Virtual Edge Institute to Offer Educational Track at America’s Meetings and Events Exhibitions

May 3, 2012 - PRLog -- (May 3, 2012) – The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition (AIBTM) announced today that the Virtual Edge Institute (VEI) will present educational sessions at AIBTM 2012, Reed Travel Exhibitions’ premier provider for the U.S. meetings and events industry.   The three-day networking event, held June 19 – 21 in Baltimore will feature a full day of world-class education, followed by two days of exhibition trade show.

Led by digital event specialist Michael Doyle, Executive Director of the Virtual Edge Institute, the VEI’s track will feature two sessions on June 19 during AIBTM’s Education Day.

This year’s VEI sessions topics are:

•   The Digital Event Landscape:  from Hybrid Extensions to Perpetual Environments (Wednesday, June 20 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET)

This is an introductory, interactive session to help event and meeting producers from corporations and associations get up to speed with the latest technology solutions that are available for extending the life and value of physical events. Specific examples will be used as case studies, outlining the business rational as well as tactics and outcomes.

•   Digital Engagement for Onsite and Remote Audiences (Thursday, June 21 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET)

If you’ve made the decision to add a digital extension to your programs, now learn how to make them effective! Engaging an online audience can be challenging but it is also critical for getting the most value out of the meetings experience. Driving engagement and connecting between the online and on site audience takes the challenge to the next level. This session will examine the strategies for engagement with thoughts from some of the industry’s top engagement strategists.

“We are pleased to announce our partnership with VEI for the educational sessions they will be providing at AIBTM 2012,” said Graeme Barnett, Event Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, AIBTM (Baltimore) and EIBTM (Barcelona).  “Attendees will leave with a strong understanding of how new technologies are being implemented within the industry in order to extend event programs and digitally engage different audiences.  These sessions, complimented by AIBTM’s Future Events Experience Area, will help further show the valuable need for the advancement of technology in the meetings industry.”

“We are thrilled to offer an educational track at AIBTM 2012,” added Executive Director of the Virtual Edge Institute, Michael Doyle.  “We look forward to providing corporate, association and government planners with practical methodologies for planning and executing new technologies and strategies.  ”

VEI joins other AIBTM Association partners for AIBTM Education Day, which is comprised of a series of conferences, forums and workshops.  Other partners include the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the Society of Incentive Travel Executives (SITE), the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

Multiple concurrent events ensure there are tracks for all types and levels of planners, as well as buyers and industry leaders participating in CEO panels and keynote speaker sessions.  PCMA will deliver Education Powered by PCMA, Executive Edge and a State of the Industry Panel.  ACTE will present an education track dedicated to corporate travel professionals on how to make the most of face time and developing technology to best enhance the corporate travel experience.  ICCA will provide two roundtable sessions focused on how global destinations can penetrate the U.S. market and practical advice for North American planners for global meetings.  Additionally, SITE will deliver invigorating education tailored to the incentive market and host the SITE Young Leaders program focusing on the next generation of motivational leaders. MPI will provide three sessions which will all focus on determining the business value of meetings and events.   AIBTM is also pleased to offer the CEO Summit during the conference.

For more information about AIBTM 2012, please contact:  Jodi Bannerman – 1.212.871.3020 x. 107, jbannerman@jgordonassociates.com.  Visit AIBTM on Twitter @AIBTMEvent or Facebook.
For more information about ways to attend AIBTM please visit www.aibtm.com/visiting. You can apply for the Hosted Buyer attendance option by filling out the registration form - Hosted Buyer Registration.    Alternatively you can choose the Flexible Choice Option and attend as a Trade Buyer which will permit you access to all education, business and networking opportunities which will take place over the course of the show - Trade Buyer Registration.

About AIBTM America Meetings Week
The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition (www.aibtm.com) is the leading global exhibition for the U.S. meetings and events industry.  The newest addition to the Reed Travel Exhibition’s global portfolio, AIBTM delivers individually qualified Hosted Buyers and eligible Trade buyers from the U.S. and around the world.  Tailored to the U.S. market, AIBTM serves and guarantees the attendance of top level decision makers.  The exhibitions provide time and business efficient matching services for buyers and sellers through unique Hosted Buyer Programs.  Visit AIBTM on Twitter @AIBTMEvent or Facebook.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) is the world’s leading provider of exhibitions in the travel and tourism industry. Its wide-ranging portfolio of events around the globe covers leisure travel, luxury travel, business travel and the meetings and incentives industry.
In 2011 RTE 13 events were the catalyst for $4.4 billion worth of travel and tourism business deals.  

The 13 events are; World Travel Market (WTM), Arabian Travel Market (ATM), International French Travel Market (IFTM), La Cumbre, International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), International Luxury Travel Market Asia (ILTMA), Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) (owned by Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau), Global Exhibition for Incentive, Business Travel, and Meetings (EIBTM), Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (GIBTM), Americas Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (AIBTM), China Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings (CIBTM) and Business Travel Market.
April 2013 will see RTE launch World Travel Market Latin America in São Paulo.

RTE is a business unit of Reed Exhibitions. In 2011, six million participants attended RE’s 500 events in 39 countries covering 44 industry sectors from aerospace and aviation to beauty and cosmetics to sports and recreation.

Reed Exhibitions is owned by Reed Elsevier, the world’s leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions.