The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) announced from the PCMA Annual Meeting in Dallas an industry partnership that sees the two organizations collaborating on a range of new educational initiatives for AIBTM in Baltimore and EIBTM in Barcelona.

The announcement at PCMA’s Annual Meeting ‘Convening Leaders’ highlighted the commitment by both parties to create education and networking programs at both events, explore future collaborative opportunities and for PCMA to recruit and host Hosted Buyers to both AIBTM and EIBTM.
 
Commenting on the partnership, Vanessa Cotton, Chair RTE Meeting and Incentives Events said: “This joint initiative comes at a time when providing high quality education, innovative resources and networking opportunities is paramount to those wanting to develop their career in the meetings industry.

“Both RTE and PCMA are dedicated to offering those within the industry best professional education. This partnership comes at an exciting time for the sector, particularly in the US, with our inaugural event AIBTM – to include a dedicated America Meetings Week - taking place in Baltimore in June 2011.  The location of AIBTM is ideally suited to draw upon the largest concentration of meeting planners and buyers on the eastern seaboard.  Over 13,000 industry professionals are located within just three hours traveling time of Baltimore including several PCMA chapters accounting for more than 1000 members.”

PCMA’s President and CEO Deborah Sexton said, “PCMA is delighted to further enhance our collaboration with Reed and further our exchange. We are dedicated to industry collaboration and this is a perfect way to continue to educate our members and industry and expand our horizons in our increasingly global marketplace.  We look forward to a beneficial relationship that provides our members and industry with new opportunities.”