EIBTM AWARDS 2002 SEEKS THE BEST IN THE WORLD

Europe's Most Prestigious MICE Market Awards Has Four New Categories The search is on to find the crème de la crème of the world's best business events in the MICE market industry.

The EIBTM Awards 2002, in conjunction with EIBTM - the number one global event for the incentive, business travel and meetings industry - will culminate next year with a glittering awards dinner in Geneva on Wednesday 22 May.

Organisers are expecting even more entries than last year, covering every primary business area within the industry, and follows the highly successful inaugural awards ceremony that took place during EIBTM 2001.

There are four new categories:

* Government, not for profit or charity

* Best Conference Event

* Best Product Launch Event

* Best Incentive Travel Event

This means there will be a total of 14 awards, including an overall Grand Prix champion as well as Best Event in Europe and Best Event outside Europe.

Entry forms are currently being circulated across Europe.

Debbie Jackson, Exhibition Director for EIBTM said: "The awards dinner, at which the winners were announced, was called 'the Oscars of the travel industry' because they certainly created the tension, glamour and excitement of what the awards have already come to mean to the industry.

"They are a symbol to the world of industry excellence, demonstrating professionalism, creativity and skill in the area of creative events.

"They encompass every kind of event, large and small, a showcase of ingenuity and innovation that demonstrates the industry's supreme ability and potential for the future.

"We live in difficult and challenging times for the industry and these awards are a means of demonstrating supreme excellence, combined with a healthy competitive spirit".

The EIBTM Awards are open to advertising, marketing and public relations agencies, production companies, EMC's, DMC's, conference organisers, as well as resort hotels, airlines, rail and coach operators and shipping lines applying on behalf of their clients.

Applicants can make as many submissions for a project as they like in appropriate categories. However, the project must have been completed between 1 October 2000 and 31 December, 2001. Closing dates for entries is Friday 11 January, 2002.

The awards are being organised in conjunction with the UK's leading industry publication, Conference & Incentive Travel magazine with support from six other European partners, which serve the leading meetings and incentive travel regions in Europe. They are: Events, Germany; Voyages & Strategie, France, Convegni Srl, Italy; Spain Travel and Business Magazine; Business Travel Magazine, Belgium and Konferens Varlden, Scandinavia. Entries will be evaluated by the largest line-up of expert industry judges in Europe, who will be brought together over two days in February 2002. They will be looking for creativity and effectiveness. And achieving their targets.

In addition to the four new categories, there will be awards for: Best Automotive Event, Best Consumer Products Event, Best Financial Event, Best Food & Drinks Event, Best Health, Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Event, Best IT and Communications Event, Best Travel Leisure & Entertainment Event.

Judges will choose the overall champion from the winners of the other categories. Cost for the first time a project is entered into the awards is £140 (E 235.00), inclusive of VAT and £290 (E480), including one dinner booking. Each time a project is entered into a second or subsequent category, the fee is £90 (E150).

For further information and advice about entries, telephone the EIBTM Awards 2002 hotline on +44 (0)20 8267 4391; fax +44 (0)20 8267 4331 or email: helen.thomas@haynet.com