Relive the IMEX magic. Read our show review.

Strong, irrepressible, forward-facing

The "super bowl of the events industry."

Thought-provoking, immersive, multi-sensory

"People! Relationships! Shared purpose!"

The need to connect, the curiosity to learn

"These in-person moments matter."

Purpose, power (and carpet patterns)

"The real value is in the number of new faces you meet."

From the IMEX stage

Holly Ransom on what it takes to lead now.

Exhibitor news

All the news from our exhibitors.

Strong, irrepressible, forward-facing: “The super bowl of the events industry”

IMEX America 2025 was a record-breaking statement. A statement of strength, of unity, of what’s possible when our global business events community shows up in full force.

With the biggest exhibit space to date, 92,000 scheduled meetings and 17,600-plus of you filling every corner of the show, this year’s show more than lived up to its new strapline (coined by Steve Hill, LVCVA CEO and President at the closing press conference)—“the super bowl of the events industry”.

Together, we proved that our industry is not just resilient, it’s thriving, ambitious and facing firmly forward.

“This is the busiest IMEX I’ve ever had. We’ve had great conversations, concrete RFPs and every supplier on the booth is very happy.”

Simon Kromer, Manager Corporate, Vienna Convention Bureau

“We’ve confirmed a major piece of business with a global tech company—a win that not only covers our investment for this year, but for many more years to come.”

Jordan Walker, Co-founder, Backtrack, US

“Two major events have been confirmed at the show. An incentive for 50 people from an AI company, worth over $90,000 and a major medical association congress.”

Jittanun Techasarin, Director Conventions, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau

Explore all the stats from a record-breaking show here

Thought-provoking, immersive, multi-sensory

The IMEX America education program—300-plus sessions across nine dynamic tracks—buzzed with irrepressible IMEX energy. Smart Monday, powered by MPI, delivered a thought-provoking start that set the tone for the rest of the week, with the Inspiration Hub and learning spaces across the show floor, bubbling with ideas, connection and curiosity.

More than 3,500 of you joined us for immersive sessions covering everything from measuring joy and designing for inclusion, to thinking like a pilot and setting burnout-proof boundaries. Standout moments included MPI keynote, Rob Lawless, on the untapped value of human connection, and Cirque du Soleil’s Chief Show Operations Officer, Duncan Fisher, on how to run your global business like a circus.

Multi-sensory activations spilled across the show floor and beyond—from Encore’s extraordinary train experience to Destination Toronto’s mind-bending mirror box, from Major League Baseball’s invitation to hit a homerun to IMEX team favorite, MPI’s Paws for a Break.

Booths across the show floor took exhibit design to a new level, from Peru’s smile-inducing pompoms and invitation to step right into the country’s spectacular scenery, to Los Cabos’ painterly aerial marine-scapes, to Savannah’s invitation to sit on the stoop below moss-laden trees.

Biophilic design was evident everywhere, from Tucson’s vibrant desert blooms to Singapore’s verdant living walls, from Japan’s cherry-blossom-strewn booth to MGM’s wonderful wishing tree.

And striking digital displays had the power to make every attendee stop and stare, from the Dominican Republic’s mesmerizing underwater world to Visit Anaheim’s gorgeous multi-surface, ever-changing psychedelia.

“People! Relationships! Shared purpose! One of the greatest gifts of attending IMEX America is the chance to truly connect with people from every corner of our industry and the world. It’s about catching up with familiar faces, forming new friendships, exchanging ideas, and learning from one another’s cultural perspectives.”

Melissa Acosta, Founder/CEO, Cultural Spark, US (on LinkedIn)

Insight, energy, connection: Smart Monday, powered by MPI

Smart Monday delivered a day of standout experiences, insightful education and inspiring events—all designed to energize and connect our global meetings and events community. Mandalay Bay’s North Convention Center was abuzz, with events spilling out to venues along the Strip, drawing in hundreds of association, agency and corporate event professionals.

