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IMEX 2026 - SNAPSHOTS

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Thailand advances global MICE ambitions, launching new brand “MaxiMICE Thailand – From potential to exponential”

Right: The TCEB delegation, with in the middle Dr. Supawan Teerarat, the new President of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau  

Dr. Supawan Teerarat, President of TCEB, said the launch of MaxiMICE Thailand aims to elevate delegates’ quality of life through quality of MICE experiences. It is rooted in the TCEB’s vision to transform Thailand into Global Asia’s platform for impactful and sustainable events covering such key agendas as energy, finance, wellness and longevity, DEI, sustainability and food security. These are all issues of growing importance amid today’s complex economic and social landscape.

“Today’s business events are no longer measured solely by attendance numbers, but by the quality of connections, outcomes, and long-term impact they create. As the world faces increasingly multidimensional challenges, business events must serve as platforms for collaboration, collective solutions, and actionable progress. Our study identified the key factors shaping successful meeting destinations today. The results highlighted Thailand’s operational reliability, strong business impact, and ability to deliver beyond memorable experiences. This inspired the development of our new brand, built around three strategic pillars.”

The MaxiMICE Your Convenience pillar underscores Thailand’s global accessibility and connectivity, infrastructure, enhanced capacities of MICE Cities, digital capabilities, and strong government’s support. In addition, a number of global conferences scheduled in Thailand in 2026 are hosted or supported by Thai ministries, along with city and provincial agencies under “Government-Ready” campaign.  

The MaxiMICE Your Experience pillar positions Thailand as a destination capable of offering diverse experiences beyond meeting rooms. This is possible because TCEB has a strong network of MICE Cities and local communities ready to offer locally immersive experiences. With a strong private sector partner, Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA), Thailand has a large pool of suppliers with highly creative skills ready to work with meeting planners in experience design based on local culture and wisdom for MICE groups.

Meanwhile, the MaxiMICE Your Impact pillar establishes Thailand as a destination where events’ impacts can be measured and verified for standardized certification. Decarbonisation and carbon footprint management are now our fundamental practices with access to dedicated tools and a network of TCEB’s trusted and professional partners. This strong foundation is built on Thai MICE suppliers' commitment to capacity-building, ISO-certified standards, and the agility to meet evolving business demands - all in close collaboration with TCEB.

“TCEB has a forward-looking approach to create impacts at international scale by joining “Net Zero Carbon Initiative” partnership with GDS-Movement and JMIC, which is announced at IMEX Frankfurt 2026. The bureau hopes to combine local experiences in embedding sustainability into Thai MICE industry with global expertise and knowledge with the future goal of achieving Net Positive, a step beyond Net Zero.”, added Dr Supawan.

MaxiMICE Thailand is powered by the Meet in Thailand promotional campaign, anchored in three strategic dimensions of event success: Meet Well, Meet Smart and Meet Positive - resonating with the evolving needs of three key stakeholder groups - meeting planners, MICE visitors and professional conference organisers. The support is made available in both in-cash and in-kind formats.

“MaxiMICE Thailand – From Potential to Exponential” comes at the right time when ICCA reveals in its 2025 Report that Thailand has remained the top meeting destination in ASEAN and is placed 5^th in the Asia Pacific region by hosting a total of 171 international conferences. What’s encouraging is that Bangkok is the world’s top ten cities for medical science meetings. According to the Cvent 2026 Ranking Report, Bangkok has secured 2nd place as a top meeting destination in the Asia Pacific region - a recognition echoed by AMEX GBT report. On the exhibitions front, Thailand has been awarded the best country for effective and comprehensive government support by UFI, while also ranking first in ASEAN for space sold."

All information on TCEB: https://www.businesseventsthailand.com/th/

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The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) announced during the IMEX a series of major developments following its annual press conference, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of the global business events industry. The announcements signal a renewed focus on leadership, advocacy, sustainability, and long-term industry impact. At the centre of the announcement is the election of a renewed JMIC Board and the appointment of a new Executive Director, together positioning JMIC and its members for a new chapter of global industry leadership.

