It is with great regret and disappointment that today we are announcing that we have made the difficult decision to cancel IMEX America 2020, due to take place at the Sands Expo, Las Vegas from September 15-17. 

Our industry has been impacted heavily by the global lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we know how many of you were looking forward to coming together again in Las Vegas this fall. We’re acutely aware that since lockdown began, IMEX America 2020 has come to represent a beacon of hope for the entire business events community. We assure you, no-one is more disappointed than the IMEX team that we can’t fulfil that expectation. 

However, we must also be realistic about the current reality. There are three main reasons why we’ve taken the decision to cancel IMEX America 2020. 

First and foremost is our responsibility to our exhibitors to deliver a return on the investment they make in the show. We do this through our guarantee of delivering a high quality, large-scale hosted buyer program. With corporate travel bans still in place and uncertainty over continued global travel restrictions, we’re sadly in no position to offer that guarantee. 

Second is the issue of timings. As industry professionals you know that a show of the scale of IMEX America doesn’t happen overnight. Our industry supply chain and the investments that our exhibitors make in the show start now. It’s therefore important that we make this decision at a time when we’re still able to reduce the risk and exposure for our exhibitors, partners and suppliers. 

Finally, IMEX America is a truly global show, with over a third of the 13,000+ industry professionals attending from outside North America. Global travel restrictions and uncertainties around when they might be lifted make it impossible for a large proportion of our exhibitors, buyers and key industry professionals to commit to attending. And, whilst the global events industry is proudly distinct from the travel and tourism sector, nothing has demonstrated our interlinked fortunes and dependencies more keenly than the current crisis. 

It is for these reasons that we’ve taken the difficult decision to cancel IMEX America for 2020. Our team has spent the past few weeks in constant contact with our exhibitors, partners and suppliers and we’ve been overwhelmed by, and so grateful for, the support we’ve received. 

Many in the industry took part in our PlanetIMEX activities during May. We’ll continue to work on this virtual platform and the industry can expect to see innovations and plenty of fresh activity online during September and beyond. We know that nothing we do online can make up for the loss of meeting, celebrating and doing business together face to face in Las Vegas at what would have been the 10th anniversary of IMEX America. We’ll miss shaking your hands, giving our industry friends a well-earned hug and looking you in the eye with a warm smile. However, true to the spirit of IMEX and our heartfelt commitment to the industry we love, we’ll do our very best to deliver our customary high-quality content, business connections plus a dash of fun through our online experience until we can all meet again. 

The IMEX Team will also be extremely busy planning forward confidently and with passion for IMEX in Frankfurt and IMEX America 2021, when we look forward to welcoming back the global business events community face to face.  

We believe strongly in the resilience, flexibility and creativity of our industry. We’re optimistic that meeting face to face will play an important role in helping our economies and all the industries we serve to regenerate and recover. We’re certain that globally there’s a great deal of pent-up demand to come together for both business and for pleasure, once it is safe to do so. 

We WILL meet again and, like you, we can’t wait for that moment to come.  

With very best wishes, 

Ray and Carina

Medical and healthcare association professionals discuss trends and disruptors

Medical and healthcare association professionals had the opportunity for tailored learning and networking at IMEX America, held recently in Las Vegas.

Association Forum, supported by the IMEX Group and sponsored by Visit Phoenix, delivered a bespoke pilot program for the healthcare association community. Association Forum brought its signature Healthcare Collaborative to IMEX America for the first time, delivering an in-depth conversation on Trends and disruptors impacting healthcare and medical meetings in conjunction with Visit Phoenix. The Healthcare Collaborative is an interdisciplinary community of healthcare associations and stakeholders convened to identify pressing issues to address in common, as opposed to individually.

Academics, association CEOs and meeting planners all took part in the high-level roundtable discussion, which aimed to explore how the sector can be responsive to change while delivering value to stakeholders.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Hamed Abbaszadegan MD, MBA, FACP, Program director for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Clinical Informatics Fellowship program, shared his insights into the development of big data applications for front-line clinical care. “The proliferation of EHRs have allowed for structured data storage on a grand scale within health systems. This has led to new fronts in analytics long present in other industries. In order to future proof your memberships domain or practice in healthcare, you have to be intertwined with advanced analytics applications.”

