Organisers reported that 3,000 buyers from over 60 countries were registered for IMEX Frankfurt, 23-25 May, just a few weeks out from the show. Buyer demand was tracking upwards, they said – a clear indication of the industry’s appetite to come together at this time and to address challenges and build forwards.
Sarawak, the largest of Malaysia’s 13 states, had its own stand for the first time and brought the region’s tourism minister to the show.
Hotel groups Accor, IHG Hotels & Resorts, NH Hotels and Radisson were among the exhibitors expanding their presence this year, along with destinations – Boston, Georgia, Los Cabos and Morocco.
Despite bumpy economic headwinds, demand for in-person events is strong and many parts of the global market, IMEX notes, are responding with investment in refurbishments, new properties, product innovations and enhanced attendee experiences.
IMEX Frankfurt set the stage for news announcements, including from Cairns Convention Centre, which is set to re-open this spring following a major refurbishment and expansion. The Asia Convention Alliance additionally held its inaugural event during IMEX, while Cvent was among the suppliers presenting new research.
Evergreen meets Human Nature
Education programming centres on IMEX’s 2023 Talking Point – ‘Human Nature’ – which gave attendees the chance to learn and embrace skills such as public speaking, experiential design and emotional intelligence as a leadership skill.
There were also sessions on contract negotiations, talent acquisition and management, incentive programming and food and beverage planning.
The free programme of 150 educational and networking events started with education for specialist audiences the day before the show, on Monday 22 May. This was followed by six tracks of general learning that ran Tuesday to Thursday on the show floor’s Inspiration Hub: Event Marketing is a new addition, while Technology and Innovation; Trends and Research and Experience Design are always in demand.
A new Business Practices track included the ever-popular Meeting Planner Toolkit, while a People and Planet track specifically addressed Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Professional and Personal Development, Leadership, Culture and Engagement, Wellbeing and Sustainability.
“While doing business and powering industry growth sit at the heart of our forthcoming show, IMEX Frankfurt is designed to deliver an enriching, broad experience that ripples further than the eye can see. We recognise that creating experiences, not events, is more important than ever and that people in our global industry also want to feel connected, revived and re-inspire,” said Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group.
Attendees confronted ‘uncomfortable conversations’ as wishing thinking and the ‘comfortable consensus’ are were challenged at the IMEX Policy Forum, 23 May. The Forum again brought together policy makers, destination representatives, business events association executives and other thought-leaders for a half-day of intensive discussion.
“It’s crucial that these conversations take place and that key decision makers experience first-hand the full breadth and clout of our marketplace,” said Natasha Richards, head of advocacy and industry relations at the IMEX Group.
She added: “To ensure future success for our sector, we need to chart a path where we can survive and thrive. To do this, we need to start holding uncomfortable conversations, not only with the usual suspects, our industry colleagues, and clients, but with sceptical policy makers and with experts who will challenge our assumptions and stretch us to find unexpected solutions!”
IMEX Frankfurt took place 23–25 May 2023.