The newly elected Board welcomes two internationally recognised leaders to its ranks: Dr. Senthil Gopinath of ICCA and Maurits van der Sluis of EMECA. Their appointments reflect JMIC’s continued commitment to strengthening representation across the full spectrum of the business events ecosystem and enhancing the industry’s collective voice on the global stage. They will be supporting their existing Board colleagues: Chris Skeith from UFI, Flavie de Beueil from City DNA and Martin Boyle from IAPCO. The Board thanked outgoing treasurer, Barbara Weizsäcker, Secretary General of EMECA for 4 years of service during crucial phase of incorporation of JMIC. Furthermore, JMIC announced the appointment of Dorian Kronenwerth as its new Executive Director.Together with the Board, Dorian will lead JMIC into its next phase of development, with a stronger emphasis on industry advocacy, collaboration, and positioning business events as a strategic contributor to economic growth, innovation, societal progress, and sustainable transformation.

James Rees, President of JMIC, commented: “This moment represents more than a leadership transition. It marks an evolution in how our industry positions itself globally. We are bringing together diverse expertise and stronger alignment across associations to ensure the business events industry is recognised for the value it creates for economies, communities, knowledge exchange and sustainable development.”

Launch of a New JMIC Manifesto

JMIC also confirmed that it will release its updated Global Manifesto for the Business Events Industry in June. Building on the success of previous editions, the new Manifesto will combine strategic policy positioning with strengthened evidence-based advocacy. It will be complemented by industry data, statistics, and storytelling case studies designed to demonstrate the tangible contribution of business events to policymakers who are the prime targeted audience of the manifesto. The enhanced approach aims to provide a stronger narrative framework for advocacy efforts globally and reinforce recognition of business events as critical infrastructure for economic development, innovation, international collaboration, and societal outcomes.

Net Zero Carbon Events: Moving from Commitment to Implementation

JMIC further highlighted significant progress across the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) initiative, reinforcing the industry’s transition from ambition to measurable implementation. Key developments announced include:

• Updated NZCE Measurement Methodology designed to provide greater clarity, improved usability and stronger comparability of event emissions measurement across different event types and stakeholder groups.
• External Tool Assessment evaluating sustainability tools for their NZCE alignment.
• Reporting Validation Programme supporting greater transparency and confidence in how signatories communicate progress and climate action outcomes.
• Embedding NZCE into Sustainable Event Standards by EIC, reducing fragmentation and simplifying sustainability for business events stakeholders.
• Education and Capacity Building to support organisations globally in implementing climate action strategies, with support from.

These developments reinforce NZCE’s role as the industry’s central platform for decarbonisation and demonstrate growing collaboration across regions and stakeholder groups.

Alexander Alles, Executive Director of JMIC until May 2026, says: “The progress we are announcing today demonstrates that our industry is maturing and seeking clear collaboration. Whether through advocacy, harmonised standards, education, or measurable climate action, our objective remains clear: to create one stronger, more aligned industry voice capable of delivering long-term impact.”

About JMIC: JMIC serves as the global voice of the meetings industry, bringing together international and regional organisations to raise awareness of the sector’s value and drive collaboration. JMIC is dedicated to promoting the value of the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry through advocacy, research, and collaboration. JMIC presents The Iceberg, a platform that promotes the broader impact and lasting legacies of business and professional events. JMIC’s Global Manifesto serves as an advocacy tool, providing an industry rationale for engaging with policymakers, local governments, corporations, institutions, and communities. www.themeetingsindustry.org

Australian business events organisations of all sizes are invited to be part of the Promise, committing to a shared industry vision for sustainable tourism. Those who join are asked to embrace the five Principles and communicate them with business events planners and delegates, helping to guidere sponsible visitor behaviours when in Australia: Celebrate Community, Embrace Culture, Preserve Place, Respect Wildlife and Take Care.

Tourism Australia Managing Director, Robin Mack, said: “Australia’s business events industry has astrong track record of delivering world-class experiences and events that are sensitive to the environment, our cultures and our communities. Green is Our Gold recognises the strong foundations already in place, while encouraging a collective commitment to continuous improvement across the sector.

"Sustainability thrives on collaboration rather than individual action. Through Green is Our Gold, we're ensuring that planners know when choosing Australia, they are developing their events with a national network of unified industry partners, giving them the confidence that their event will align with the expectations of their delegates.”