The program which took place on Smart Monday, IMEX America’s pre-show day of learning powered by MPI​​​​​​, also covered content delivery and engaging experiences.

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, comments: “We’re delighted to partner with Association Forum to deliver a specially curated event for the medical association community.

“The opportunity to meet with and learn from people who share the same challenges is immensely important and goes a long way to furthering the industry as a whole. One of the core aims of the IMEX Group is to educate the industry, and opportunities for bespoke groups of people to collaborate are key.” 

Michelle Mason, President and CEO of Association Forum, comments: “Association Forum is pleased to collaborate with IMEX America to bring healthcare medical meeting education to the conference.  Healthcare and medical association meetings are experiencing an evolution.  Providing expert content and education to inform decisions and decision makers is critical.”

Association Forum’s Healthcare Collaborative Roundtable joins the Association Leadership Forum, created by ASAE at IMEX America as a tailored learning and networking opportunity for association professionals, open to association leaders including CEOs, COOs, presidents, executive directors, secretary generals, chairs and board members.
IMEX America took place September 10 – 12 in Las Vegas.

#IMEX19 

With a recent World Economic Forum report (Global Gender Gap Report 2018) projecting it would take 202 years for men and women to reach economic parity, gender equality remains a pressing issue. It’s one that tops the agenda at She Means Business, part of IMEX America taking place September 10 – 12 in Las Vegas.

She Means Business, a joint event by IMEX and tw magazine, supported by MPI, will launch at the show following its success at IMEX in Frankfurt, bringing with it trail-blazing speakers and a commitment to collaborate and make a difference to the 21st century workplace. 

Gender equality: less words and more action?

Dr. Mara Harvey, Head Global UHNW Germany, Austria, Italy of UBS Switzerland AG, delivers the keynote address – Gender equality: less words and more action? – explaining why actions speak louder than words in addressing barriers to economic equality. Beginning by exploring the root causes of the gender pay gap including the implicit meaning of semantics around risk and money, Mara will share her advice for boosting financial confidence across the generations, including stories and tools for tackling the glass ceiling.

She also joins a high caliber roster of speakers delivering punchy and powerful TED style mini presentations about women in business, delving into diversity, gender equality and female empowerment. 

Other speakers include Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line, Vicki Hawarden, VP Events for the Society for Human Resource Management and Melissa Ow, Deputy Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board.

Professional & personal – finding a better balance

The sandwich generation: Balancing career and family is one that will resonate with many professionals, both women and men. With event management regarded as one of the most stressful careers in the world (Forbes, 2017), managing family obligations and a career can be challenging. An expert panel will debunk the myths, share best practices and solutions – the speakers are: Nelly Mukazayire, CEO of Rwanda Convention Bureau; Nicole Bowman, VP Marketing & Communications at IAEE; and Dale Hudson, Knowledge and Events Director of the IMEX Group. 

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains: “Issues around diversity and gender equality are more important than ever and She Means Business will provide women in events and their male counterparts with a platform for deeper understanding and action. The launch of this new conference at IMEX America follows two years of growth and refinement at IMEX in Frankfurt. It’s a valuable opportunity for planners to collaborate with and learn from inspiring speakers on crucial issues facing women today and – like all IMEX education – there’s no charge to attend.”

Kerstin Wünsch, Editor-in-Chief of tw tagungswirtschaft and Co-Founder of She Means Business, says: “We’re very excited to introduce She Means Business to IMEX America, in partnership with MPI. The conference aims for diversity, gender equality and female empowerment – we believe that if we come together, we can make a change.”

“We are thrilled to support She Means Business – an innovative and inspiring program in partnership with our strategic partner, IMEX Group,” said Paul Van Deventer, CEO and President of MPI. “Diversity and inclusion are at the core of MPI and we know the strong impact this program will have on our community.”

She Means Business takes place on Smart Monday, powered by MPI, a pre-show day of education on September 9, the day before IMEX America September 10 – 12 .

Registration for the show is free of charge and open to all who work in the meetings, events and incentive travel industry.

CCH Congress Center Hamburg sponsors the keynote at She Means Business. Singapore Tourism Board is the golden sponsor. 

