With an anticipated record number of buyers – well over 4,000 – and 60,000 meetings already booked, the upcoming edition of IMEX America will showcase a global business events industry more resilient and hungrier for business than many had predicted, or even dared hope.
“All our numbers have been on an upward trajectory since registration opened. But it’s not about celebrating big numbers for their own sake, it’s about what these metrics say about the state of our industry. Even our specialist education programs all have waiting lists, which is a first this far from opening day. In an era marked by so much uncertainty, these are good indicators that the global events sector is not only healthy but also more robust than many thought,” says Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO.
Such has been the interest, the IMEX team has negotiated extra hotel room blocks, hosted buyer buses and catering services. It has also expanded the hosted buyer lounge by 10,000 sq. feet (to 40,000 sq. feet) and ordered close to 200 extra seats from lounge sponsors, Cort.
Brands launch into US market
Virtually all countries of the world will be represented on the show floor at the Mandalay Bay, starting Tuesday 17 October. The enduringly competitive hotel sector will feature a wide variety of on-booth activations and engagement opportunities and will account for its largest share of floor space ever. Dozens of new North American suppliers will feature alongside established names plus a strong showing from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Australia. African and Indian suppliers will also be present. Exhibitor expansion in sectors including cruise lines, technology, hotels and incentive travel means the scope of the show is also broader than in recent years, while those using IMEX America to launch brands into the US market include ICC Wales (UK) and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.
Knowing that event size alone is no longer the attraction it used to be, the team has made the show experience easier to personalize and adapt based on an attendee’s commercial role, special interests, learning ambition, business goals or whether they’re a first-timer or seasoned attendee. New features in the improved show app make planning meetings easier and more foot-friendly. Buyers can book meetings direct from the interactive floor plan meaning they can easily schedule meetings one after the other on adjacent or nearby booths to save time. They can also book meetings via the app every day of the show. Such innovations have been led by IMEX’s person-first approach to technology transformation.
IMEX America starts with Smart Monday, powered by MPI on Monday October 16, followed by its three-day trade show October 17-19 at Mandalay Bay.