IMEX (Worldwide Exhibition for Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events)
Major trade show connecting event planners with venues, destinations, and suppliers worldwide.
Definition
IMEX is a leading trade show for the meetings, incentive travel, and events industry, held annually in Frankfurt and Las Vegas. The event connects event planners and corporate buyers with venues, destinations, hotels, convention centers, and suppliers.
Beyond exhibition floor business, IMEX features education programs, hosted buyer programs, and networking events. The show serves as a marketplace where significant event business is transacted.
Why It Matters
IMEX enables efficient venue and destination sourcing that would otherwise require extensive individual outreach. Planners can evaluate dozens of options in days rather than months.
For suppliers, IMEX provides access to qualified buyers actively seeking event solutions. The hosted buyer program ensures meetings with decision-makers rather than information gatherers.
Examples in Practice
An IMEX visit enables a corporate planner to shortlist three international destinations for their annual conference after 20+ meetings in three days.
A convention center's IMEX presence generates leads that convert to $2 million in event bookings over the following year.
Education sessions at IMEX introduce sustainability certification that the planner implements across their event portfolio, responding to corporate mandate.