April Update

Get set for Marketplace in January 2009! Make a New Year’s resolution to grow your business and put money in the bank. Booking business is what Marketplace is about. By building relationships, matching buyer needs with seller product, and providing a business-driven environment, Marketplace 2009 is a solid investment.

Marketplace 2008 Booked Business survey results demonstrates the economic impact Marketplace has on the group tour and travel market. Plan to get your share of the $43 million is revenue generated just during the 6 days of Marketplace.

All Delegate Information

To better serve our members, registration dates for Marketplace 2009 are staggered. This will help to shorten the on-line time required to submit one's registration and help prevent server overload that was experienced in the past. The staggered registration dates will not negatively impact the seller appointment-takers because all appointment-takers within a specific appointment session will have the same registration date and appointments are scheduled by session (i.e. DMO appointments, Lodging appointments, Attractions/LRO/Other appointments are schedule separately).

Housing will be open to ALL delegates on July 14 at Noon ET. Housing options can be found at http://aba.teameventmanagement.com/2009/Hotel-Transportation.html.

Multiple Appointment-takers for Seller Companies

Seller companies are major contributors to the success of the Marketplace appointment sessions. Based on the number of Buyer requests you received at Marketplace 2008, your company may be entitled to 2 or 3 appointment-taking delegates at Marketplace 2009. If you had 32 or more buyer requests last year, you will receive a letter from ABA.

All companies are eligible to bring as many observer delegates as they wish. Here are a few reasons to bring an observer delegate:

additional representation on the business floor while taking appointments (Observers may meet with operators on the business floor, however they are not eligible for pre-scheduled appointments),
bring a key salesperson or a new hire for training.

Invoicing

Again we will offer the convenience to all registering companies to be invoiced for their Marketplace fees. Invoice payment is due within 30 days. All invoices must be paid for appointment requests to be scheduled on Nov. 14, 2008.

Membership Dues

All delegates must be representatives of ABA member organizations whose dues and all other outstanding monies due ABA or its agents have been paid in full. ABA members who have not paid 2008 AND 2009 dues will be unable to participate in Marketplace. The member organization also will not be eligible to attend Marketplace 2010.

Important Dates

July 14 - Noon ET: Registration Begins for DMO/Buyers/Associates.
July 15 - Noon ET: Registration Begins for Lodging Delegates.
July 16 - Noon ET: Registration Begins for Attractions/LRO Delegates.
September 15 - Noon ET: Research Databases are Live
September 24 - Noon ET: Appointment Requests are Live
November 14 - 5:00 PM ET: Appointment Requests Due
November 21 - 9:00 AM ET : Appointments Schedules Available and Manual Scheduling Begins
December 4 - Noon ET: Manual Scheduling Ends until Marketplace Opens
January 7 - Noon ET: Marketplace Opens

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Buyers

Buyer Appointment Sessions:

Thursday Afternoon: January 8 (DMOs)
Friday Morning: January 9 (DMOs)
Saturday: January 10 (Hoteliers)
Sunday Morning: January 11 (Attraction/LRO/Other)
Monday: January 12 (Attraction/LRO/Other)

Buyer Registration Fees

Below are the registration fees for Marketplace 2009. For eligibility and definitions of each registration type go to http://aba.teameventmanagement.com/2009/registration.html.

Early Bird Appointment-taker Registration (Ends Sept 15, 2008): $250
Regular Appointment-taker Registration (Begins Sept 16, 2008): $350
Early Bird Rotation Registration (Ends Sept 15, 2008): $250
Regular Rotation Registration (Begins Sept 16, 2008): $350
MARKET Floor Exhibit Attendee (Operators registered for Sunday/Monday only): $100 per operator company
Buyer Guest Registration: $250

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DMO's

DMO Registration Fees

Below are the registration fees for Marketplace 2009. For eligibility and definitions of each registration type go to http://aba.teameventmanagement.com/2009/registration.html.

Seller Appointment-taker Registration: $1195
Seller Observer Registration: $1195
Seller Guest Registration: $600

DMO Appointment Sessions:

Thursday Afternoon: January 8
Friday Morning: January 9

DMO Mating Session:

Thursday Afternoon: January 8: 2:10 PM - 2:30 PM

Caucus Date:

7:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Saturday, January 10

DMO Representative Meeting:

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM: Saturday, January 10

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Hoteliers

Lodging Registration Fees

Below are the registration fees for Marketplace 2009. For eligibility and definitions of each registration type go to http://aba.teameventmanagement.com/2009/registration.html.

Seller Appointment-taker Registration: $1195
Seller Observer Registration: $1195
Seller Guest Registration: $600

Lodging Appointment Sessions:

All Day Saturday: January 10

Lodging Mating Session:

Saturday, January 10: 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM

Lodging Representative Meeting:

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Friday, January 9

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Attractions/Local Receptives

Attraction/LRO Registration Fees

Below are the registration fees for Marketplace 2009. For eligibility and definitions of each registration type go to http://aba.teameventmanagement.com/2009/registration.html.

Seller Appointment-taker Registration: $1195
Seller Observer Registration: $1195
Seller Guest Registration: $600

Attraction/Local Receptive Operators/Others Appointment Sessions:

Sunday Morning: January 11
All Day Monday: January 12
* All Attraction/LRO/Other appointment-taking delegates will be assigned 2 of the 3 appointment sessions for pre-scheduled appointments. However, all Attraction/LRO/Other delegates may be on the business floor for all three sessions to pick up additional appointments.

Attraction/LRO/Other Mating Session:

Sunday, January 11: 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM (One Mating session for all three Attraction/LRO/Other Appointment Sessions.)

Attraction Representative Meeting:

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Sunday, January 11

Local Receptive Operator Representative Meeting:

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Sunday, January 11

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Associates

Associate Menu of Options:

Associates will again have several opportunities for their participation at Marketplace:

The MARKET at Marketplace: Associates may purchase booth space on our new one-day trade show floor. This provides our associate members with a quick and inexpensive marketing opportunity to reach the 650 plus operators in attendance at Marketplace.
Appointment-taking: Associates may attend Marketplace and receive pre-scheduled appointments with buyers on the business floor.
Networking Floor Representative: Associates may purchase a booth space for the entire Marketplace week on the networking floor.

Associate Registration Fees:

Below are the registration and exhibit fees for Marketplace 2009. For eligibility and definitions of each registration type go to http://aba.teameventmanagement.com/2009/registration.html.

Appointment-taker Registration: $1195
NEW in 2009! Observer Registration: $1195
Associate Representative Registration (Networking Floor/Coach Exhibit Staff): $795
Associate Additional Exhibitor Registration: $100 (The MARKET display fee below includes one exhibitor.)
Associate Guest Registration: $600

Networking Floor Display Fees:

$3000 per COACH EXHIBIT. Does not include delegate registration. Coaches on display must be ABA members and must be manned during show hours.
$2000: 10' x 10' per NETWORKING FLOOR EXHIBIT; does not include delegate registration or furnishings.

The MARKET Displays Fees:

$400 per 8’ x 16’ MARKET FLOOR EXHIBIT; booth includes: 8’ table, 2 chairs, wastebasket, ID sign, carpet and drape, 1 exhibitor pass for Sunday Only
$100 per ADDITIONAL EXHIBITOR

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