When the show floor of the fifth IMEX America opens Oct. 13 at the Sands Expo and The Venetian| The Palazzo, Las Vegas, it will be the biggest to date. More importantly, it is due to host more business appointments than ever and provide a vast array of diverse networking and educational opportunities for the industry.
Strong demand from across the industry means that the exhibition is larger in size, scope and numbers this year. IMEX America 2015 has 80 new booths from all corners of the world giving buyers even more opportunities to do business. In total, 3100 companies will be exhibiting, representing 150 countries.
There has also been significant growth from returning exhibitors. 20 percent of all returning exhibitors have increased the size of their booths, with over one third of them more than doubling their space and nearly a fifth expanding by more than 50 percent. Notable areas of growth include Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, the hotel sector, Latin America and the USA and Canada.
More hosted buyers
With new groups arriving from across North America and around the world, IMEX America’s pioneering hosted buyer program is also set to expand again. The number of pre-arranged one-to-one appointments and booth presentations scheduled by buyers before the show opens through the unique IMEX appointments system has grown to more than 55,000, while 1,200 group appointments have also been made. Among the developments, the show floor now opens at 9.45am each day, with no group appointments scheduled before 11am or after 4pm, which will give hosted buyers and all attendees more time to explore the show floor, experience the extensive education program or schedule their own appointments.
New education features
The highly popular education program started with Smart Monday, powered by MPI, IMEX America’s strategic partner and premier education provider; Association Focus, presented by ASAE and ICCA; and the PCMA Business School. The new Play Room, sponsored by Play with a Purpose, features short, hands-on “quirkshops” around creativity. At the Inspiration Hub there will be more than 180 education options under 10 specialty tracks as well as sessions targeted specifically at entry-level and senior-level attendees. New on the show floor, TECHnexus provides hands-on experience of the latest technologies.
A new wellness theme, “Be Well at IMEX” throughout the show will include the new IMEXrun Las Vegas – Inspired by Rio de Janeiro – on Wednesday morning, taking in the famous Vegas Strip!
Networking
Many co-located partner events have helped establish the show as the pre-eminent global industry fall gathering. They include the Site Young Leaders Conference, the CIC Hall of Leaders & Pacesetter Awards, Association Evening, Site Nite North America, the CEIR Golf Classic, the DMC Network and Ovation Talent Search and the MPI Foundation Rendezvous.
Ray Bloom concluded, “The industry comes to IMEX America to do business, develop global connections and to increase their knowledge of the latest industry trends and products. We are very focused at IMEX on developing innovations that will help every attendee to achieve their goals at the same time as enjoying the entire show experience. Putting on a show like this relies on the tremendous support of our industry partners and, together with them, we are looking forward to a great week here in Las Vegas that will produce real results for the industry.”
