In a nod to the growing value of the corporate and association group travel sector of the industry, the U.S. Travel Association has partnered with IMEX America 2011 to promote the new trade show debuting in Las Vegas in October, and will host a seminar during the show on key policy issues affecting incentive travel, meetings and events.

Ray Bloom from IMEX and Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

According to U.S. Travel, the incentive travel, meetings and events industry segment is responsible for nearly 15 percent of all travel in the United States and creates $101 billion in spending, one million jobs and nearly $16 billion in tax revenue at the federal, state and local levels.

The importance of this market for leisure suppliers is that attendees often extend their stays in the destinations in which meetings and events are held and have family members join them for a vacation break.

IMEX Group has run a successful worldwide exhibition for years in Frankfurt, Germany, joining international buyers and sellers. Last year the organization decided to launch a U.S.-based show in order to better showcase global business opportunities to North American incentive, meeting and event buyers.

The new show complements U.S. Travel’s annual International Pow Wow, which each May brings together more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations and close to 1,500 international and domestic buyers from more than 70 countries in order to generate leisure travel business to the United States.

“With U.S. Travel’s interest in promoting meetings, events and incentive travel in our country year-round, IMEX America provides an ideal opportunity for us to raise visibility for this market during the second half of the year,” said U.S. Travel’s president and CEO Roger Dow, in a statement. “While International Pow Wow will continue to be the premier showcase for international leisure operators and meeting planners interested in U.S. business during the first half of the year, IMEX America’s focus on incentive travel, meetings and events worldwide provides professionals in those segments another opportunity to develop contacts, network and gain valuable knowledge about this market.”

U.S. Travel’s support will be critical in successfully launching IMEX America, said IMEX group chairman, Ray Bloom, in a statement, adding, “Given its unique standing in representing the entire industry, U.S. Travel’s support opens new doors to help us introduce IMEX America on the largest scale possible so we can add optimal value to this important and dynamic business community in the States.”

During the past few years following the financial crisis, the incentive, meetings and events industry has been hard hit not only because of the weak economy, but also because of attacks from politicians, the press and the public claiming these trips are simply boondoggles and not the effective business tools and opportunities that research has shown them to be.

To counter this “AIG effect,” last March UST formed the Meetings, Incentives and Trade Show Council, co-chaired by Larry Luteran, senior vice president of group sales and industry relations for Hilton Worldwide, and former Maritz Travel President and CEO Christine Duffy (who now heads the Cruise Line Industry Association). Other members include representatives from major hotel companies, attractions, incentive houses, and convention and tourism bureaus.

The next U.S. Travel Association International Pow Wow will be held May 21 to 25, 2011 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. IMEX America runs Oct. 11 to 13, 2011, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Venetian/Palazzo in Las Vegas. For more information, visit imexamerica.com and ustravel.org.