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IMPORTANT: Appointment Request InformationWe apologize for any confusion. Below are the dates for Marketplace 2009 appointments.
New Dine Around Information!From traditional Southern fare such as sugary sweet tea, fried chicken, or buttery collard greens to international dishes like Thai hot pots, Japanese sashimi, or a big fat Greek salad, Charlotte’s culinary scene is a Southern dining experience like none other. Influenced by a top-ranking culinary institute- Johnson & Wales University- Charlotte boasts hundreds of unique, independently-owned restaurants just waiting to whet your appetite. Don’t forget to end the meal with a flavorful Charlottini or a robust glass of wine straight from one of our North Carolina vineyards. Bon appétit!
Dine Around Sponsored by Visit Charlotte
View our Marketplace Video to learn all about Marketplace. The American Bus Marketplace is the premier business event for the group travel industry. The appointments are the core of the show; which allow Buyers and Sellers to meet face-to-face in prescheduled seven-minute appointments. In addition to the quality appointments, Marketplace offers professional education seminars and numerous networking opportunities. ABA’s new Product Pavilion at Marketplace, offers operators the opportunity to view the industry’s latest products and services. Associate members can showcase their products and services on the exhibit floor to the more than 320 operator companies who attend Marketplace. Marketplace is a one-stop shop for the group travel and motorcoach industry to build business relationships, conduct one-to-one business appointments, view the newest products and services, learn about the latest trends and industry information, and network - all resulting in providing our members with a greater return on investment. Buyers (Motorcoach and Tour Operators) attend Marketplace to meet with travel industry suppliers (Sellers) to create business relationships and plan future charters and tours. Sellers are travel industry representatives from destination marketing organizations (cities, areas, states), attractions, restaurants, receptive operators, hotels and associate service suppliers. These business sessions allow Buyers and Sellers to plan trip itineraries for motorcoach group travel throughout North America. The Business Sessions, or Appointment Sessions, are conducted and are the core of Marketplace. The appointment sessions are held on the Marketplace Business Floor, which is a secured area. Only delegates belonging to the group that are taking appointments during that particular session are allowed on the Business Floor. All Buyers have access to the Business Floor at any time. Associates who are not registered as appointment-taking delegates do not have access to the Business Floor. Buyers have a maximum of 182 seven-minute appointments, as they take appointments throughout the week with each of the Seller groups. Sellers have a maximum of 52 appointments scheduled in 2 out of the 7 sessions. The primary group (DMO, Lodging, or Attraction/LRO/Other) the company belongs to determines which of the 2 sessions are assigned. The Marketplace Business Floor consists of booths where Buyers sit. Appointment-taking Sellers move from Buyer to Buyer every seven minutes. These groups are:
ABA carefully monitors the number of Seller Appointment-Taking delegates allowed based on the number of Buyer Appointment-Taking delegates registered. By maintaining a near one-to-one ratio in each session, ABA offers quality appointments for all delegates. Each Seller session is scheduled a 20-minute Mating and Networking Session where they can exchange profile forms, business cards and make contacts. This is an opportunity to connect with Buyer delegates that Sellers could not be matched up with for prescheduled appointment. Buyers are required to be in their booths during these scheduled sessions. Education seminars, luncheons, sightseeing tours, and evening events are on-going activities throughout Marketplace week and are open to all registered delegates and a valuable part of the Marketplace experience. Statistics
Future Marketplaces
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