The Meetings Industry Association (MIA) has recorded its highest intake of new members with a record 37 applications in six weeks.

“We are delighted with the way our membership has grown in the last few months,” said membership development director Simon Bullough. “There has been a very satisfying response to our targeted approach, where venues and suppliers have been receptive to the idea of joining the MIA. Additionally, we are pleased with the volume of unsolicited enquiries we have generated, which clearly shows that more and more people are becoming aware of what the MIA as a trade association stands for.

“The biggest impact on our recruitment drive has come from AIM, the meetings industry's only accreditation scheme,” Bullough continued. “It is encouraging to see so many businesses out there that believe in this type of quality benchmarking, and we feel this is a positive message for the sector as a whole.”

The MIA is the UK and Ireland’s largest meetings industry trade association and has become the forum for professional groups committed to improving the standards of the sector.

“Notwithstanding AIM, the range of benefits we offer our members remains very attractive, with networking opportunities, access to buyers, as well as website marketing and brochure distribution as a way of raising the profile of venues and suppliers alike,” Bullough added. “We have set ourselves some challenging targets for the next 18 months, and this recent growth is a very positive step in retaining our position as the leading professional organisation for the meetings industry."