Founder and Chair of the Centre for Events and Festivals, Dr Mike Duignan provides academic credibility to the recently released Canadian Legacy & Impact Study Final Report, stating, “This is a simple but rigorous framework of legacy drivers.” Duignan argues that there is a critical need for alignment between governments, DMOs, event owners and organisers,…
The Sustainable Event Goals are 13 interlinked goals designed to minimise negative environmental and social impacts while maximising positive economic outcomes, and translating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into clear, actionable, event-specific guidance for organisers, suppliers, destinations, and partners across the global Business Events ecosystem. From Kenes Group…
Kai Hattendorf synthesises the views of a panel of global Business Events leaders who shared their perspectives during IMEX on resilience preparedness, leadership transitions, non-linear backgrounds as an asset, the necessity of better impact metrics, and “trust” as the industry’s USP in the AI era.
GainingEdge experts summarise this year’s GainingEdge Knowledge Exchange at IMEX Frankfurt, themed on risk management: the business events industry does not lack experience with crisis, but lacks a shared structure for managing it. That gap, and what the industry can do about it, is what the session spent an hour unpacking.
The 2026 edition of IMEX Frankfurt closed today, confirming its biggest show floor to date, combined with strong buyer and exhibitor numbers. The show (May 19-21) saw almost 3,000 exhibiting companies, from destinations and venues to tech providers and event agencies, all representing the breadth of a future-focused global industry.
From Associations Commons, by Peng Ee Ooi: By every traditional measure, IFAT Munich 2026 is already a success story. The 2026 edition runs from May 4–7, 2026, celebrating its 60th anniversary, the event features 3,400 exhibitors and attracted 142,000 visitors from 170 countries, utilizing 300,000 square meters of space to showcase advancements in water, sewage,…
Saudi Arabia has invested billions to become a global meetings hub, but Routes World’s decision to move its flagship event to Frankfurt shows attendee confidence can outweigh even the most ambitious destination strategy. It will now run October 21–23 at Messe Frankfurt, instead of October 27–29 at Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center. From Skift…
Germany continues to strengthen its position as a leading destination for international meetings, congresses and events. The MICE sector remains stable, reinforcing the value of personal connections and strong networks. Despite global market pressures, Germany’s event industry continues to demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and a strong focus on quality and international appeal.
IMEX is set to bring a fresh perspective to destination strategy with the IMEX Place Leaders Forum on 19 May, bringing together senior executives from the Business Events community with policymakers and policy influencers, examining how place leadership is evolving to reflect the growing complexity of city and national economic decision-making. From HQ Magazine…
From Boardroom: The first details of the IMEX Frankfurt education program reveal a learning lineup designed to meet the industry exactly where it is today—and where it’s poised to thrive in the future. The program is rooted in real-world examples and shaped by the here and now, as IMEX’s Head of Programming explains…
This white paper is a timely contribution to the business events ecosystem. The insight gained from three ebx.lab editions is clear: the challenges facing stakeholders across the business events ecosystem are far more similar than expected, and the most effective solutions emerge where knowledge, data, perspectives, and resources are brought together through genuine collaboration.
The German Trade Show industry contributes around €30bn annually to Germany’s economic output and safeguards at least 280,000 jobs, according to a recent report from the economic research institute Prognos, commissioned by the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA). The study is based on surveys of over 33,700 visitors and 17,700 exhibiting companies…
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Eva started her career in the travel industry working as a Manager/Director for Thomas Cook and American Express Business Travel. After 6 years abroad in Ghana and Malta as an expatriate and family time she started working for Messe Frankfurt visitor services in 2006. After different roles and accompanying various projects within the visitor service…
VOK DAMS, one of Germany’s top (and globally-operating) corporate event organising companies, predicts the biggest trends for the coming year. Events will become even more strategically important in companies’ marketing and communication mixes, as the attention economy and community-building challenges become central concerns of companies both large and small.
ICCA will be present at IMEX in Frankfurt, the largest tradeshow in Europe for the meetings and event industry. With the Global Advocacy Alliance, ICCA aims to equip attendees with practical knowledge and tools to effectively advocate for the event sector’s interests, ultimately contributing to its growth and recognition.
At IMEX, the free professional education program includes 150+ in-depth seminars, hands-on workshops and specialist forums at each show, covering a wide range of industry insights, trends, and best practices. Spark your imagination at groundbreaking keynotes, soak up fresh ideas from experts and innovators, keep up with the latest event tech, polish your professional skills.
From Exhibition World: International consultancy for the for the exhibition and conference industry, Germany-based jwc GmbH, has announced a shake up in its management structure that sees former UFI CEO and MD Kai Hattendorf join as managing partner, and founder Jochen Witt transition to executive chairman. The leadership changes include Sebastian Witt also named as…
This unique business partnership case study from the world of exhibitions has a wide range of potential lessons for all sectors of the business events industry, not just for other trade show organisers. “What got us here will not get us there” has become an MBA cliche, but in this case Messe München and the…
This excellent overview of the conference discussions and presentations by Boardroom’s Vicky Koffa highlights key concerns and opportunities facing organisers of medical meetings, and points the way towards the sector’s future evolution, where patients may have just as much of a voice as researchers and practitioners, and impact and outcomes are the most important metrics.
This one-and-a-half-day event provides attendees with a unique opportunity to meet and network with European colleagues managing city cards schemes, to share knowledge and insights to stay ahead of the latest market trends & anticipate customers’ needs, helping participants to grow their business in a sustainable way as well as strengthening their professional expertise.
Participants gain insights into current issues, industry trends, and key customer perspectives, setting the stage for intense competition on the IMEX show floor. The Summit creates a global forum to assess key market challenges and develop innovative strategies, bringing together over 50 senior-level convention centre executives, client representatives, and marketing specialists.
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