Last year´s one day MICE workshop & conference, the first MICE event on the Russian market, was such a success that from September 19 to 22, its organizer MSI Fairs & Exhibitions launches “MIBEX”, Russia´s first international meeting industry & business travel exhibition and conference. MIBEX Russia is held in combination with “Otdykh-Leisure”, Russia´s largest international autumn tourism show, and “Luxury Leisure”, the first international trade fair for luxury travel in Russia. All three shows will take place in the newest and biggest exhibition venue of Russia, “Crocus Expo”, on 30,000 square meters.

Travel Technology Initiative´s Sprjng conference is scheduled for Tuesday 25 April in London. TTI has assembled a top rate group of speaker who will address the topic of going Beyond Search. Speakers confirmed for the event are Stuart Jackson, Commercial Director, Cosmos Holidays; Graham Donoghue, Head of New Media, TUI UK; Tanya Lidstone, Head of Web Development, Opodo; Daniela Wagner, Managing Director EMEA, Consumer Travel Services, International Markets, Cendant Travel Distribution Services, and Stefanie Lofgren, Global Business Development Manager, Travel and Hospitality, Sun Microsystems.

Current sales figures for EIBTM 2006 show a marked growth in re-bookings and requests for increased stand space, with over 85 percent already rebooked within only three months of the end of the last event. Research conducted during EIBTM 2005 indicated that 93 percent of exhibitors were likely to return to EIBTM in 2006 and sales trends strongly suggest that even this high figure will be exceeded. Greece has more than doubled its stand size while Holland´s stand will be 25 percent larger and Slovakia and Russia are also expanding.

The best of the Caribbean´s carnivals, regattas, arts and entertainment, foods and flowers will be showcased in New York at this year´s 33rd Annual Governments of the Caribbean State Ball, themed “Festivals of the Caribbean”. Hosted at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on Friday, June 16, 2006 at 7 pm, this elegant black-tie celebration is the official conclusion of Caribbean Week 2006 and is a fundraiser for the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Foundation, which provides scholarships to Caribbean nationals pursuing tourism-related studies.

The Caribbean placed special attention on the German market at a specially organized event at the world´s leading travel and tourism trade fair, ITB Berlin 2006, that came to a close Sunday in Germany. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and Messe Berlin, the trade fair organizers, joined forces to present the 7th Annual Karibik Forum, a lively and informative presentation and debate for the European travel trade press and other European and Caribbean delegates to ITB. The presentation took place Friday at the International Congress Center.

For the third consecutive year hotel chains Hilton, Intercontinental, Marriot and Sol Meliá are sponsoring LACIME, alongside airlines Lan and Varig. LACIME 2006 will once again be the most important event for the incentive travel and meetings industry in Latin America and the Caribbean. Organizers Reed Exhibitions Brazil expect investment to reach some R$5 million in this year´s edition, which will be held on June 20 to 22 at Transamerica Expo Center in Sao Paulo. “Renewal of such important sponsorships demonstrates that these large players in the travel and tourism industry have confidence in both the technical capabilities and the business model behind LACIME 2006,” says Daisy De Marco, show manager for Reed Exhibitions Brazil.