#IMEX19 
#shemeansbusiness

With just a few weeks to go until IMEX America returns to Las Vegas, destinations, venues and suppliers from around the world and across North America are gearing up to showcase their latest products and services for meeting and event planners. There’s plenty of news to share – from new venue and hotel openings, redevelopments, innovative incentive activities and a strong focus on sustainable meetings and events (read more in the IMEX America show preview).

The expanded show floor at IMEX America, taking place September 10 – 12 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center at The Venetian® | The Palazzo® in Las Vegas, will be home to around 3,500 suppliers from 150 countries including new exhibitors Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau, Leonardo Hotels, The Hoxton, Destination Cleveland, Los Cabos Tourism Board as well as an extended Tech Pavillion showcasing the latest event tech innovations. 

To date, more than 30 current exhibitors have expanded their presence at the show, including Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Bureau, Royal Caribbean International, Hyatt Hotels, NYC & Company, Hungary and Dallas.

North America in the spotlight – 100 booths, 40 states

Around 4,000 qualified buyers will come together during the three days of the show to plan and book everything from high-level incentives to huge association conventions as well as to make important new contacts, strengthen existing relationships and seal critical business deals. This year planners doing interstate business in North America will find 100 booths representing over 1,000 suppliers from 40 states including individual destinations such as Wilmington, Jackson Hole, Spokane and Albuquerque.

Attendees can also dive into all things experiential at a new Discovery Zone, dedicated to experimentation and immersive activities. This forms part of the show’s focus on Imagination, IMEX’s Talking Point for this year. Planners can also get stuck into practical hands-on workshops and experience truly immersive role play with surprise sensory components.  IMEX America’s new Discovery Zone is designed to fuel fresh thinking and encourage creative risk-taking.

Explore high-stakes decision-making

Immersive learning experiences don’t get more interactive – or dramatic – than InsideRisk’s session – What kind of leader are you under maximum pressure? Based on the true story of Swiss executive J.P. Mottu, who in 1988 found himself in charge of saving a young engineer kidnapped by Colombian rebels, the program thrusts participants into real-life negotiations that have been kept secret for over 25 years.

The multi-media workshop, taking place on Smart Monday – IMEX’s pre-show day of education, is designed to help leaders dramatically increase their trust-building and critical thinking abilities. Participants experience high-stakes situations individually and in groups, exchanging invaluable insights and forging memorable relationships with peers.

Laughter is the best medicine

By contrast, another immersive activity sure to bring a smile to attendees’ faces, will be laughter yoga at the new Laughter Lab. Part of the Inspiration Hub, sponsored by Maritz Global Events, home to all show floor education, the Laughter Lab hosts several sessions on the power of laughter by Sarah Routman from Laugh for the Health of It, LLC. Laughter yoga encourages creative play with prolonged voluntary giggles that start intentionally and become spontaneous, providing plenty of positive health benefits.

There are many opportunities to relax and revive during busy days at the show, starting with the Be Well Lounge, brought to the show by Lee Papa’s Mindfulness Lounge™ and supported by Imprint Events Group. Rise early for the IMEXrun (registration now live), sponsored by Italian National Tourist Board – ENIT, CORT, Hilton and Maritz Global Events, or take part in daily 7 a.m. mind, body and soul movement classes with live music, courtesy of JessicaMicheletti.com. Alternatively, attendees can learn how to weave wellbeing into their own events by following the dedicated health and wellbeing education track or trying out new ‘Nook Pods’. The pods, which were a big hit at IMEX in Frankfurt, recognize that acoustics affect our wellbeing – in particular the 30-50% of people who are introverts. They provide a quiet, private space to recharge or simply to concentrate.

Education remains a firm focus of IMEX America and there are more than 180 learning opportunities over the entire show this year – all free of charge and designed for meetings and events industry professionals at all levels, both buyers and exhibitors. Education sessions cover 10 tracks including Business Skills, Creative Learning, Personal Development, Technology and Trends & Research. Each track provides fresh thinking and new learning formats designed to make meetings more engaging, embrace new ways of thinking and human behavior, consider big trends and issues, and explore innovation and imagination. 

IMEX America takes place September 10 – 12, 2019, with Smart Monday, powered by MPI on September 9. Registration for the show is free of charge and open to all who work in the meetings, events and incentive travel industry.

For quick and easy information or news about the show, search #IMEX19 or experience IMEX on YouTube.