IMEX 2026: The ancient art of people finding people

IMEX 2026 was many things.

It was “the closest functioning approximation to the United Nations the contemporary world has produced” according to David Adler, Curator in Chief, Gathering Point News.

It was where you could “take the temperature of what’s happening on the ground.” Where 5,000-person conferences were won.

It was where board meetings in the Serengeti were discussed. Where informed buyers arrived having already done their research. Where clarity and direction were curated for a world in constant flux.

But above all, what shone through—from the very first moment of the show—was this: behind the record-breaking numbers (13,500-plus global suppliers and event professionals coming together for 73,000 meetings across IMEX Frankfurt’s largest ever floor space); behind the 200-plus-session-strong education program; behind the carefully considered Hall 9 redesign, behind how much design mattered on the show floor, and “behind the perfectly planned networking”—there was “still something beautifully ancient going on.”

“People looking for people.”

“IMEX is such a powerful platform because it removes that digital barrier—you’re sitting with people face to face, having real conversations. It’s where you can really take the temperature of what’s happening on the ground. There’s a real sense of global camaraderie—you’re all in the same boat, comparing notes, working through uncertainty together.”

Exhibitor Mohammad Almail, Manager PR and Communications, Dubai Business Events

“Our calendar has been fully booked every day from 10am to 4pm. There’s been a lot of interest for pharmaceutical, medical and tech meetings, as well as meetings around the Olympics. Being here to amplify awareness of the value meetings and events bring to Los Angeles has been really valuable for us.”

Exhibitor Mario Thompson, Chief Sales Officer, Los Angeles Tourism

“I had many walk-ups today with some very promising inquiries, including one from a Portugal-based agency wanting to place an incentive for 90 people from the pharmaceutical sector. She’d done her research around our destination, so we were able to talk specifics—it’s very promising.”

Exhibitor Natalie Tenzer-Silva, Director, Dana Tours, Mozambique

“We’ve secured a number of major events at the show, including the International Conference on Family Planning, which will bring 5,000 delegates to Pattaya in 2027. Other confirmed wins include a 1,000-person medical congress in 2029, a 1,000-person corporate meeting for an internet company in 2028, and a 6,000-person conference in the digital sector.”

Exhibitor Dr Supawan Teerarat, President, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau

“We’ve had inquiries from key markets in Europe and the US, as well as elsewhere in Africa. Buyers are interested in using their meetings to tap into the natural wonders and cultural heritage of our location. We discussed with one buyer the option of hosting a board meeting in the Serengeti—it’s possible!”

Exhibitor Philip Chitaunga, Director of Business Services, Arusha International Conference Centre, Tanzania

Explore all the stats from a record-breaking show here

“The place where our industry comes together”

There’s no party quite like an IMEX party as the whirlwind of Association Social, CIMclubbing@IMEX, SITE Nite Europe, the IMEX Gala and Awards, and the many, many events of the (unofficial) 2026 IMEX Festival Fringe proved.

At the IMEX Gala, outstanding award winners—including Paul Flackett Academy Award recipients, Ben Goedegebuure, BG Global Perspectives; Claire Smith, Convention Centres of Canada; Don Welsh, Destinations International and Sigrid Smuda-Fröschl, Munich Convention Bureau—were joined by Dennis Speet, Amsterdam Convention Bureau and Pier Paolo Marriotti, Eurac Research, who were presented with the CityDNA Summer School Award in celebration of the program’s 40^th anniversary.

The inaugural Place Leaders Forum demonstrated that the industry doesn’t just bring people together—it brings people together to get things done. More than 130 participants from over 60 destinations and venues, alongside policymakers from Angola, Mexico, Mozambique, Reykjavik and São Paulo, gathered to explore the evolving role of business events in driving economic and legacy impact.

Fueling the future from another angle, the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum returned in full force, welcoming event management and hospitality students eager to learn from the collective expertise and intelligence gathered at IMEX week.

“Seriously IMEX—how is it possible that in two and a half days you help us accomplish so much? Meetings, speaking sessions, press conferences, luncheons, networking, dinners, gala—and many, many conversations in between. Every year, IMEX feels like the place where our industry comes together, but this year felt especially full of energy, announcements, new ideas and real momentum.”

Hosted buyer Ori Lahav, CEO, Kenes Group, Israel on LinkedIn

“Time at IMEX just moves differently—different speed, different energy. There’s something about connecting face to face that’s so human and so needed.”

Exhibitor Claudia Bastidas Sandoval, Senior Marketing Manager, ICCA on LinkedIn

“Business is the reason, but it’s not the whole story (at IMEX). There’s also that less polished impulse to meet, to recognize a face, pick up a conversation where it was left or start one without knowing exactly where it will go. And maybe that’s why IMEX works so well—behind the perfectly planned networking, there’s still something beautifully ancient going on: people looking for people.”

Hosted buyer Sara Pirola, Communication Officer and CSR Manager, OIC Group, Italy on LinkedIn

Momentum builds for IMEX America and beyond

With registration opening in just a few short weeks, IMEX America (October 13-15, Las Vegas) is firmly in our sights.

IMEXscoop ice pop pop-up

And from San Antonio to screens around the world, our business events community hasn’t paused for breath. MPI WEC (June 1 to 4) is already in full swing, and if you’re lucky enough to be there, you might just catch the IMEX team on stage, or handing out ice pops at IMEXscoop’s very own paletas pop-up.

EVENTASTIC times

Also, this week, EVENTASTIC (June 4 to 5) is set to connect thousands more virtually, with a program built around practical insights, real-world strategies and industry experts (including our very own CEO, Carina Bauer). It’s free to attend, but demand is high—so save your seat here

IMEX America shaping up

This year’s show is shaping up as an essential meeting point. As ever, business is at the core, with more than 92,000 scheduled meetings between global suppliers and planners in 2025. But what’s increasingly defining IMEX America is everything wrapped around those meetings: a carefully designed program of education and events reflecting our industry’s ever evolving challenges and opportunities—and continuing the conversation on our 2026 Talking Point, Design Matters.

From changing expectations around experience design to increasingly critical priorities such as sustainability, well-being and tech, the program mirrors the issues being worked through across the industry. The focus is practical rather than theoretical—cutting through the noise and information overload to offer clear ideas and insights that can be tested, adapted and applied.

The value of face to face

The value of coming together face to face has never felt more important. IMEX America delivers that at scale—on the show floor, in education sessions, in informal moments in between, or at one of the many social events around the city. From Smart Monday, powered by MPI to SITE Nite North America.

IMEX America 2026