Frank Trampert, Executive Vice President, Revenue Generation, Asia Pacific, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, said, “This will deliver better results for our hotels and provide a positive on our investment in attending this event.

“Our focus will continue to be on meeting with business partners that have strong potential to work with our hotels in the MICE and Leisure segments across the Asia Pacific region. The ability to secure a full schedule of quality appointments over the course of the event will be equally as
important.”

While Trampert said that last year’s event produced good results for Carlson Hotels, he noted it was important that buyers are given a full meeting schedule.

“The balance between buyers and sellers would need to be monitored to ensure the event remains a positive revenue generating exercise for the sellers and the balance of meeting parties is equal.”

Goh Kah Lin, Regional Marketing Manager for Travelport, which has been an exhibitor at ITB Asia since its launch in 2008, said she was particularly encouraged by the move to get exhibitors to nominate buyers.
 
“We welcome this move and look forward to its implementation. This will ensure the quality of the trade buyers of direct relevance to our business (GDS).”

She said that last year, Travelport had asked ITB Asia to extend trade visitor invitations to its travel agency customers in Singapore. “But it was approved only a few weeks prior to the tradeshow, leaving us little time to market and confirm attendance of the invitees.  
 
“Some of the pre-scheduled appointments we got were only interested in getting exhibitors’ “signatures” and really not keen to learn about the products we offer. In fact, some buyers did not even know what a GDS does.”

She urged that further pre-qualification of buyers be done. “A handful of visitors were obviously interested only in collecting freebies.”

She suggested, “Be more flexible and open in working closely with exhibitors to invite quality buyers (both local and overseas).

Buyers interested in attending ITB Asia 2010, can submit their applications online at www.itb-asia.com between 12 and 30 April.

Featured image credit (fair) : iStock