Organisers upbeat on prospects for IT&CMA

SINGAPORE Organisers of Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia (IT&CMA) are predicting this year's show will provide corporate buyers with the best business forum in the sector with an increased roster of exhibited products. TTG Media executive director Mr Darren Ng said the show had "met expectations" in product for conference, exhibition and incentive (CEI) buyers although it had not met growth expectations. "We wanted a bigger show but considering the financial climate we think we will have one of the most comprehensive events ever," Mr Ng said. The ninth edition of the show at The MINES Resort City from October 23 to 25 will see an increase of exhibiting states and countries to 30 compared with 23 in 2000 and also a rise in hosted buyers from 233 in 2000 to 250 for this year. There will be a slight increase to 260 exhibiting companies. New exhibitors this year are the United Arab Emirates, Hawaii and the UK while Bali and Jakarta are returning, a sign, Mr Ng said, of increased confidence in Indonesia. Mr Ng does not see competition from the Reed Travel Exhibition-managed AIME show in Melbourne as having a long-term effect on the show's growth. "We see IT&CMA as the premier meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition event in the region, complimenting EIBTM (Geneva) and IT& ME (Chicago)," he said. Mr Ng added TTG Media was committed to the show as research showed the CEI sector was expected to grow rapidly.