IMEX Frankfurt 2025

We thank Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group for this interview to know more about what is coming on IMEX Frankfurt 2019.

What novelties have you prepared for this 2019 edition?

With 3,500 exhibitors from over 150 countries, IMEX in Frankfurt brings together all the elements that planners need to ignite their imagination – and their business success. Boston, Airport Authority Hong Kong, China Top View Holiday Travel & Tours and Kyiv Tourism Association are just some of the exciting new exhibitors that planners can meet at IMEX in Frankfurt, taking place from 21 – 23 May. The Ministry of Culture & Tourism of Azerbaijan, Caribbean Tours, Monaco, Indonesia, Singapore, Slovenia and Leonardo Hotels are among the many exhibitors who have committed to larger stands this year.

Imagination is IMEX’s Talking Point for this year and informs content throughout the show with education and experiences challenging planners and exhibitors alike to question the conventional and explore new approaches. This includes a new Discovery Zone – an entire hall showcasing the latest in technology and experiential, plus a few surprises along the way.”

The event presents a multifaceted programme with workshops at IMEX Frankfurt and special events. Which of the activities do you think are a must for the visitor or which of them do you highlight?

The aim of our IMEX shows are to bring together professionals from the meetings and events industry in order to build brilliant relationships and do business. The shows also represent a valuable opportunity to discover the latest trends and developments through our education sessions – and IMEX in Frankfurt this year is no exception.

Learning, as always, remains one of the core offerings at IMEX, with a packaged programme of free show floor sessions at the Inspiration Hub as well as a dedicated day of learning - EduMonday taking place on Monday 20 May. 

EduMonday begins with the keynote at She Means Business, created in partnership with tw tagungswirtschaft. After this, attendees can stay and be part of She Means Business, celebrating the role of women in the events industry, or mix and match from a programme of 20 general sessions designed around professional or personal developments.

Event professionals from all sectors and all levels can explore topics and trends via a number of dedicated events within EduMonday, all specifically curated for various audiences. Association professionals from around the world are invited to Association Day & Evening, to share best practice and connect with peers. The Agency Directors Forum is a strategic exchange for small to mid-size meetings and events agencies. There’s also education and networking exclusively for corporate/in-house meeting and event executives at Exclusively Corporate.

What are the advantages of exhibiting at IMEX Frankfurt?

“Exhibitors can meet face to face with qualified buyers from all industry sectors who are responsible for events such as high-level incentives, large scale corporate meetings or huge association conferences. Hosted buyers can use our online appointment system to connect with exhibitors and make appointments to meet them at the show – ensuring that exhibitors meet buyers who are interested in their venue or destination and have business to place.

Exhibitors can also make the most of the free education sessions taking place before the show, during EduMonday, and on the show floor’s Inspiration Hub.

Can you give some tips for those exhibiting for the first time in Frankfurt and specifically at IMEX Frankfurt? 

Plan, plan, plan! IMEX in Frankfurt is a great opportunity to meet the movers and shakers, discover new trends, update industry knowledge and catch up with contacts – all under one roof! To make the most of these opportunities, you need to prepare your schedule before you arrive.  Once you arrive at the show, get ready for three brilliant, busy, business-filled days!

To help attendees recharge and recalibrate during the busy days, the Be Well Lounge offers meditation and quiet space. They can also enjoy an energetic start to the day at the IMEXrun – a chance to run, jog or walk along Frankfurt’s picturesque River Main.

Can anybody attend IMEX Frankfurt 2019? How to register?

IMEX in Frankfurt is free to attend and open to all professionals in the events industry. We welcome meeting and event professionals from a wide range of disciplines, sectors and all levels of seniority. Whether you’re a meeting planner, head of an event agency, an association executive, a business owner, an incentive travel buyer or an in-house event expert, IMEX has something for you.

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

What is the exhibitor profile?

