Our innovative Marketplace system matches planners and suppliers for individual appointments based on their requests, as well as additional factors. Planners sit at designated tables and suppliers have 1-2 minutes to travel between appointments. A chime signifies the beginning and end of each appointment.

Qualified planners pay a $250 registration fee that will be returned at the end of the conference if all Marketplace appointments are kept.

Once all Marketplace appointments have been fulfilled and the final set of Marketplace appointments have concluded, refunds will be available at the pick-up table located just outside the Marketplace area.

Planners and suppliers will receive an email stating that the appointment request process is open. Mutual requests get priority, then planner requests are granted, followed by supplier requests. It is not a first-come, first-served process. As long as you complete your requests by the designated end date, your appointment selections will be granted the appropriate priority.

• Connect will provide you with a custom link, ID and password.
• You can review your profile and contact us if you would like to make changes.
• Click on the “Browse Directory” to see who is attending and use the sorting options to narrow down the list.
• Click on “Make Appointment Request” to select destinations you are interested in meeting for your one-on-one appointments.

A few helpful hints: First, review whom you’d like to meet. When requesting appointments, you can arrange them in order of preferences using a tab on the right. If someone has requested you and you’re interested in meeting with them, request them back to increase the likelihood of receiving that appointment on your schedule. The Connect portal can be used with Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome browsers. Both are available to download for free. If you are still having difficulty processing your appointment requests after downloading Firefox or Chrome, contact us.

Connect recommends that attendees who need mobility scooters rent them through Amigo Mobility in Grand Rapids. You can find more information on their website or by calling 616-361-7559.

If the mileage from your residence exceeds 100 miles, you will receive a preset transportation reimbursement at the conclusion of all scheduled appointments. We do not cover parking expenses, so be prepared for this additional cost.

You will receive an email confirmation from the host hotel for a secured room about two weeks prior to the event. It might show a room rate, but attending as a planner, you will not be responsible for this charge. However, you will be asked to put down a credit card for incidentals when you check into your hotel. Incidentals are not covered by Connect.

A Hosted Buyer is required to pay a fee to guarantee registration. Once a Hosted Buyer completes all of the preset appointments, the fee will be refunded. If a Hosted Buyer misses any appointments, cancels attendance after the appointment portal opens, or cancels attendance at any point 24 hours after flight booking, the deposit refund is forfeited and the Hosted Buyer's credit card on file will be charged the entire amount of the airline ticket, (As well as costs incurred in securing non-refundable hotel accommodations in the planners name for the duration of the event.) Hosted Buyers also forfeit their fee if the meeting qualification information presented to our staff is falsified, if the data on the registration page is false or exaggerated, if the Hosted Buyer does not have any influence on the decision process, or if there is any misrepresentation by the Hosted Buyer. If the Hosted Buyer's application is denied, the Hosted Buyer will be refunded the respective deposit.

Refund will be available after fulfillment and final set of appointments at the event have concluded. It is the sole responsibility of each planner to pick up their refund before leaving the event. The attendee agrees to settle all disputes regarding their deposit, reimbursement, refunds, and incentive within 30 days post-event. All disputes not settled within 30 days post-event will be null and void and no deposit, reimbursement, refunds, or incentive will be eligible to be collected.

Our innovative Marketplace system matches planners and suppliers for individual appointments based on their requests, as well as additional factors. Planners sit at designated tables and suppliers have 1-2 minutes to travel between appointments. A chime signifies the beginning and end of each appointment.

Planners and suppliers will receive an email stating that the appointment request process is open. Mutual requests get priority, then planner requests are granted, followed by supplier requests. It is not a first-come, first-served process. As long as you complete your requests by the designated end date, your appointment selections will be granted the appropriate priority.

You will receive an email prior to the show with instructions for logging into the appointment portal.

The appointment request process will begin approximately 4 weeks prior to the event date. You will be notified via the email used during registration when the portal is open.

Registration starts at $4,450. Non-appointment attendee registration is $2,000. Talk to your regional sales rep for more information.

Supplier attendees receive a special rate from our host hotel. Please book your room using the reservation portal below.

Supplier Hotel Reservation Portal

Note: Suppliers opting to stay outside the event room block will incur a $350 non-host hotel fee.