighting as well as access to more than 4,500 industry professionals from around the world.
“All exhibitors in the U.S. Pavilion will be given a prominent space on the show floor, with highly visible U.S. branding,” said Xu. “Exhibitors will also have the opportunity to personalize their individual counter with their own graphics to promote their organization.”
Hosting a press conference onsite will also allow exhibitors to share their news with the attending global and regional media.
“Chinese buyers recognize the potential for business in the U.S., and buyers are keen to meet U.S. exhibitors so that they can begin to explore business opportunities,” said Xu. “Each exhibitor in the U.S. Pavilion will be provided with a pre-scheduled diary of appointments with hosted buyers who have identified the U.S. as a destination of interest.”
Playing a role in attracting Chinese hosted buyers to American companies was accessibility from the U.S.
“There are now direct flight routes between major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and U.S. ports, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Boston, making business links between the two destinations much more accessible and affordable,” Xu explained.
The volume of Chinese travelers entering America increased to 1.36 million in 2012, 41 percent higher than in 2011, according to China Tourism Academy, which specializes in promoting the development and international exchange of the Chinese tourism industry.
“There is also great capacity in terms of infrastructure in the U.S., which can be utilized to host large-scale events and congresses,” Xu added. “For example, McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America and consists of four interconnected buildings.”
McCormick Place is also where the American version of CIBTM is hosted – Americas Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (AIBTM). Both CIBTM and AIBTM are part of the portfolio belonging to Reed Travel Exhibitions, a provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry.
