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Quality Appointments
More than 100,000 appointments were prescheduled for Marketplace 2006. Appointment codes are assigned to you on the day your company registers, and appointments are prioritized and scheduled in the order of your appointment code.
Appointment Requests: Beginning on October 23, 2006, all appointment-taking delegates have the opportunity to electronically research and request appointments with the organizations they most want to meet with during Marketplace. The research and appointment requests are completed in the delegate‘s Marketplace Passport. ABA´s computer-scheduling system matches appointment requests and schedules nearly 100% of all mutually requested appointments and 90% of all Buyer requested appointments — giving you quality appointments. ABA gives you the flexibility of requesting your appointments on our web site allowing you to change and update your requests up until the minute they are scheduled. Once again this year, you will see which companies have requested your organization, allowing you to continually update your requests in order to gain more mutual appointments.
Appointment Schedule/Manual Scheduling: On December 18, 2006 all appointment-taking delegates will be able to view their appointment schedule in their Marketplace Passport. The ABA Appointment system uses your requests to pre-schedule the maximum number of appointments. Thus, you are assured quality appointments with the companies you want to see. We match you with the companies you identified during your research so you don't have to do the work again later. However, after you receive your appointment schedule in December, you will be able to participate in our Manual Scheduling Process if you have spots to fill. This is the third year Marketplace delegates have been able to add appointments into their schedule before the show opens and during the Marketplace week.
Caucus: A state/provincial meeting conducted by a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for distribution of motorcoach and tour operator leads and information to fellow travel industry suppliers from their area. Many DMOs conduct pre-caucus meetings prior to Marketplace. ABA also holds caucus meetings for all states/provinces after the end of DMO appointments during Marketplace week.
Mating and Networking Sessions: This session is the time to exchange business cards, drop off profile forms and connect with potential business leads. All Buyers are required to be seated at their booths to maximize the benefit of this session.
Profile Samples: An 8 ½ " x 11", three hole punched sheet, exchanged by both Buyers and Sellers during Marketplace. The Buyers’ profile includes a synopsis of the operation, customer base, tour product, types of tour and destinations being offered, and key contacts. The Seller’s profile form includes information on the facilities/services for the motorcoach/tour market, location, hours of operation, policies, rates etc. Sample profile forms are available from ABA.
"Appointments at ABA are the best in the industry. Operators are open-minded and willing to listen. I find operators at the ABA marketplace you can't find at other shows. Coming to ABA is like coming home. The convention is like a family reunion, seeing faces you haven't seen for a while and meeting new ones at the same time."
Ed Miygishima
Diversity Chairman
Wyndham Hotel Group Inc.
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We would like to thank our more than 50 sponsors:
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