Headline programs included Association Focus, created by ASAE and sponsored by Visit San José; Executive Meeting Forum, sponsored by Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau; Corporate Focus; She Means Business brought to you by IMEX and tw magazine, and supported by MPI; and the USBI Speaker Showcase.

The day wrapped with a joy-filled 90s-themed SITE Nite at the INDUSTRIAL and the industry-star-studded EIC Global Awards Celebration hosted by MGM at Bellagio Resort & Casino—a fitting close to a day that began with Rob Lawless’s MPI keynote on the power of human connection. A day that gave us fresh energy, clear direction and renewed purpose for the week ahead.

“Every session feels relevant to what’s happening right now. The content evolves as fast as the industry does. Free, high-quality education days matter more than ever. Budgets are tight, and this kind of access is a real gift.”

Sydney Healey, Sound Planning Meetings & Events, US

The need to connect, the curiosity to learn

Whether you were deep in conversation at a VIP reception, exploring new ideas at one of our headline events, or running past a sphinx, under an obelisk, and up and down (several) flights of stairs (thank goodness for traffic light breaks) on the IMEXrun, the need to connect and the curiosity to learn stood out, forming the threads that wove the IMEX America 2025 experience together.

“These in-person moments matter. The conversations, the unexpected sparks—you can’t replicate online. They remind us that in-person isn’t optional. It’s essential to building trust, clarity and momentum.”

Joel Walton, Senior Director, Business Events Strategic Initiatives, Destination Canada (on LinkedIn)

That spirit of curiosity and connection was alive across the show—from the eager-to-learn students at the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum to the event professionals exchanging Inspiration Hub insights and a-ha moments. From the Rendezvous revelers raising the roof (if Drai’s had one) and helping to raise a fantastic $700,000 to support the MPI Foundation, to the VIP guests at the 750 incremental events taking place around the city.

“Once again, our industry rallied to celebrate the power of good. Our efforts to support our global industry and its members is largely funded by multiple events throughout IMEX America week. Our partners and guests were amazing! We’re so pleased to share that our cumulative activities totaled over $700,000 that ultimately helps hundreds of individuals and organizations now and next year.”

Kevin Kirby, Executive Director, MPI Foundation

Welcoming well-being

Well-being played a starring role too, with hundreds of you joining the IMEX Well-being Challenge, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment, stepping out on to the Strip for a Las Vegas walking tour with Go! Running Tours and pulling on IMEXrun tees to take part in our signature Strip dash, sponsored by Westin Hotels & Resorts.

For those seeking a moment or two of calm, the sumptuous Resilience Room—powered by Hello! Destination Management—offered a welcome pampering pause. And the new Circadian Cove from Olympian Meeting and #Fit4Events became a hub for wellness explorers and wellness champions alike (how many push-ups can you do?!).

“Many people have likely left Vegas a different person than when they arrived. And certainly, if they attended IMEX America. Walking through this experience felt like stepping through a doorway. One that opened onto new perspectives, connections and possibilities. And what stood out the most? A growing focus on human-centric wellness and mental health-based experiences.”

Megan Nolan, Conference & Event Wellness Expert, Vitality Wellness (on LinkedIn)

Purpose, power (and carpet patterns)

It’s hard to believe it’s over—but the countdown to next October (13–15) has already begun. “After IMEX is before IMEX” as one of our show attendees so aptly put it. Until then, stay IMEX connected by joining our community. And if you cannot wait until October 2026 (we can’t), we’ll see you even sooner at IMEX Frankfurt (May 19–21, 2026).

And while we’re about it, here are the dates through to 2030, so you can make IMEX the bi-annual anchor in your global events calendar.

“IMEX America, you did not disappoint! Three jam-packed days of appointments, countless walk-ups, and non-stop energy on the show floor (if my feet could talk, they’d be demanding a spa day!). From the legendary SITE Nite to the DMC Network Night, the networking, the laughs and the sheer passion for our industry were next level.”