Green is Our Gold builds on the National Sustainability Framework for the Visitor Economy and the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit, which the Australian Government launched in 2023 with State and Territory Tourism Ministers, and which is a key action under the national long-term visitor economy strategy, THRIVE 2030.

For more information about theGreen and Gold Promise, the five Green and Gold Principles, visit tourism.australia.com.

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At the occasion of the first participation of Angola at the IMEX, an important delegation came to Frankurt to present the opportunities and new project of the country. H.E. Márcio de Jesus Lopes Daniel, Minister of Tourism – presented the mission, vision, and the new Meet in Angola brand.

Manuel de Lemos Paixão, Executive Director at Alfermetal – presented the new Luanda Convention Centre project. And, as a special guest, Dr. Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA – announced a new exclusive cooperation in Africa between ICCA and Angola Convention Bureau

See the presentation on Audiencia · LUNDO IMEX 2026 V4 - Figma Slides

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past event - IMEX 2025

21st IMEX Frankfurt closes on a high

The 2025 edition of IMEX Frankfurt has welcomed more than 13,000 global attendees, of which well over 4,000 were meetings and events buyers.

The show, which took place May 20-22 at Messe Frankfurt, was the largest ever in terms of exhibitor floor space, generating over 67,000 pre-scheduled meetings across three days. One to one meetings increased by 10% compared to last year demonstrating not only heightened business demand but also increased engagement among buyers.

The 21st edition of the show reflected both current sentiment and momentum within the worldwide events sector, with robust business pipelines evident in the meetings, connections and collaborations happening on a busy show floor.

As an industry founded on collaboration, the global range of buyers and suppliers enjoyed the positive benefits and insights of meeting face to face.

Claudia Kliem, Senior Manager Group Sales-Worldwide Sales at BWH Hotel Group, said: “MICE business is people's business... the personal touch is what makes the difference. To tell our story face to face is even better... if the customer has a question, you can share your story in a way that’s relevant to them. This gives us the personal touch.”

Trust, transparency, experiential design

The Inspiration Hub, home to the show’s education programming, saw event professionals come together to question, debate and look to the future. Several themes arose time and again—the importance of trust, transparency, experiential design combined with emotional journey planning, psychological safety and leadership.

In a panel session exploring how agencies and planners can work together more successfully, Alexandra Howar, Director of Business Development at InVision Communications, highlighted that “transparency is the currency of trust.” She encouraged planners to collaborate across the supply chain to drive efficiencies and elevate the audience experience.

Looking ahead, Carina Bauer, IMEX Group CEO, noted that Frankfurt has been designated World Design Capital 2026, which offers the show multiple opportunities to extend its partnerships across the city and promote the importance of strong design principles as the bedrock of successful events and experiences.

IMEX 2026 - 19-21 May - https://imex-frankfurt.com/newfront

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IMEX 2025 snapshots

Of het iets met het ontbreken van een regering voor het Brussels Gewest te maken heeft, weten we niet. Maar echt druk was het in geen geval tijdens de eerste twee dagen van de IMEX beurs op de stand van het Visit Brussels Convention & Association Bureau.

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Luxembourg: a small country with a large delegation

The following partners were showcasing Luxembourg as a united and dynamic destination:
Accor – Filippo Bicego, Alexandre TURQUIA # Travel Pro – Svenja Siemsen # DoubleTree by Hilton – Senada RAMIC # Emotion Event Management – Carole Platz, Aline Fontana # EPIC EVENTS Luxembourg – Caroline Gniadek, Camille Thomas # European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL) – Lise GRESNIK DELAUNAY # Hotel Le Royal Luxembourg – iuliana Gana # Luxembourg City Tourist Office – Antje Voß, Chris Peeters # LÉGÈRE HOTEL Luxembourg – Marie-Laure Moreau de Bellaing # LUXEXPO THE BOX – Jaqueline Terres # Meliá Hotels International – Julita Jarek.

