IMEX Frankfurt
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| IMEX Frankfurt | |
|---|---|
| Name | IMEX Frankfurt |
| Genre | Trade fair |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location | Frankfurt am Main |
| Country | Germany |
| First | 2003 |
| Organiser | IMEX Group |
| Attendance | ~10,000–14,000 (varies) |
| Participants | Exhibitors, buyers, associations |
IMEX Frankfurt IMEX Frankfurt is a major international trade fair for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry that gathers buyers, suppliers, associations, and media from across Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. The event functions as a marketplace and networking hub for destinations, hotels, convention bureaux, corporate meeting planners and professional conference organisers, attracting delegations from national tourism boards, global hotel brands, exhibition organisers and association executives. It serves as a focal point for business tourism, destination marketing and event technology procurement.
Overview
IMEX Frankfurt brings together stakeholders from across the meetings industry including representatives from United Nations World Tourism Organization, European Travel Commission, World Travel & Tourism Council, UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry), International Congress and Convention Association, Meeting Professionals International, PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), American Society of Association Executives, International Live Events Association, Association of British Professional Conference Organisers, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, International Bar Association, IEEE, American Planning Association, Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, Global Business Travel Association, World Economic Forum, UNESCO, European Commission, Deutsche Telekom, Siemens, Daimler AG, Volkswagen Group, SAP SE, Deutsche Bahn, Lufthansa, Frankfurt Airport, Fraport, City of Frankfurt am Main, Hessen Trade & Invest, German National Tourist Board, Frankfurt Convention Bureau, Messe Frankfurt, Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, ExCeL London, Fira de Barcelona, Messe München, Koelnmesse, Messe Düsseldorf, Amsterdam RAI, IFEMA Madrid, Messe Wien.
History and Development
Launched in 2003 by the IMEX Group alongside industry veterans and stakeholders from Messe Frankfurt and European meeting associations, the fair expanded rapidly in the 2000s with strategic ties to World Travel Market, ITB Berlin, IMEX America, IBTM World, SITE', AIME (Asia Pacific Incentive & Meetings Expo), Convention Industry Council and national associations such as Meetings Industry Association and Association of Corporate Travel Executives. Early editions featured keynote presentations from leaders connected to Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Tony Blair, Kofi Annan, Christine Lagarde, Angela Merkel, Joschka Fischer, Helmut Kohl, Wolfgang Schäuble and senior figures from European Central Bank and Deutsche Bundesbank-adjacent sectors. Over time IMEX integrated sustainability agendas aligned with UN Global Compact, Paris Agreement, Green Meeting Industry Council and collaborated with certification bodies such as Global Sustainable Tourism Council and ISO committees. The event adapted to digital transformation trends showcased at Consumer Electronics Show, Web Summit, SXSW and through partnerships with technology providers including Microsoft, Google, Zoom Video Communications, Cisco Systems, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Oracle Corporation, Adobe Inc. and Intel.
Organisation and Programme
Programme strands combine exhibition floors, educational sessions, hosted buyer programmes and networking formats developed with MPI Education, PCMA Education Foundation, Association Forum of Chicagoland, Event Industry Council, Chartered Institute of Marketing, Institute of Hospitality, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Cambridge Judge Business School, London School of Economics, INSEAD, Harvard Business School Executive Education, Wharton School, Kellogg School of Management, IMD, ESADE Business School and policy panels with representatives from European Parliament, Bundestag committees and municipal delegations from cities like Paris, London, New York City, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, Cape Town, São Paulo, Mexico City. The schedule typically includes masterclasses, Think Tanks, Speakeasy sessions, sustainability tracks, event technology showcases, and one-on-one appointment systems underpinned by platforms linked to Cvent, Eventbrite, Hopin, Bizzabo, Swapcard and Whova. IMEX collaborates with accreditation and standards organisations including ISO, BSI Group and legal advisors from law firms such as Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for compliance workshops.
Venue and Attendance
Held at Messe Frankfurt exhibition centre near Frankfurt Airport and the Frankfurt Messe transit hub, the fair utilises multiple halls and conference rooms, adjacent hotels including brands like Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, InterContinental Hotels Group, AccorHotels, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Radisson Hotel Group, NH Hotel Group, Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts and local venues such as Festhalle Frankfurt and Oper Frankfurt. Attendance figures vary with editions drawing thousands of hosted buyers, exhibitors and press from organisations such as BBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Financial Times, The New York Times, Forbes, The Guardian, Handelsblatt, Die Welt, FAZ, CNBC, CNN Business, Skift and regional trade press. Delegations regularly include representatives from national tourism boards like VisitBritain, Tourism Australia, Japan National Tourism Organization, Tourism New Zealand, Canada Tourism Commission and corporate travel buyers from IBM, Apple Inc., Amazon, Google, Microsoft Corporation, BMW Group, Siemens AG, Allianz, Deutsche Bank.
Industry Impact and Partnerships
IMEX Frankfurt has influenced procurement practices, supplier selection and destination marketing through partnerships with associations and public bodies including European Association of Event Centres, National Business Travel Association, International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, World Bank delegations, OECD policy forums and think tanks such as Chatham House and Brookings Institution. Strategic alliance programmes have linked IMEX with incentive travel networks like SITE Global, technology incubators including Techstars and venture capital communities such as Accel Partners and Sequoia Capital for startup showcases. The fair fosters collaborations with event design firms, sustainability consultancies and training providers such as Greenview, Sustainable Travel International, BDO, KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young and creative agencies who work with cultural institutions including Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bauhaus Archive, Städel Museum and festival organisers like Frankfurt Book Fair.
Awards and Notable Events
The IMEX platform highlights industry awards, recognition programmes and launches including partnership announcements with World Travel Awards, Travel Weekly Awards, Eventex Awards, AEO Excellence Awards, Stevie Awards, European Best Destinations promotions and the presentation of initiatives from entities such as UNICEF, Red Cross, Amnesty International and philanthropic partnerships with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Notable keynote appearances and panels have featured leaders from Microsoft Philanthropies, Google.org, UNICEF Innovation, World Health Organization, European Investment Bank, International Monetary Fund, and celebrities or business figures associated with event philanthropy and corporate social responsibility campaigns. The fair has been the site for launches of industry studies with universities and consultancies including McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, Roland Berger and academic research from University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics and Political Science, Goethe University Frankfurt.