Andrea Molnar, Sales and Partnerships Manager, Experience Gold Coast (on LinkedIn)

“My camera roll is 90% blurry selfies and 10% interesting carpet patterns. That’s how I know IMEX America was a success. You can measure a show’s ROI in leads, but the real value is in the number of new faces you meet… in finding out about the things you didn’t even know were out there. New ideas, new partnerships, new ways of looking at old problems.”

Dave Childs, SWX Global, US (on LinkedIn)

“This was a record-breaking week where we’ve seen firsthand how transformative it is for our industry to meet face to face, to shake hands, do business and build bonds. The strength in numbers across the board is a sign of a sector that’s both purposeful and powerful right now.”

Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group

Download the show stats

From the IMEX stage: What it takes to lead now

Holly Ransom, CEO, Emergent Global, and trusted moderator for global leadership forums, gives us her take on IMEX America 2025.

There was something different about IMEX America this year.

Walking the floor in Las Vegas two weeks ago, I felt a palpable shift in energy—more confidence, sharper focus, genuine optimism. Conversations weren't dominated by survival-mode thinking. Instead, people were leaning forward, sharing wins, exploring what's next. It was energizing to witness an industry not just bouncing back but genuinely thriving.

Under IMEX Talking Point, Impact 2.0: Activating the Future, I had the privilege of exploring what leadership really looks like when certainty isn't part of the equation—through a talk and two candid conversations that cut right to the heart of that challenge.

Building your emotional AQ

In my talk, I shared strategies that top leaders use to manage their emotional AQ (adversity quotient): how well you navigate your own emotions during change while helping others through uncertainty's emotional toll.

Drawing from my work with world leaders, Olympic champions and transformative CEOs, we explored three practical levers: micro recovery, return on energy (not just time) and “to-test lists” that replace overwhelming to-do lists with experiments worth trying.

Leading in extreme times

That theme continued in my panel exploring the IMEX report How to Lead with Impact in Extreme Times, featuring Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group; Dr. Ferron Gray, President, Grae Matta Foundation, and Don Welsh, President and CEO, Destinations International. We explored how the clearest leaders don't raise their voices in a noisy world—they prioritize clarity, listen deeply, and sometimes slow down to see possibilities others miss in the rush.

One line from Ferron captured it perfectly:

"We don't get to choose the pressure, but we do get to choose our priorities."

At the center of our discussion was this truth: high-impact leaders aren't trying to outrun uncertainty—they're building clarity within it. And critically, they're doing the internal work themselves, modeling consistency and courage that teams need to see. Not commanding from the front, but serving from within.

What Cirque du Soleil can teach us about agile leadership

While the panel explored the mindset behind leading in extreme times, my conversation with Duncan Fisher, Chief Show Operations Officer, Cirque du Soleil, brought those ideas vividly to life.

Duncan leads an operation responsible for over 8,000 shows a year, across six continents—high-stakes leadership in every sense. When I asked what it takes to lead in that level of complexity, he offered a phrase that stuck with me: “Empowered execution.”

During the pandemic, Cirque went from a billion-dollar company to zero revenue almost overnight. With no playbook and no certainty, Duncan’s team rebuilt from the ground up—not by centralizing control, but by distributing it.

Each show became its own agile unit, tasked with relaunching itself, and within 18 months Cirque had reopened every major production worldwide.

And here’s the key: they didn’t do it by trying to control the chaos. They did it by providing clarity of purpose, trust and the systems to enable real-time decision-making on the ground.

“We focus on the what and the why,” Duncan told me. “Then we trust our teams to figure out the how.”

This is what modern leadership demands: not tighter control, but stronger clarity, shared purpose and trust in the people closest to the action.

Why these conversations matter

What I love most about IMEX is how it brings people together—not just to connect, but to grow, learn and lead better.

This year’s conversations were a powerful reminder that the best leaders aren’t waiting for stability—they’re creating clarity, anchoring their teams to purpose, and building the kind of trust and momentum that can carry us forward in any conditions.

PS. I’ll be sharing more from my conversation with Duncan Fisher in the November edition of Conversations That Matter, my monthly email exploring bold ideas and better leadership.

Holly Ransom at IMEX America