The organiser behind The Pharmacy Show at the Birmingham NEC has told Exhibition News that this year’s show has been targeted by a bogus hotel booking agency.

Closerstill Media tells EN a company titled Convention Expo Travel has been contacting the October show’s exhibitors purporting to be the official hotel booking agency for the show, taking credit card details and bookings without then making bookings with the hotels concerned.

”We have discovered from fellow exhibition organising companies that other trade shows' exhibitors have also been approached in similar fashion,” says event director Michael Westcott. “If you are contacted by Convention Expo Travel, do not under any circumstances make a booking with them or give any credit card details.”

The show’s official agency for hotel accommodation is The Solutions Company, and Westcott advises exhibitors and visitors to book their accommodation through them.

Executive director of the Hotel Booking Agents’ Association, Peter Ducker, tells EN the practice “appears to be a criminal fraud, similar to those perpetrated by criminal online ticket touts for major sporting and entertainment events”.

“The company in question is not a member of the HBAA and is, I understand, based in Nevada. There are a number of posts on online forums regarding their practices in the USA, which suggest that this is not an isolated incident,” adds Ducker.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the editor on arc@mashmedia.net or contact Closerstill Media Healthcare on 01926 485151.