The Professional Convention Management Association and U.K.–based Reed Travel Exhibitions have formed a strategic partnership in which PCMA will provide support for Reed’s IBTM exhibition portfolio starting in January 2012.

• For AIBTM, The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibitions (June 19–21 in Baltimore), PCMA will supply educational content and speakers as well as its signature “Executive Edge” program. PCMA will also deliver 500 qualified senior hosted buyers to the show.
• For CIBTM, the China Incentive, Business Travel, & Meetings Exhibition (September 12–14 in Beijing), PCMA will contribute educational content and support the Certified Meeting Professional accreditation by offering access to its online CMP prep course.
• For EIBTM, The Global Meetings & Events Exhibition (November 27–29 in Barcelona, Spain), PCMA will deliver a CEO-level conference program.

However, PCMA will not co-locate its Education Conference with AIBTM as it did in 2011. In 2012, PCMA’s June 10–13 Education Conference will be in San Antonio.

It's a three-year partnership, said Sherrif Karamat, chief operating officer at PCMA.

Craig Moyes, group exhibition director for the global meetings portfolio of events at Reed Travel Exhibitions, believes the partnership with PCMA, which he calls the leading organization for superior and innovative education, will add “real, tangible benefits to all our stakeholders.”

With more members holding meetings outside the U.S., the partnership with RTE is of strategic importance to PCMA, said Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO. “The meetings and events world becomes more global each day; our strategic partnership delivers on the growing needs of our members and IBTM’s attendee educational desires,” said Sexton. “Additionally for the IBTM audience, PCMA will deliver the superior industry education that provides additional ROI with their hosted-buyer participation.”

The partnership will help PCMA extend its brand and its educational expertise and offerings internationally, added Karamat.