“New” Buyers who are attending TravelMart LatinAmerica (TMLA) for the first time sometimes ask us why they should request appointments. It’s a good question, and we always tell them Buyers are not required to request appointments, but having appointments already scheduled makes their time at TMLA more productive and valuable. Here’s why:

1. Select-Match is one of the original pre-scheduled appointments systems in the global Travel Industry, and it is constantly updated and refined. There isn’t another system like it. Anywhere. It works. And, it’s easy to use.
2. TMLA is not a “trade show,” and having pre-scheduled appointments eliminates the pressure and “hassle” of personally tracking down Suppliers during the two (2) business days. Over 200 Supplier Organizations participate at TMLA, and a lot of valuable time is lost trying to find the “right” people.
3. Most of the time the “right” people already have full or almost full schedules. It’s sometimes hard to get a convenient appointment at the last minute “on-site.”
4. Select-Match schedules “Perfect Match” appointments first when a Buyer and Supplier request each other. This helps make sure the most productive and valuable meetings take place. Sometimes as many as half the pre-scheduled appointments are “Perfect Matches,” reducing the time available for last minute “on-site” appointments.
5. Buyers’ requests to meet Suppliers are scheduled after “Perfect Match” appointments. Select-Match does NOT schedule Supplier only requests. This means every pre-scheduled Buyer’s appointment is a solid business opportunity.
6. Buyers receive a detailed “Appointments Schedule & Meeting Guide” workbook when they check-in at TMLA. It contains detailed information about every pre-scheduled appointment, including Supplier names and titles, sales and marketing information, booth/office location, and detailed reports about all the appointments that were scheduled, or couldn’t be scheduled. These detailed reports list the Suppliers appointments that were not scheduled, an excellent “new business” resource!
7. Buyers who don’t request appointments get a “blank book” when they check in, which means more work for them. A lot more work.

So, our answer to the question: “Why should I request appointments” is pretty simple. It helps them get the most from their TravelMart LatinAmerica experience by providing the best value with the least amount of “hassle.” A pretty good combination.