A. Qualified meeting planners and suppliers. Suppliers are sales representatives and directors from hotels, CVBs, venues/attractions, convention centers, or other meetings destinations. Invited meeting planners book a qualifying number of rooms on peak, move their event from state to state each year* and are the decision-maker for site selection.

*Exceptions are events that move within the states of California, Florida and Texas. 

A. There will be a full schedule of events in the show issue of the magazines, which will be given to you when you check in at the event. Until then, check out the tentative agendas to get an idea about your travel plans.  You can register for any of the shows by clicking the appropriate link below.

Connect Marketplace 2011

Rejuvenate Marketplace 2011

Collaborate Marketplace 2012

Q. I’ve never been to a reverse trade show. What should I expect?
A. In this format, suppliers visit planners in pre-set appointments, providing an environment that results in business. Planners sit at booths, and suppliers circulate the trade show floor during the Marketplace portion of the conference. These “speed dating”- style appointments are six minutes in length, providing a fast-paced, energetic way to receive ROI. Planners and suppliers request appointments, and our matchmaking software creates final schedules that are released about 10 business days before the conference, so you always know with whom you’re meeting prior to the event.

Q. Do I need to bring booth materials or collateral?
A. Ours is a reverse trade show, so you will not be assigned a booth and will not be required to bring collateral; however, some suppliers choose to bring a small gift such as a pen or a brochure about their destination to hand out at appointments. Be aware that since you are circulating the trade show floor, you will have to carry with you whatever giveaway items you may choose to bring.

Q. When does the appointment selection process start?
A. The appointment process will begin approximately six weeks prior to Marketplace. You will receive an e-mail with a Delegate ID and password along with instructions on how to make appointment requests. TIP: It is always best to make the maximum amount of appointment requests (66) to get the best quality and quantity of appointments. This means just choosing your top 20 is NOT advantageous.

Q. How does the appointment process work?
A. Both planners and suppliers make requests in Passport, our matchmaking software. Mutual requests get priority, then planner requests, and then supplier requests. It is not a first come, first served process. As long as you complete your requests by the designated end date, your appointment selections will get the appropriate priority. Remember, it is always best to make the maximum amount (66) of appointment requests to ensure the quality and quantity of your appointments!

Q. What if I don’t have an appointment with someone, but I would like one?
A. We cannot schedule an additional appointment for you once the final schedules are created, but we have provided the opportunity for you to meet with the people not on your schedule or with whom you need more time in our Lounge area. You also have access to your colleagues’ contact information in the online directory area of our matchmaking system, making it easy for you to coordinate a time for you to meet. Take advantage of the Free Night we build into our conferences which is an evening with no formally scheduled events designed for suppliers to entertain and network with meeting planners over dinner in our host cities.

Q. What is "The Lounge"?
A. The Lounge is the central “hub” of our trade show floor at Marketplace. If you have a break in your appointment schedule, this is where you can mingle with others in a casual networking setting.

Q. What should I wear?
A. The dress code for the conferences is business casual. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes during the Marketplace portion as there is only one minute between appointments for “travel time” to your next appointment.

Q. How can I maximize my attendance and showcase my destination?
A. Contact Ray Ezelle at 678-987-9926 or rezelle@collinsonmedia.com about sponsorship and registration opportunities.

Q. What if my questions were not answered here?
A. Send general inquiries to:

Collaborate: CollaborateMarketplace@collinsonmedia.com

Connect: ConnectMarketplace@collinsonmedia.com

Rejuvenate: RejuvenateMarketplace@collinsonmedia.com