IMEX 2010: The Curtain Goes Up

I'm attending IMEX 2010 in Frankfurt this week for the first time. Along with spectacular weather, I had the good luck of meeting Tom Hinton, the President and CEO of CRI Global in San Diego, this morning at the Messe Frankfurt exhibition grounds.

Hinton is one of a group of 14 hosted buyers invited to IMEX by PCMA. I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the vast show floor than to walk around with Hinton -- we dodged the construction crews who were working to be ready for the show's 7:45 a.m. opening Tuesday as Hinton talked about why he makes a point to come to the show.

"IMEX is one-stop shopping for guys like me," said Hinton, who is interested in both traditional and more exotic venues. And with 3,800 hosted buyers and 150 countries exhibiting at IMEX (the most ever), I could see Hinton's point.

If you didn't make to Frankfurt, I'll be blogging from IMEX all week. And if you are here, I hope we can connect.