Monthly Archives: January 2022

IMEX America 2021 Gets the Band Back Together!

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The 10th edition of IMEX America held November 9-11 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas was as much a global homecoming as it was the annual bringing together of thousands of buyers and suppliers in the meeting, convention, and incentive travel market. The IMEX team headed up by Carina Bauer and Ray Bloom did a superhuman job of planning and executing an event that was in danger of being derailed by many “new world” challenges along the way…not the least being the uncertainty of border reopening’s and the certainty of Covid 19 protocols. To quote Carina, “ We were buoyed up knowing you were watching, waiting and willing it into life because it means so much to our global industry.”

As always, along with face to face business, IMEX America offered a wide range of education sessions, a new People & Planet Village with a fruit and vegetable juice bar serving healthy drinks made from imperfect and surplus fruits and vegetables, sustainability and diversity themed panels, one of the largest ever Tech Therapy Hubs and a daily wellbeing program.

However, as the industry’s very first international event to open once the U.S. travel ban was lifted (in the nick of time) on Nov. 8, regeneration and recovery were the main order of business. Roundtables were formed where planners and suppliers offered the wisdom they gained professionally and personally throughout the 18-month interruption of in-person meetings to become better able to thrive in the post-pandemic environment.

The ConventionPlanit.com team (Katherine and David Markham, JoAnn Hoffman, Maureen Pickell and Lynne Wellish) is still reeling from working an exhibition that gave approximately 8,500 participants the long awaited opportunity to do business face-to-face. The 2,220 exhibitors representing 200 countries along with 3,000+ buyers saw strong business produced for the exhibiting companies as a result of the 50,000 appointments. These business statistics are admirable but what was even more impressive (yet immeasurable) was the sheer joy and energy generated throughout the exhibition hall as business professionals came back together to pick up right where they left off two years ago.

Final note: The upbeat mood only increased over the three day event as the absolute scope and scale of this year’s show paid testimony to the resilience and adaptability of the global events industry. Thus IMEX America 2021 provided the “shot in the arm” needed by all that could never be duplicated by any vaccine known to modern medicine!

Mark your calendar and see you next year for IMEX America #11 – to be held October 11-13, 2022 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

CCH-Congress Center Hamburg

Since January 2017, the CCH has been undergoing comprehensive remodeling and modernization. Upgraded to the most advanced standards, and offering a wealth of flexible options, the new CCH will be an ideal venue for the varying requirements of today’s conventions and events when it reopens in 4th quarter of 2021. What can our customers expect:

• 12,000 sqm of exhibition space
• 12,000 sqm of foyer space – Hamburg’s largest venue for special events
• 12,000 seats in up to 50 halls and rooms
• CCH team with many years of congress and events know-how and solid expertise across a wide range of modern event formats
• new services + sustainable CCH catering concept

The new CCH will be able to accommodate several concurrent events practically without limitations.

Situated in the immediate vicinity of the city center, yet surrounded by lush vegetation – time and again our guests are enthusiastic about the privileged location of the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. The local infrastructure available to our customers is exceptional: The CCH is located next to the Dammtor mainline train station and various public transit stations as well as numerous hotels, and Hamburg’s popular city center surrounding the Alster lakes are just a few hundred meters away.

With its economic power, a brilliant scientific community, with its impressive cityscape including the new HafenCity district, the Elbphilharmonie complex and the iconic Alster lakes, and with its rich cultural life, Hamburg is well known as a highly attractive city for events of all kinds.

Welcome to the new CCH, it will be one of Europe’s leading convention centers!

IMPORTANT: IMEX in Frankfurt date change: 31 May – 2 June 2022

Like everyone in the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry, we’re now well practiced at knowing when – and when not – to push ahead with a plan!

The recent rise in Omicron cases combined with our desire to give our business community certainty has led us to push IMEX in Frankfurt back by five weeks. 

Rather than 26 – 28 April 2022, our 20th anniversary show will now take place Tuesday 31 May to Thursday 2 June. Read our news announcement here (in English and German).

Thanks to Messe Frankfurt’s flexibility, these new dates will give our clients, their customers, suppliers and partners more leeway and time to prepare.

We’re announcing our decision today to give you the time and space to plan with confidence and to do so to your desired event standards.  

Rest assured, now that we’ve delivered a successful IMEX America for 8,500 people under carefully controlled health and safety conditions, we’re on your side and confident in our experience and ability to deliver a business-strong, safe, secure and enjoyable 20th anniversary IMEX in Frankfurt this May.  

We look forward to seeing you there! 

To your continued health and business regeneration in 2022,

IMEX Group Chairman, Ray Bloom
 CEO, Carina Bauer