IMEX, the worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events is scheduled May 14-17 in Frankfurt, Germany and the organizers say it will be full of new things to see.
“Look up! There are innovations and touches of magic to see and experience everywhere at IMEX in Frankfurt 2018” says Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group. “There are new initiatives every year at IMEX in Frankfurt because we continually monitor the coming trends, research what our audiences want and then create ways, or find new partners, to fulfill them. This year buyers will both see and experience some truly awe-inspiring new products, people and spaces throughout the show, more than we’ve ever showcased before.”
Registration for the show is free of charge and open to all.
Perhaps one of the most interesting and unusual offerings will be the Dark Room where participants will taste the extra sensory experience of an educational session in pitch black, total darkness. This learning lab is set to be featured at IMEX as a result of the new IMEX Group partnership with C2 International, the ground-breaking leader in innovative business conferences. The partnership represents a joint effort to drive innovation and creativity throughout the meetings and events sector.
Another planed feature is the G-Tainer, a multimedia encased two-story stack of meeting rooms which are set to include a new ground floor “Chat Bar.” This casual space has been designed for people to meet and make new contacts by holding “Curiosity Conversations” with each other.
In the new IMEX Live Zone, several experiential suppliers are set to bring a touch of magic to the show, demonstrating the power of how thinking and acting more creatively can engage attendees in a variety of ways. Visitors can expect to be entertained and delighted by Mr. Piano, a giant, walking piano ideal for team building events; the funky Fotobus, a puppeteer, a caricature artist, musicians and improvisational street theater. The event is set to also include Uber Spheres and Thought Bubbles, striking new ways to catch attention and to brand overhead areas. These are supported by warm air jetted from below so they float free. They are completely wireless.
The new Zeus Co-working Campus will not only provide opportunities to check emails and to network but also to try out gadgets and games and to take part in pop-up events including Speed Networking.
Another change at IMEX is the show’s continued expansion from Hall 8. The IMEX Inspiration Hub, the center and venue for most educational sessions during the three days of the show, is set to move to Hall 9. The relocation will allow more space for workshops, campfires, research pods and hot topic tables, the different formats and areas in which the more than 180 sessions will be presented.
A new Tech Café is planned in Hall 8, close to all the event technology providers. The venue will also showcase event technology providers with a presentation area and space for three new participants. This area should enable exhibitors and IMEX to deliver stand presentations about technology, to show what’s new and help buyers appreciate what technology can do for them and how the tech landscape has moved on from last year.
The business exhibition is scheduled May 15-17 in Messe Frankfurt, one of the world’s largest convention centers. EduMonday, is scheduled May 14 at nearby Kap Europa Congress Centre and it continues to grow and provide further innovation and choices for IMEX attendees. One new event is an Agency Directors Forum, a facilitated forum, by invitation only, for the directors and senior planners of agencies. Also new are Rising Talent and She Means Business. The former is set to be an afternoon of actionable learning and career development for meeting professionals under 35. The latter was created in partnership with tw tagungswirtschaft, a magazine which provides global news for meeting professionals, corporate event organizers and planners and is set to celebrate and debate the role of women in the meetings industry.
Throughout the show, including the educational program, there will be activities designed to highlight a new IMEX partnership with LiveCom Alliance, a European umbrella organization for national live event associations.
Finally, as a way to bring this year’s IMEX Talking Point of “Legacy” to life, attendees can visit a “Legacy Wall” in Hall 9. Sustainably crafted from reused pallets, the wall is set to display exhibitors’ own legacy stories together with short stories about IMEX CSR and Sustainability projects, including a spotlight on future leaders.
IMEX envisions a world where good business transcends borders and oceans, where meeting planners can connect easily with suppliers across the globe and build powerful working relationships. Its aim is to unite and advance the meetings industry by helping to educate, innovate and allow exhibition professionals to make powerful connections with the right people. For more info, visit imex-frankfurt.com
IMEX America 2018, America’s worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings & events, will take place from Oct. 16-18, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center at The Venetian | The Palazzo, in Las Vegas, preceded by Smart Monday, powered by MPI, on Oct. 15. For more info, visit www.imexamerica.com
