Connect Spring Marketplace
The Hosted Experience that Hits Different
Our industry-leading Hosted Buyer Experience revolutionizes how event planners discover leading event solutions.
The Connect Spring Marketplace Hosted Buyer Experience is a hosted-buyer-first program designed to fast-track event sourcing through curated one-on-one meetings with the best event suppliers in the industry. In just three days, you’ll accomplish more sourcing, partnership-building, and deal-making than most buyers do in a month. If you’re looking for the gold standard of event industry hosted buyer programs, you've found it here.
More than Meetings. Way More.
Our Hosted Buyer Experience was built for far more than a packed meeting schedule. It was designed to help buyers level up across the board — sourcing smarter, networking bigger, and walking away with real momentum.
✅ High-energy networking experiences you won’t find anywhere else
✅ Education sessions that cover what buyers are actually talking about
✅ Over 10 hours of curated networking
✅ More than 4 hours of industry-forward education
✅ Exclusive hosted buyer perks and VIP spaces
You’ll leave Louisville with fresh ideas, actionable insights, expanded connections, new vendor partnerships, and signed RFPs.
This isn’t about sitting in meetings all day.It’s about compressing months of event sourcing into three dynamic, high-value days — and having a great time while you do it.
The Total Package
Hosted Buyers get complimentary travel, hotel, meals, and premium access throughout the event. It’s buyer-first, stress-free, and built to hit different. Here's the full package:
Airfare & Accommodations
As a Hosted Buyer at Connect Spring Marketplace, we’ve got your travel and stay covered. No stress, no hassle—just more time to focus on what really matters: finding the best solutions to power your events.
Intentional Connections
Our AI-powered marketplace appointments connect you directly with the nation's top destinations, venues, services, and solution providers in focused, 9-minute meetings.
Top-Notch Networking
Our networking events come in multiple formats and are designed to facilitate deep and meaningful interactions that result in lasting relationships.
Innovative Education
Receive relevant education and insights into emerging trends and challenges, connecting you with industry experts who know your market.
Easy to apply. Easy to attend.
Our Hosted Buyer Experience is designed to be clear, guided, and stress-free — with fast approval, personal support, and a meeting schedule built for efficiency.
How it Works
You show up ready. We handle the rest.
The Connect Spring Marketplace Hosted Buyer Experience is fully designed around you.
We cover your event badge, airfare or travel, hotel accommodations, and meals — so you can focus on what actually matters: event sourcing and building real partnerships. In exchange, you’ll participate in up to 40 curated 9-minute one-on-one meetings with participating Event Suppliers who are matched to your specific sourcing needs.
Your commitment is simple: show up, be present, and attend your pre-scheduled meetings. When you complete your assigned appointments, your $200 deposit is fully refunded. If meetings are missed, the deposit is forfeited.
It’s a professional exchange built on mutual respect — we invest in you, and you invest your time.
Simple. Clear. Worth it.
How to Qualify
10 minutes. One application.
If you’re actively sourcing for upcoming events and have real buying power, this program was built for you.
Here’s how it works:
1️⃣ Complete the Hosted Buyer application (it takes less than 10 minutes).
2️⃣ Submit a refundable $200 deposit to secure your spot.
3️⃣ Our Hosted Buyer Experience Team reviews your application.
If approved for our fully hosted program, you’ll be paired with a dedicated Hosted Buyer Experience Team member — your personal point of contact from start to finish. They’ll coordinate your travel, confirm your hotel stay, answer questions, and keep you in the loop about exclusive onsite perks.
And that $200 deposit?
You’ll receive it back once you complete your scheduled meetings.
No hoops. No hidden steps. Just a clear, guided path to Hosted Buyer status.
Connect Spring Marketplace Hosted Buyer Qualifications
You may be eligible to attend Connect Spring Marketplace as a Hosted Buyer if you meet one or more of the following criteria:
Association Hosted Buyers
- Must be an association meeting planner that is representing a nonprofit or membership-based company
- Must generate 50+ rooms on peak
- Must have the ability to rotate nationally
- Must demonstrate a solid 2-year event history with reference
Citywide Hosted Buyers
- Must generate 1,000+ rooms on peak
- Must utilize 100,000+ sq. ft of space
- Must have the ability to rotate nationally
Corporate Hosted Buyers
- Must be a corporate meeting planner that is representing a for-profit company
- Must generate 50+ rooms on peak
- Must have the ability to rotate nationally
- Must demonstrate a solid 2-year event history with reference
Diversity Hosted Buyers
- Must plan events for LGBTQ+, multicultural, women's groups, etc.
- Must generate 50+ rooms on peak
- Must have the ability to rotate nationally
International Hosted Buyers
- Must be booking international inbound travel to the US and/or Canada
- Must be looking to add new/exciting suppliers to packages
- Must have a website to review
Business Travel Hosted Buyers
- Must be a corporate travel executive or manager from a large corporation
- Must hold decision-making role or have the authority to negotiate partnerships and procure supplier contracts
- Must be interested in adding new and exciting suppliers like hotels, airlines, ground transportation, service/technology providers, and more
- Must agree to participate in the full schedule of pre-arranged marketplace appointments with North American suppliers
Alice Holden
Meetings and GVP Manager
Gold's Gym
I just want to say I had an AMAZING time at the Connect Spring Marketplace this week. The registration and appointment process was super easy and clear. I also went into the event thinking only about 30% of my appointments would be applicable to my current needs and I was pleasantly surprised that I could really use 70-80% of the companies I met within the next year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I qualify as a Hosted Buyer?
Each Connect event has unique criteria that must be met in order to qualify as a Hosted Buyer. Most events require the ability to rotate nationally and have at least 50 room nights on peak.
What is expected from a Hosted Buyer?
Upon completion of your Hosted Buyer registration, a member of our Hosted Buyer Experience team will contact you to confirm your spot as a Hosted Buyer. Once you are confirmed, we will finalize your accommodations and travel plans.
Approximately two weeks prior to the event, you will be asked to enter the event portal where you will request appointments with your choice of CVBs, hotels, resorts, and service providers. Shortly after that, we will finalize and confirm your appointment schedule and you'll be provided with a schedule of pre-set appointments.
Please come to the event with business in hand, honor your appointment schedule, and stay for the entire event.
How much does it cost?
When you apply for a Connect event, you’ll be asked to place a registration deposit (typically between $99 – $200, depending on the show that you registered for). If approved, we’ll provide your flight, hotel accommodations, and your registration at no cost. Upon the successful completion of your pre-scheduled one-on-one appointments, your registration fee will be refunded.
What happens if I can't attend all of my scheduled meetings?
No worries! If you already know that there are times you will not be able to take marketplace meetings, please let your hosted buyer representative know. Notifying our team ahead of time will eliminate any problems on site and ensure you have a smooth experience.
Can I bring my team?
Our Connect Group Registration allows you to bring members of your team to participate in our tradeshow, education, and networking experiences. Please contact your Hosted Buyer representative to learn more about our group rates.
What if I don't want to take meetings?
If you want to attend a Connect event without committing to pre-scheduled Marketplace Appointments, we invite you to attend as a non-hosted buyer. As a Connect Buyer you will be responsible for securing your own flights and hotels.
Your registration will include:
✅ 2-Day access to our dynamic marketplace
✅ Entrance to Connect Spring Marketplace networking events
✅ 10+ hours of educational content
✅ Special non-hosted buyer programming
Still have questions?
If you have any questions about our Hosted Buyer Experience please reach out to a member of our team.
Hosted Buyer Terms & Conditions
