exhibitions: IMEX reports: IMEX goes ‘Stateside’
IMEX goes ‘Stateside’
IMEX has become a name synonymous within the global meetings industry. The Frankfurt show, which next year will celebrate its 10th anniversary, is known for its mega Hosted Buyer Programme, which in turn draws in a gamut of suppliers who know they are guaranteed business if they participate. The 2011 show, which took place at Messe Frankfurt in May, attracted 8,944 visitors from 68 countries, an impressive 3,887 of whom were Hosted Buyers.
Over the three-day event they met with 3,500 exhibiting companies from 157 countries who took 12,500 square metres of exhibition space. So successful is IMEX Frankfurt that following discussions with its strategic partner, Meetings Professional International (MPI), the organiser, the IMEX Group, has decided to launch a sister event in what is the most obvious location for a meetings industry gathering – the US.
The inaugural IMEX America – a trade show for the worldwide meetings, events and incentive travel industry – will take place from October 11-13 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Las Vegas, which is connected to the show’s ‘Headquarters Hotel’, the Venetian/Palazzo.
As an added bonus, show partner MPI is organising a ‘Smart Monday’ education session on October 10 for all IMEX attendees. IMEX America will combine the largest hosted buyer programme in the US with a unique online system for booking one-to-one appointments. The event is on track to host more than 2,000 buyers (80 percent from North America) who will meet around 1,500 exhibitors.
As you would expect, the exhibitor mix is US heavy, dominated by Vegas and California. However, Europe is also well represented, plus Dubai was one of the first participants to sign up and is the only Middle East exhibitor at this year’s show. The volume and scope of the education opportunities at IMEX America will be mammoth equating to 12 full days, with sessions taking place before, during and after the show.
Meetme asks IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer to explain why IMEX America is a must-attend event for meetings professionals from across the globe – including the Middle East.
Why was it the time right to launch IMEX America?
In the process of building our Frankfurt show, we had developed many strong business alliances with partners from all over the world, particularly with our strategic partner and premier educational provider, MPI, which knows the US market inside out. It became clear in conversations with MPI over several years that there was strong demand and a gap in the US market for a new tradeshow such us IMEX.
Our model of tradeshow is unique for that market – it has a largescale Hosted Buyer programme at its core, which brings together buyers from every sector of the industry – association, corporate and agency. In addition, the one-to-one appointments Hosted Buyers make with exhibitors prior to the show makes the event extremely business-oriented and absolutely focussed.
What are the key aims of the inaugural show?
Our absolute aim is to provide outstanding business opportunities to our exhibitors and buyers. We have to ensure that both will have the opportunity to do excellent volumes and quality of business.
IMEX America is different from any other tradeshow – it will combine the largest Hosted Buyer programme in the US with a unique online appointment system; an extensive, free educational programme with more than 50 sessions and an unprecedented number and level of association partnerships together with 14 co-located events. We’ll therefore be concentrating on delivering ‘much more than a trade show’. At the same time, fitting in with our organisational values, we will be carefully measuring our waste, energy and other environmental outputs in order to set baselines for future improvements as part of a sustainability policy and to make the show as green as possible.
In the same vein, we have linked up with several local charities to build educational and CSR programmes into the show. All of these are important aims for us and for the market we serve.
How many exhibitors and visitors are you anticipating in the show’s first year and what potential is there to grow this over the next five to 10 years?
We will have around 1,500 exhibiting companies representing nearly 100 destinations at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas and they will be meeting with 2,000 Hosted Buyers. We also expect to welcome thousands more non-hosted buyer and planner attendees. All the major hotel groups are also acting as intermediaries by inviting their top US and international clients as a part of the Hosted Buyer programme, which will be the largest ever to be delivered in North America.
Importantly, almost 50 hotel groups are already confirmed as exhibitors. In addition, many of our major exhibitors at IMEX in Frankfurt will be there in force including Dubai, South Africa and European exhibitors such as Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, France, Ireland and more. Representation from Asia and Latin America is also set to be very strong.
There is clearly room for the show to grow in what is the largest worldwide market for the industry; but for now our focus is firmly fixed on making the first show a success for our exhibitors and buyers.
What will be the key highlights of IMEX America?
There are so many. Meetme readers can glean a good sense of what’s on and why they should attend by logging onto www.imexamerica.com and checking out our ‘Schedule at a Glance’ page, which is an excellent planning tool. That said, without a doubt our Association Day & Evening will be extremely important for the US association market. The US Travel Association will be holding an advocacy and political lobbying forum, which is well-timed and obviously has great authority behind it.
We will also be holding an exclusive Executive Forum especially for corporate meeting planners and this will address the particular issues they face via a private discussion and workshops.
Finally there’s the LearningCurve Zone, our shortfire campfire education sessions (drop-ins on the show floor) and our Sustainability Centre where visitors will be able to pick up environmental planning and purchasing tips.
What is the general mood of the meetings industry in North America right now?
I would say it is cautiously optimistic. Recent market research suggests a slow but steady upturn in the number of meetings and events taking place plus a small but significant rise in budgets.
Our own IMEX America Index of Optimism polled more than 190 North American meetings industry buyers and suppliers in the first quarter of the year and found that optimism – and business levels – were higher than they had been for at least six months.
Don’t forget, the US meetings and events market is the biggest in the world with the CIC’s Economic Impact Study estimating its contribution to US GDP at US$106billion, and a total economic output of US$907billion so, even when you’re talking about securing small percentages of business from US buyers, this translates into huge dollar sums.
How does this compare to the past few years?
It’s markedly better but cautious at the same time. I think everyone is eager for the market to return to full strength again but that has to be put in the context of the major economic challenges that many countries have come through and that some are still going through.
How are you employing social media for networking and audience engagement at the show?
As with many international events, we’re keenly aware of the opportunity and value of social media and, as a result, we’ve been upping our efforts since the start of the year. We’re currently working hard to extend our networks and to make sure that people use social media channels to ask questions and share success. Obviously tools such as video have been much more important and influential over the past few years too – hence the launch of IMEX America TV.
Is the show relevant to Middle East meetings industry professionals?
Yes it is. In fact when hosted buyer registration went live online on June 8, the first group to register was from Dubai. Middle Eastern buyers should come to IMEX America to meet with a wide array of North American exhibitors — from across the US, Canada and the Caribbean. While there are North American exhibitors at IMEX in Frankfurt, there will also be a far greater number at IMEX America, including the top suppliers from the destinations, hotel groups, DMCs and other service providers.
In addition, they will be able to gain unique perspective into the North American market by taking part in the educational programmes, as well as having the opportunity to meet thousands of peers from this market.
Where do you see opportunities geographically to roll out other IMEX shows and is such a move on the cards?
We are very clear that we need to establish IMEX America and concentrate on making this new show a success while also continuing to improve and deliver with IMEX in Frankfurt. We currently have no plans to go into any other markets.
