Confex and U.K. Assn. Partner Up for '05

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 7/19/2004

Intl. Confex and the United Kingdom's Assn. of Exhibition Organizers have formed a partnership to bring members and exhibition organizers to Confex 2005, which will run Feb. 15–17 at Earls Court 1, London. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed.

Under the agreement, the two groups designed a targeted and personalized program to bring the association's senior staff to the show. Intl. Confex, managed by CMP Information, will sponsor the association's conference, and the association will contribute to the 2005 Confex Conference. The exhibition association, known as aeo, will also hold a council meeting and networking reception at the show.

The deal further includes marketing projects — using aeo's magazine, Web site, direct mail and e-mail to promote Intl. Confex to members.

Confex is an annual forum for the conferences, meetings, events and corporate hospitality industries. It attracts U.K. and international meeting planners with some 1,300 exhibiting companies from more than 70 countries. Audited by ABC Profile, the event this year attracted 7,684 visitors and 4,462 exhibitor staff, for a total attendance of 12,146. There were 424 exhibitor booths in 7,687 net square meters (about 87,000 net square feet), with many spaces holding more than one exhibiting company.