Update
IMEX will occur between May 23rd and May 25th, 2023. The trade show will take place in Messe Frankfurt. The fair will be face to face. At present, due to Germany lifting its domestic Covid-19 restrictions, the venue will not feature a safety plan. Attendees will be encouraged to follow guidelines such as sanitising their hands often. Due to the current travel limitations, attendees will not have to present 3G entry documents upon arrival in the country.
Calling Card
Founded in 2003, IMEX is the main event for the global meeting and events industry. It is the convergence location for professionals from over 160 countries. During the trade show, the meeting, and event industry gathers to network and gain new ideas. It takes place in Frankfurt’s leading venue, Messe Frankfurt.
Business Profile of the Event
IMEX is the main event for several sectors and industries. These include the advertising, marketing, paper and printing, media production and tourism industries. Visitors can meet hotel managers, event agencies, and convention centres. They will also encounter conference planners, event companies, airlines, and cruise organisers. They can furthermore meet national or regional tourist offices and convention bureaus. Exhibition venues, spa resort managers, technology providers and event management specialists likewise attend. IMEX is the main meeting hub for notable companies such as Maritim Hotels.
Did You Know?
IMEX is the main event for meeting and event industry specialists to network. The trade show is a valuable hub for gaining insight into new trends. It is furthermore the main location for exhibiting the latest industry innovations.
IMEX gathers in one location over 3400 convention centres, hotels, and incentive agencies. It furthermore attracts event companies, conference planners, airlines, and cruise organisers. During the fair, attendees can take advantage of various event opportunities. The opportunities include an extensive exhibition. It serves as the main event of IMEX’s support programme. During the exhibition, visitors, and exhibitors can conduct business on-site. This includes examining services and products and making purchases.
IMEX also has an immersive support program consisting of over 250 education events. This includes the EduMonday which provides a day of free professional development. Often, EduMonday features sub-events such as the Agency Directors Forum. It also incorporates the Exclusively Private and the She Means Business. Attendees can additionally attend the Association Focus and Association Social.
The Agency Directors Forum is a forum for small to mid-size independent agencies. It is the event during which strategic exchanges of information take place. This includes case study-led education sessions, discussion panels and network lounges. During the exchanges, professionals can learn solutions to various challenges. These can include, for example, organising events after the pandemic. The event often precedes the Exclusively Private sub-event.
The Exclusively Private is an education and networking forum for corporate executives. It resembles the Agency Directors Forum in several aspects. These include a detailed programme featuring case study-led education sessions. The schedule furthermore features discussions between peers as well as networking lounges. The topics vary from experiential marketing and innovation to reducing environmental impact.
EduMonday often includes the Association Focus and Association Social events. The Association Focus is an event exclusive for association leaders and events professionals. It is where such specialists can learn about innovative solutions to different challenges. Each session of the Association Focus has a leading industry figure as its speaker.
The Association Social marks the beginning of IMEX’s official event days. Association Focus attendees and members of several associations can attend the event. This includes the IAEE, ICCA, PCMA, ASAE, and AIPC associations.
EduMonday often features the keynote session She Means Business. The keynote honours the role of women in the meetings' industry. It is the location for both genders to meet and collaborate with inspiring speakers. During the keynote sessions, the topics focus on crucial issues faced by women today.
IMEX also has education events on the official exhibition days. One of them is the Policy Forum. It is the main occasion for influential industry leaders and policymakers. This is due to the event allowing them to discuss solutions to different challenges. Among them is redefining the impact of business events on destination ecosystems. At the Forum, visitors can meet both national and city policymakers. They can also network with association leaders, destination innovators and thought leaders. The Forum often includes collaborators such as Destination International.
Another education hub of interest is the Faculty Engagement Programme. It is the occasion during which academics, industry leaders gather. The Programme allows academics to network with industry leaders. During the Programme, attendants can discuss the latest trends, solutions, and innovations. This allows visitors to gain new insights as well as share experiences. Similar in intent is the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum. It is an event that allows hospitality students to gain industry insight. It is also the location for forming potential new connections and gaining recognition.
IMEX provides ample opportunities for networking and socialising with other attendees. Among the main ones is the SITE Nite Europe event. During the event, attendants gather to celebrate the official opening and network. The event serves a dual purpose, as it also raises funds for the SITE Foundation. During SITE Nite attendants can form new connections and strengthen previous ones. Attendants include members of the Foundation, incentive travel buyers and suppliers.
