Record 32 Malaysian Exhibitors For AIME in Melbourne

February 16, 2010 15:03 PM

MELBOURNE, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- A record 32 exhibitors from Malaysia will take part in the 18th Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) here on March 2 and 3.

They will be among more than 850 exhibitors from 50 countries who will showcase the best in destinations, products and services.

"Malaysia is sending a very strong group this year because of the importance of AIME," said Mohd Hafiz Hashim, Tourism Malaysia's new Melbourne director.

"AIME is going from strength to strength, and to tap into its vast potential, Tourism Malaysia has established MyCEB - Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau - with Zulkefli Sharif as its chief operations officer," Hafiz said.

AIME 2009 broke records with exhibitor numbers climbing to 854, a 3.8 per cent increase on the previous year, and visitor numbers grew by 15 per cent to 3,114 people attending the two-day event at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

There also was an impressive 467 hosted buyers who turned up last year to establish business contacts.

Hafiz said conventions would be a top priority this year because of the strong Aussie dollar.

The Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak and Melaka convention centres, led by Angeline Lue, Mohd Ariff Shah Abdullah Sani and Chew Chang Guan, respectively, are sending strong teams to AIME, offering to host international groups and organisations.

Hafiz said incentives would also play a big part in wooing convention and seminar delegates to Malaysia.

"Malaysia has first-class facilities and our hotels, tour operators and tourist attractions will be big plus for us," he said.

-- BERNAMA