More than 3,500 suppliers from every sector of the worldwide meetings industry come together in IMEX Frankfurt each year. You'll meet national and regional touristic offices and conventions bureaus, major hotel companies, conference and exhibitions venues, cruise lines, airlines, spa resorts, technology providers, event management specialists and many more.

What is the visitor profile?

We welcome meeting and event professionals from a wide range of disciplines, sectors and all levels of seniority. Whether you’re a meeting planner, head of an event agency, an association executive, a business owner, an incentive travel buyer or an in-house event expert, IMEX has something for you.

Can you give us some participation results from the last edition? How many visitors attend? 

The edition 2018 hosted 8,828 trade visitors and hosted buyers from almost all over the world!

Lastly, regarding the exhibitor, how many stand exhibitors participate in the last edition? In total how many different countries they are?

In the edition 2018 participate 3,500 exhibitors were present from more than 160 countries!

IMEX is the right place to go if you want to make your meetings, events and product launches way more memorable. Giving you insider tips and advice on how to present your show in a better way, you can be involved in the brand-new ideas that the exhibitors create all throughout the show.

Either with the educational sessions or hands-on workshops, test it all out and get inspired by their lively visions to make your events better and more engaging. Over 3,500 worldwide exhibitors, the latest trends and hundreds of encouraging trade professionals all at your feet, let this show surprise you from the second you walk in.

Come on in and introduce your brand at this expo. There is no way you can go wrong here. Let us know your design ideas and we will flower you with the best selections for your stand. Find fresh ideas in every corner, countless appointments between buyers and exhibitors taking place, free educational program and many more things are all under one roof.

This three day expo shows you the best way to move your public by choosing any of the seminars, workshops, campfires and show-floor selection activities. Whether it is to stay in touch with the grand networking opportunities with the experts or your peers, this is the place for you be. Stay on top of the industry, take matters into your own hands and stay up to date at this outstanding show.

Imex in Frankfurt is the most important meeting and trade show for the incentive travel sector in Germany. On April 19-21 the worldwide exhibition comes back again to Messe Frankfurt (Hall 8), so in order to know whats going up for 2016's edition, we have interviewed the organisers of the show. Carina Bauer, IMEX Group's CEO has answered all our doubts and gives us some advice on how to enjoy this important meeting of the industry.

IMEX Frankfurt is the most important meeting and incentive travel sector trade show in Germany. What stands out IMEX above other similar fairs?

Our hallmark Hosted Buyer Programme, which our founder and Chairman – Ray Bloom - pioneered 30 years ago, enables qualified meeting and incentive travel buyers to attend the show and do business with suppliers from around the world in a fun and efficient environment. Buyers can tailor the Hosted Buyer Programme to suit their needs with the flexibility to choose the people they want to meet with and enable time to network and attend education sessions. We regularly receive feedback from hosted buyers saying how invaluable IMEX is to them: three days of face-to-face meetings gets their event planning underway and saves them an incredible amount of time.

Our high-quality education programme is free to attend and very comprehensive with over 180 education sessions covering topics such as Business Skills, Creative Learning, Sustainability, Technology and Marketing.

IMEX also has unique features including events dedicated to specific sectors of the meetings and events industry such as Exclusively Corporate @IMEX for corporate meeting and event planners; and Association Day exclusively for association executives.

We see IMEX as integral to the meetings and incentive travel industry and as such run programmes throughout the year with the aim of supporting and developing the sector. One such programme is the Politicians Forum which brings together the meetings and event sector with governments from around the world to promote the valuable contribution that our industry makes to economic development and business tourism. We’re also dedicated to supporting and developing up-and-coming talent through our international series of Future Leaders Forums that run in 13 countries around the world.

Finally, IMEX has a broad range of industry partnerships including a Strategic Partnership with the GCB German Convention Bureau. IMEX is endorsed by DMAI, ICCA and Site; is a major partner and sponsor of MPI; has an Industry Partnership with PCMA and is an AIPC Corporate Partner. In addition, IMEX has close ties with every major industry trade association, including ASAE, CIC, ISES and JMIC.

