The International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (IACVB) announced that it has officially endorsed IMEX, the Frankfurt-based worldwide exhibition for the MICE industry.

This strengthens links with the IACVB’s 1,300 members who represent more than 550 destination management organisations in 30 countries. The IACVB is especially strong in the US, where it sponsors the Destinations Showcase fair, which targets meeting planner markets in Washington and Chicago.
IACVB members exhibiting at IMEX will be joining more than 200 association executives at the unique IMEX Association Evening on April 18 – the day prior to the opening of the exhibition. IACVB has put its full weight behind the exhibition, organising a morning seminar session and a visit to Frankfurt by the IACVB Executive Committee who will also visit historic Heidelberg.
IACVB will be instrumental in promoting IMEX to the American market and is supporting efforts to enhance the US participation at IMEX 2005. US exhibitors already signed up to attend IMEX include Minneapolis, New York City, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Jacksonville, New Orleans and Visit Florida. Additional IACVB members exhibiting include Tourism Toronto, Sydney CVB, Vienna CVB, India Tourism, Cape Town CVB and more.
Speaking about the endorsement, IACVB president and CEO Michael Gehrisch said: “This alliance with IMEX further fulfills our vision to become an inclusive, accessible and responsive organisation for bureau professionals around the world. It provides opportunities to work with and learn from the European market; and it provides a partnership with an organisation as clear about issues such as performance measurement and high service standards as we are.”
In response, IMEX chairman, Ray Bloom, said: “We are looking forward to working closely with the IACVB on numerous marketing initiatives, especially within the US market. We are honoured to have been endorsed as the IACVB international tradeshow.”