From Meetings International: The German Convention Bureau (GCB) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO have announced the launch of their new Research Centre for Future Meeting Studies (RCFMS). The Research Centre builds on and continues the work of the “Future Meeting Space” innovation network, which was initiated by the two organisations back in…
IMEX Frankfurt is where the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry comes together annually for the largest trade show of its kind in Europe. Where 4,500-plus global meeting planners connect with 3,100 suppliers from across the world, building powerful working relationships—to create better events, meetings and experiences.
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.
Tourism faces constant challenges, but political instability has emerged as a critical disruptor. How do political shifts affect travellers and how can destinations stay resilient? TOPOSOPHY’s research, based on a 6-country survey and case studies, explores traveller perceptions and offers smart strategies for destinations to build trust and adapt, whether facing a crisis or preparing…
David Adler calls for the USA (and by implication, many other countries) to emulate the long-term strategic thinking behind Germany’s Messe-model success story. Trade show venues should be seen as intellectual infrastructure, creating and taking ownership of world-leading events that reflect the business and scientific strengths of the host city. From Gathering Point News…
Held during the 2025 IMEX Policy Forum in Frankfurt, this high-level interview with urbanist, author and global advisor Prof Greg Clark CBE FAcSS provides essential geopolitical and socioeconomic context for understanding the future potential direction of Business Events and what destinations that wish to strengthen their competitive positioning need to do. “A multiplication of opportunity…
From Boardroom: This past March, Stuttgart played host to the European Robotics Forum (ERF) 2025, marking the first time in its fifteen-year history that Europe’s premier robotics and AI gathering took place in Germany. More than 1,500 participants from research, industry, and government convened at the Kultur- & Kongresszentrum Liederhalle, cementing the region’s reputation as…
Ex-UFI CEO turned industry thought-leader Kai Hattendorf was ubiquitous at this year’s IMEX, challenging the industry to up its game in terms of global advocacy, arguing that this is even more critical than ever during a time of geopolitical flux and uncertainty, and then eloquently demonstrating in a series of interviews how to frame the…
Follow Geneviève Leclerc’s novel experiment through this series of LinkedIn posts, as she attempts to rigorously apply the “BE Impactful Framework” (designed to measure the overall business, intellectual and societal impact of an event) to her own PERSONAL impact and value gained from attending IMEX 2025 in Frankfurt.
The 2025 IMEX Gala was the setting for the sector’s leading associations to present awards recognising star individuals within their communities who are raising awareness of the enormous long-term economic and societal impact of business and scientific events, amongst both policymakers and citizens.
Germany reports attendance figures back up to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. This is a useful report for those interested in communicating the enormous scale of the meetings sector in individual countries. 377 million attendees participated in approximately 2 million events in a single year! From Skift Meetings…
By Matthias Schultze, Managing Director, German Convention Bureau: How Business Events Can Adapt to Megatrends and Unlock Future Business Potential Business events remain vital arenas for innovation and strategic dialogue. Yet, in a rapidly changing world shaped by technological, societal and environmental shifts, these platforms are undergoing transformation themselves. In its most recent research phase,…
Produced by the German Convention Bureau (GCB), with data collected from nearly 5,000 venues and 3,000 event organisers, the “Meeting & Event Barometer Germany 2024/2025” provides in-depth analysis of the German congress and event market: an excellent model for other countries wishing to produce annual “state of the market” reports.
From Global Destination Sustainability Movement, by Guy Bigwood: I am just back from participating at Prolight + Sound – one of the world’s most important entertainment tech shows all about audiovisuals (AV), sounds, lighting, and more. Organised by and at Messe Frankfurt, Mira Wölfel, the Director of Prolight + Sound, kindly invited me to deliver…
IMEX CEO and Iceberg Trustee, Carina Bauer, sets the scene for what will be a barometer of market sentiment in light of geopolitics. Filmed at AIME 2025 in Melbourne, much water has passed under the Yarra River bridge since. Nevertheless, Bauer reflects the ability of the sector to maintain its positivity. The theme of the…
For the past 19 years, the AIPC Sales and Marketing Summit has been the perfect prelude to IMEX, fostering member engagement and vital industry interactions. Participants gain insights into current issues, industry trends, and key customer perspectives, setting the stage for intense competition on the show floor. This year promises to be no different.
From Boardroom: As medical associations seek to ensure long-term engagement and professional development, the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) has successfully redefined young professional involvement. At the EANM’24 congress in Hamburg (October 2024), a series of targeted initiatives helped bridge the gap between early-career professionals and the broader nuclear medicine community, providing structured opportunities…
Working in the events industry, whether you’re an organizer or a supplier, the pressure’s on to make your events more sustainable. That’s why we’ve consolidated our planet-friendly practices at IMEX Frankfurt into one report—saving you time, energy and resources (and so you can benefit from our 20-plus years of learning and practicing). The report’s rich…
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Peirui joined UFI as the Programme Manager for Advocacy and Alliances in 2023. In this role, she collaborates with UFI members and partners to advance advocacy initiatives for the exhibitions industry globally. A Singaporean based in Frankfurt, Peirui brings over 20 years of international experience to her position. She has previously worked with the Singapore…
Hattendorf signs off – for now: From the IBTM Forum for Advocacy in Barcelona to his final edition as chief executive of the UFI Annual Congress held in Cologne, Kai Hattendorf shares his reflections on ten years at the global exhibitions industry association helm, seven of which featured as a board member of the Joint…
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