Who can attend the show?

Buyers are invited to attend IMEX in Frankfurt as a visitor or as part of our hallmark Hosted Buyer programme. IMEX welcomes buyers who are responsible for making or influencing the buying decisions or organising a range of meetings, events, conferences, exhibitions and incentive travel programmes around the world.

These buyers come from international or European institutes and professional associations; international corporations; as well as a variety of agencies including association management companies, incentive, business and conference travel agencies and sales and promotion agencies.

Will we see novelties on 2016's edition?

We are constantly innovating and developing the show in line with feedback from our buyers and exhibitors. With 3,500 exhibitors from more than 150 countries together with over 180 education sessions, this year’s show has plenty to offer.

Buyers can meet new exhibitors such as Sardinia, Catalunya Convention Bureau, Wyndham Hotels, Condor Airlines, Variety Cruises and ESA Central & South America DMC. Amongst our 400 plus hosted buyer groups, are more than 20 new groups from around the world. These include buyers from the USA, Poland, China, South Africa and South America.

PCMA (Professional Congress Management Association) is bringing its prestigious Business School to Europe for the first time alongside IMEX in Frankfurt. Hosted by Congress Center Messe Frankfurt, this free of charge programme is open to all and offers executives the chance to develop core business skills and learn from an MBA level professor.

Visitors can also experience a fresh approach to meeting planning at the Play Room, another new feature at IMEX in Frankfurt, which hosts interactive, hands-on ‘quirkshops’. And attendees can re-energise between appointments via meditation and yoga sessions in the new Be Well Lounge, brought to you by InnerSense and supported by Weichlein Tours + Incentives and Munich Convention Bureau.

A trade show like IMEX attracts many companies from all across the country. Can you give some tips for those exhibiting in Frankfurt for the first time?

IMEX is run by meeting professionals for meeting professionals, so we know what exhibitors need to ensure a successful show. Our dedicated team has a unique collection of tools in place for exhibitors, dedicated to helping them to attract and prepare for appointments at the show. This includes diary management, a ‘contact the buyers’ tool, as well as extensive marketing and PR support to help gain press exposure and ensure they stand out from the crowd. In addition, we have some really unique sponsorship packages available for those who wish to stand out from the crowd.

Alongside with the exhibition, we can enjoy many other events, can you recommend us an event in particular?

With over 180 education sessions at IMEX in Frankfurt this year, visitors are sure to find sessions that match their needs. The sharing economy is a hot topic at the show this year, explored through the comprehensive education programme including a panel session of sharing economy pioneers discussing How can we work with the new sharing economy?, taking place on Wednesday 20 April. Senior representatives from Spacebase, Shows like, VizEat and Maritz Travel Company will detail their experiences and explore how the ‘old’ and new economies can work together for mutual benefit.

Give us some reasons why we cannot miss IMEX Frankfurt.

With the global meetings industry gathered under one roof, IMEX is the place to meet key people, do business and network all in one location. The show offers outstanding and efficient business opportunities with an appointment system that gives power to the buyers, ensuring exhibitors are seeing buyers who are truly interested in them. A face-to-face meeting is the best way to do business and there’s also a choice of over 200 exhibitor-led networking events to enable people to expand their contacts.

As the largest show in the world for the industry, IMEX really is a one-stop shop for buyers. It’s also where new destinations and venues are unveiled, new technological innovations are launched and new research is shared.

Buyers and exhibitors can update their knowledge by choosing from over 180 free educational events (many with CMP credits) as well as dedicated learning and networking events for professionals from all areas of the industry. As one of our attendees said last year, “If you’re in the meetings business – you can’t afford to miss IMEX!”

Finally, can you give us some participation results from the last edition?

IMEX in Frankfurt 2015 showcased 3,500 exhibiting companies from over 150 countries. 3952 hosted buyers attended from 78 different countries, together with almost 5,000 trade visitors from nearly 100 countries.