CMW was one of the exhibitors as IMEX America brought the industry back together en masse for a Las Vegas spectacular.
The 11th edition ofIMEX America reunited many eventprofs in person after a long time apart. It closed in was 45% bigger than last year due to an easing of travel restrictions, plus 40% of returning exhibitors taking more booth space. The halls were busy and attendees certainly had to cover some ground to get round the new configuration. “We’ve certainly all got our steps in,” Bloom joked.
Across the board, international exhibitors returned in strong numbers. Of those who doubled the size of their booths, 24% were from North America, 23% were hotel groups, 15% were European and 12% from Asia. Latin America and tech exhibitors also showed significant increases.
Bloom added: “The size of this year’s show is obviously a function of many in Las Vegas on 13 October, following four days of business and networking that heralded a welcome return to form for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry.
Speaking in the show’s closing press conference at the Mandalay Bay, IMEX chairman, Ray Bloom, announced an overall participation of 12,000 people, of whom over 4,000 were buyers, 3,300 of these attending on the show’s hallmark hosted buyer programme.
Bloom explained that the 2022 edition the industry being able to travel and plan meetings again and to do so with certainty. It’s been a long time coming and, although we produced a great show last year, this week felt like the big comeback we’ve all been waiting for.”
“That’s not to deny that challenges remain. Equally, it seems buyers are being more discerning”, he added. “We’ve heard they’re preparing RFPs in more detail and being more rigorous in their selection criteria.”
Bloom explained that exhibitors had reported long pipelines, with business being placed as far out as 2028. Tourism Ireland announced they’d confirmed business to the value of€10m during the show, while Destination DC landed an RFP for a large event for the American Distilling Association in 2026.
Having welcomed the largest group of faculty members in the world to IMEX America, Bloom reminded his audience that IMEX purposefully gathers every corner of the global industry together. “We’re not just talking about buyers and suppliers from all corners of the world. Hundreds of students, our future leaders, have been here, learning and experiencing the industry first-hand and seeing it in full colour. And IMEX together with IAEE invite faculty here, too, delivering a programme tailored specifically for them.”
Some of the big themes percolating through from corridor conversations and speakers included: service levels, contracts, wellbeing and mental health; the pros and cons of distributed workforces; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI+B) and sustainability, both personal and environmental.
Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO, said: “Two concepts I take from this week are belonging and freedom of choice. The first is about making sure everyone feels welcomed – that they genuinely belong at our events and that our designs include them. The second is a call for planners to let go. To break free of over-scheduling and a ‘more is more’ approach. We need to put people first, give them more choice and pay more attention to what makes us all human. At its most basic, this means prioritising healthy nutritious food, clean water, time for rest, space for unscheduled connection and plenty of day light. Google’s Megan Henshall put it best: ‘Not only does the data show that belonging is good for business, but as designers we also need to do a better job of not asking people to leave their lived experience at the doors when they come to our events’.” Bauer concluded.
The press conference also heard updates from MPI’s chief brand officer, Drew Holmgreen, who spoke about the success of Smart Monday, funds raised at MPI Foundation’s Rendezvous and the association’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Steve Hill, CEO and president of the LVCVA (Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority) together with Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer and senior vice-president at MGM Resorts International, both spoke about the ongoing importance ofIMEX America to the city.
Exhibitor feedback was mostly positive. James Rees from ExCeL London, said: “We’ve met clients who we’ve previously hosted, such as VidCon, who are returning to us to discuss bringing their event back to our venue in 2024 and 2025. There’s been a huge shift of staff in the industry, so the show is a chance for us to meet our old contacts in their new roles and build relationships with new people.”
Visit Scotland’s Richard Knight, noted: “It’s all about filling that pipeline for 2023/2024 and planners are scouting many new venues and hotels. We are definitely taking inquiries and normally we convert a good proportion of these into business.”
This year’s show was also marked by a particularly strong turnout from North American exhibitors.
Amy Brown from Fort Worth Convention Bureau said they had invested in the show to have their own booth for the first time. “It’s been worth it and our partners are pleased. One of our hotel partners closed a deal at the show for a medical event.”
Sustainability is continuing its rise as a key driver of business conversations and Vancouver’s impressive track record played a part in securing new leads. Lacy Garvey from Destination Vancouver said they had received a number of city-wide leads at IMEX, “which for us is groups larger than 1,000 using the convention centre and at least three large hotels. One of the leads is a very large tech company which is very impressed with our sustainability practices – in fact, our focus on sustainability was one of the key deciding factors. They gave us feedback that we did a really good job of showing them that we don’t just say it – we actually live it.”
“Sustainability and wellbeing is now leading many of our conversations with planners”, added Suzanne Watson from Liverpool Convention Bureau. “We’re having detailed conversations about food waste, carbon footprint and wellness breaks.”
The show also fuelled fresh ideas as attendee, Li Hayes ofGo Leeward said: “What I love about this event is that it’s fresh. There are things here that I’ve never seen before. Things I’ve done that I’ve never done before.”
