AIBTM, the Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition, has upped its hosted buyer programme from 500 to 2,000 for its inaugural event in 2011 – equalling the hosted buyer programme of rival new Americas tradeshow IMEX America, which debuts four months later.

The Reed Travel Exhibitions show, which takes place in Baltimore June 21–23, will now host 2,000 buyers, made up predominantly of US-based meeting planners with domestic and international business, as well as those from Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Asia and Europe.

Steve Knight, project manager for AIBTM said he had been delighted by the number of enquiries and committed exhibitor bookings for the event, “so much so, that we have increased the number of hosted buyers we are set to host, to ensure that we maintain the ideal buyer and supplier ratio”.

He added: “The profile and importance of AIBTM has been considerably raised since the co-location announcement of PCMA’s annual education conference and CIC’s Hall of Leaders Gala which will run alongside AIBTM in Baltimore. AIBTM will be the first truly large scale hosted buyer event of 2011 in the US Meetings Industry.”

Earlier this year IMEX Group chairman Ray Bloom said the large hosted buyer programme for IMEX America, taking place in Las Vegas in October, ‘set it apart’ from the RTE show: “The fact that the show is hosted buyer-led will be a unique feature in the US market, making IMEX America unlike any other trade show in North America.”