In total, 73,000 meetings took place during IMEX Frankfurt this year, the highest ever amount.
The show welcomed 4,739 buyers, with more than three quarters of those hosted. Unsurprisingly, the largest buyer cohort came from the host nation, however, US buyers made up the second largest proportion, followed by buyers from the UK.
Buyers came from 94 countries, with agencies making up 68 per cent of buyers, corporates making up 16 per cent and associations making up 10 per cent.
“Beyond the numbers, the human element and energy of this community remain at the heart of IMEX,” said IMEX’s CEO Carina Bauer at the show’s closing press conference.
“Although AI was a hot topic, the counterpoint is that face-to-face meetings are having a renaissance.
“More than ever their value lies in trusted, real-life conversations with real people who spark off each other, leading to multiple positive outcomes – not least business, friendship, employment and industry innovation.”
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) told IMEX that the organisation had locked in several pieces of business while in Frankfurt.
“We’ve secured a number of major events at the show, including the International Conference on Family Planning, which will bring 5,000 delegates to Pattaya in 2027,” said TCEB president, Dr. Supawan Teerarat.
“Other confirmed wins include a 1,000-person medical congress in 2029, a 1,000-person corporate meeting for an internet company in 2028 and a 6,000-person conference in the digital sector.”
Australia and New Zealand also had presences at IMEX Frankfurt, with Australia having representatives from 19 business events stakeholders on the stand hosted by Tourism Australia’s specialist unit Business Events Australia. Meanwhile, Tourism New Zealand Business Events had nine of its local industry at the show, including staff from the bureaus and centres in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