Another networking and socialising event is the Cim-clubbing @IMEX. It is an occasion for late-night revelry hosted by CIM. It allows attendees to connect to other attendants while unwinding. Similar is the Social Hour, where attendees can have a drink and speak to other visitors. There is also the Gala Dinner. During the Gala Dinner, visitors can form connections with potential partners and suppliers.
The event also marks the awarding of the IMEX and Industry Awards. These include the Paul Flackett IMEX Academy Awards. They furthermore feature the IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award. The Paul Flackett Award acknowledges attendants with outstanding contributions to the industry. The Sustainability Award rewards organisations. Ones that have made a significant commitment to reducing their impact on nature. IMEX is also a trade show that helps to promote networking through healthy yet unusual means. This includes the hosting of the IMEXrun - a 5 km run along the River Main.
IMEX is a trade show that can help professionals working in several industries. These include advertising, tourism, media production, marketing, paper, and the printing industry. It is an international fair that is a must-attend for:
- Major hotel companies
- Incentive and event agencies
- Convention centres
- Meeting and conference planners
- Event companies
- Airlines
- Cruise organisers
- National and regional tourist offices
- Conference and exhibition venues,
- Spa resorts
- Technology providers
- Event management specialists
IMEX has several events in its programme that can be beneficial to start-ups and students. These include the Gala Dinner and Awards, as well as the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum.
Your Hotel Room in Frankfurt
Invest in your business trip with hotel accommodation selected for your specific need. Travel 2 Fairs Ltd works with you to send you hotels in Frankfurt with an ideal location and price tag. This allows you to select the hotel offers that work best for you. Such as placing you near Messe Frankfurt for a quicker commute. We have long worked with large groups, so you can query for parties of twenty people and more. The entire registration process takes up to a day, and you leave all details to us. Also, Travel 2 Fairs ltd assists with logistics as well. You can request a rent-a-car or an airport transfer in both directions, whether it is private or shared.
Logistics
IMEX is an annual event organised by Regent Exhibitions Ltd at Messe Frankfurt. It is a trade show that takes place for 3 days with 1 pre-show day for a total of 4 event days. The opening and visiting hours vary. Exhibitors can enter the venue between 7 am and 10 am on the first day. On the second and third event day, they can visit the messe between 8 am and 10 am. IMEX ends for the day at 6 pm. Visitors of the fair can attend for the first two days from 9:45 am when the doors open to 6 pm. The opening hours for the trade show are between 9:45 am to 4:30 pm on the final day for visitors.
Visitors can reach Messe Frankfurt through several alternatives. These include metro, bus, taxi, train, or walking. For example, when travelling from the central station, you can choose between 3 options. By taxi, you will reach the venue in 8 to 10 minutes. Via the aboveground train, you will travel the same distance in 17 minutes. Should you opt to walk to the venue, note that the journey will take 35 minutes. Likewise, when commuting from Frankfurt Airport, you will reach the messe in 12 to 20 minutes by taxi. By public transport, you will travel the same distance in 35 to 50 minutes. It is not advisable to travel from the airport to the venue on foot.
Frankfurt is a large metropolis with extensive public transport links. These include trains, buses, and motorways. The metropolis offers a wide range of accommodation and dining options. For example, you can find over 30 or more hotels in the Altstadt or Old City district. Other popular areas for resting and dining include Sachsenhausen and Bockenheim.
Audience and Statistics
IMEX is a high-attendance and high-profile event. Its 2018 edition, for example, received 8828 attendees. The edition also received 206 media representatives and had 68500 pre-show appointments. Attendees of the fair represent close to 160 countries and 6 industries. Nations that send trade delegates to the trade show include:
- Germany
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Russia
- Italy
- China
- Brazil
- France
- The Netherlands
- India
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Belgium
- Turkey
Among the industries that attend IMEX are advertising, marketing and media production. They also feature the education, tourism, and printing industries.
Past Editions
2022
IMEX 2022 took place as a live event between 31.05.2022 and 02.06.2022 at Messe Frankfurt. The venue did not feature strict Covid-19 safety measures due to the country removing its related domestic restrictions. The event received 9,000 buyers including 3,000 hosted ones and 2,300 exhibitors.
