dronan@buses.org 'Me - American Bus Association

For Immediate Release
October 1, 2012
Contact: Dan Ronan
Office: 202-218-7220
Mobile: 469-583-7070
Email: dronan@buses.org
‘Meet Me in St. Louis’: ABA Selects St. Louis to Host Marketplace 2015
The American Bus Association (ABA) is pleased to announce that St. Louis, Mo., has been
selected to host ABA’s Marketplace 2015, Jan. 10-13, 2015, at the America's Center Convention
Complex. ABA’s 37th annual gathering will mark the first time St. Louis has hosted this
prestigious event.
"The American Bus Association is always thrilled when we can hold Marketplace in a destination
as diverse as our attendees,” said ABA President and CEO Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS. “St. Louis was
selected after an exhaustive bid process where several cities submitted proposals to host ABA's
Marketplace. The number of hotels in close proximity to the convention center and the world-class
America’s Center, where Marketplace will actually take place, helped St. Louis end up on top.”
More than 3,000 attendees are estimated to attend Marketplace 2015. Marketplace is the show
where business gets done, generating nearly $80 million dollars for the delegates, suppliers and
host city in 2012. “ABA’s Marketplace is the premier business event for the group travel industry.
We look forward to hosting Marketplace 2015 and showcasing the destination to key motorcoach
and tour operators, plus other key representatives in the tourism industry,” says Kathleen “Kitty”
Ratcliffe, President of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission.
Louisville Selected to Host Nation’s Premier Travel and Tourism Show
The American Bus Association (ABA) is pleased to announce that Louisville, Ky., has been
selected to host ABA’s Marketplace 2016, Jan. 9-12, 2016, at the Kentucky International
Convention Center in downtown Louisville.
ABA’s Marketplace in 2016 is the organization’s 38th annual gathering, but it marks the first time
Louisville has hosted this prestigious event.
“The American Bus Association is always thrilled when we can bring new cities into the ABA
family,” said ABA President and CEO Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS. “Louisville was selected after an
exhaustive bid process where several cities submitted proposals to host the ABA's Marketplace.
Louisville has so many great places to see including the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory,

the Kentucky Science Center, the Muhammad Ali Center and, of course, the Kentucky Derby
Museum and historic Churchill Downs Racetrack.”
More than 3,000 attendees are expected to attend Marketplace 2016. Marketplace is the show
where business gets done, generating nearly $80 million dollars for the delegates, suppliers and
host city in 2012. Officials estimate that ABA’s Marketplace will bring an immediate, direct
economic impact of $4.4 million dollars by hosting the conference, but as has been the case with
other Marketplace cities, there is the potential for much more future business after showcasing the
city to tour operators.
“Louisville already has a lot of options for tour operators, and we continue to see tremendous
growth,” said Jim Wood, president and CEO of the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “By
2016, ABA can expect to see an expanded bourbon experience with new distilleries along Main
Street in addition to the attractions and restaurants that draw visitors to Louisville every year.”
There are more than 3,800 first-class hotel rooms within a short distance of the Kentucky
International Convention Center, and 2,300 of those are connected to the facility by an enclosed
walking bridge.
In 2014, Nashville, Tenn., will host ABA’s Marketplace Jan. 11-15 in downtown Nashville at the
new Music City Center. The following year, Marketplace 2015 will be held in St. Louis, Mo., Jan.
10-13 at the America's Center Convention Complex.
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About the American Bus Association
The American Bus Association is the trade organization of the intercity bus industry with more than 1,000 motorcoach
owner and tour company members in the United States and Canada. Its members operate charter, tour, regular route,
airport express, special operations and contract services. Another 2,800 members are travel and tourism
organizations and suppliers of bus products and services who work in partnership with the North American
motorcoach industry.