Sunshine Matters

Last week, VISIT FLORIDA and our Industry Partners created a co-branded stand for IMEX Frankfurt, a global marketplace for meeting professionals looking to book and organize worldwide meetings, events and incentive travel programs.  Holding the IMEX show in Frankfurt captures the attention of a global audience.  This year, the event welcomed 3,500 exhibitors, 3,900 hosted buyers, and 4,900 trade visitors from 97 countries.

Ray Bloom, IMEX Group Chairman, said, “There are countless opportunities for everyone to do business, learn or meet here this week.  The thousands of exhibitors, buyers, press and other industry professionals who attend and make the most of these opportunities is a testament to the strength, resilience and vibrancy of our important sector.”

The three-day event is specifically tailored for planners to connect with suppliers during individual and group appointments, while offering continuing education and keynote speakers from various industries.  During the trade show, VISIT FLORIDA and our Partners participated in more than 285 scheduled appointments, reaching planners from Toronto to Beijing.

We would like to thank our participating Partners: Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater, the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB, Visit Tampa Bay, the Biltmore Hotel and the Greater Miami CVB, who brought nine of their partners, including the Miami Convention Center, Loews Miami Beach, Advantage Destination & Meeting Services, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 1 Hotel South Beach, The Palms Hotel and Spa, South Beach Group Hotels, Faena Hotels and 360 Destination Group.

Special thanks to Visit Tampa Bay, who participated with us at IMEX Frankfurt this year for the first time.  They used the event as a way to showcase the easy connection between Europe and the Tampa area with the newly launched Lufthansa non-stop service from Frankfurt to the Tampa International Airport.

Florida welcomed a record 105 million visitors in 2015, of which 11 percent or 9.2 million came for meetings, conventions, conferences, trade shows and other business travel.  As the success story of hosting meetings and events continues to grow in Florida, so will VISIT FLORIDA’s participation in global meeting planner marketplaces such as IMEX Frankfurt.  For more information about our international Meetings & Conventions programs, please contact me at aabney@VISITFLORIDA.org.