A AMIX of international and US regional exhibitors have rebooked to confirm their participation at the next edition of AIBTM, the Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition, following this year’s inaugural event. On the back of business carried out at the Baltimore show, Mark Theis of Starwood Hotels & Resorts was one of the first to re-sign. 'This first US event was certainly appropriate, it was an exceptional, productive opportunity for us to meet first hand with potential business-to-business buyers.' More than 20 American convention and visitor bureaux (CVB), as many tourism bureaux and tourism authorities from around the world plus hotels consortia and groups, DMCs and other suppliers have combined to make up the largest re-booking of any inaugural meetings industry event launched by Reed Travel Exhitions. Mike Fegley, vice president America sales for the InterContinental Hotels Group, said: 'We have an army of salespeople here, hotels from all over the world and, at opening, we had 450 appointments on the books and we have added to that. It’s been a phenomenal event for us. None of this two-minute speed-dating stuff, our new property in Times Square has had every timeslot fully booked – it was rocking.' Among those first time exhibiting at AIBTM 2012 will be Palm Springs CVB, Long Beach CVB and Seneca Niagara Casino which will be joining some of the global meetings industry’s biggest brand names including Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Club Med, Crystal Cruises, the government of Dubai, Marriott Hotels, Shangri-La Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Preferred Hotels, Royal Caribbean as well as US suppliers to the sector including Chicago Convention and Tourism Board, Greater Boston CVB, St Louise, Visit Denver, NYC & Co and New Orleans Metropolitan CVB. On the back of the Convention Industry Council’s economic impact study, which estimated that the US meetings and events industry is the biggest in the world with a contribution to GDP of $106 billion, the recovery of the sector is well underway. AIBTM project director, Steve Knight, said: 'Our first event this year marked a new era for the meetings industry in the US. The feedback from both suppliers and buyers has been amazing and proved that the business environment was right and early bookings show that our exhibitors want to come back for more. We intend to build on the first success to ensure that 2012 delivers new opportunities to maintain our poll position.' AIBTM 2012 will take place from June 19 to 21.