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Representing Maharashtra Tourism at IMEX was Shri Indranil Naik, Minister of State (Tourism, Industries, Public Works, Higher & Technical Education, Tribal Development, Soil & Water Conservation), alongside Shri Atul Patne, IAS, Principal Secretary (Tourism) and Shri Santosh Rokade, Deputy Secretary from the Department of Tourism, Maharashtra Government as well as Dr. B.N. Patil, IAS, Director, Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra is ready to take the lead as India’s foremost economic hub that contributes close to 15% of the country’s GDP. The formation of MCB is a strategic step towards expanding the country’s intellectual capital by drawing delegates, professionals and experts from around the world to promote knowledge-sharing, innovation, and industry collaboration.

The formation of MCB is a significant step in this direction – leveraging world-class infrastructure, a thriving economy, and a robust service ecosystem to establish the state as a top destination for high-impact international events. Its dynamic cities – the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune, Nashik, and Nagpur – will be at the core of this movement, creating a network of interconnected locations offering a diverse mix of venues, accommodation, and seamless transportation, equipped to support events of every scale.

MCB will play an instrumental role in promoting the State for business tourism by working closely with international event organisers, offering administrative assistance, and providing resources to ensure the success and impact of events. Additionally, the Bureau will collaborate with key stakeholders, including hotels, venues, and service providers to ease the planning process and enhance the overall experience.

Underlining the immense potential for MICE events in India, Dr. Senthil Gopinath - CEO International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), said “The establishment of the Maharashtra Convention Bureau is a transformative milestone, not only for Maharashtra but for India’s entire MICE industry. This initiative underscores the state’s commitment to leveraging its world-class infrastructure, thriving economy, and diverse destinations to attract global conventions. By creating a dedicated bureau, Maharashtra is setting a benchmark for other states to follow, fostering a culture of knowledge exchange, collaboration, and economic growth through international events. As ICCA, we are excited to see Mumbai and Maharashtra take their rightful place on the global MICE map”.

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MaxiIMICE – This idea is to invite clients to explore and maximise new development of products and services or enhanced and upgraded offerings in Thailand. They range from enhanced accessibility due to increased flights, more capable and potential city destinations, new investment in properties, growth of unconventional venues, larger pool of qualified MICE manpower and standard-certified enterprises, richer options of localised experiences to stronger government support.

Meaningful – This idea is partly derived from TCEB’s policy to advance the performance of MICE industry under the framework of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). It offers clients possibilities of making more purposeful events with measurable impacts. Spotlighting on sustainability, Thailand has developed low carbon MICE routes, MICE suppliers certified with sustainable event management, professional bodies in designing, auditing and verifying sustainable performance of events. Furthermore, there are choices of activities designed to involve and benefit local communities in every MICE City and other potential destinations across the country.

Memorable - With strong hospitability, adaptability and wealthy cultural assets, Thailand is always in fit state to deliver return on experiences. Thanks to extensive network of stakeholders in the creative sector, event designers, local communities keen in the MICE industry and tech entrepreneurs, Thailand can help clients craft the events with unique cultural immersion and fusion, finely blended business and leisure, tech-driven execution, contribution to local communities, plus a sense of human touch that will make enduring memory.

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past event - IMEX 2024

IMEX 2024 Frankfurt: One big MICE family at the best meetings industry fair

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“The fact that Singapore is such an important destination for meetings and events is also reflected in the top ten from the meeting hotels in Asia-Pacific. With no fewer than five hotels, including the JW Marriott hotel Singapore South Beach and the Shangri-La Singapore, occupying positions 1 and 2 in that top 10. And two new hotels will open soon: The Standard and the Raffles Sentosa Resort. Singapore definitely wants to be the best MICE city in the world. And that fits in perfect with the 50th anniversary this year of the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. In all of this, we do not neglect to make continuous efforts in the field of environment and sustainability. With the slogan ‘meetings for good’. Meetings and business events have the power to drive long-term change in communities. As more meeting planners and event organisers recognise the importance of leaving a positive impact through events, they find that investing in legacy pays off – whether in boosting delegate engagement, growing brand awareness, or attracting new members.”

“ As for Belgium and Luxembourg, we are very pleased that Singapore Airlines has been online in Brussels again since April this year. This direct connection naturally opens up additional opportunities for the MICE sector in the region. And we are planning additional promotion for that sector,” adds Kershing Goh.

Global marketing campaign

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has launched a new global marketing campaign to reinforce Singapore's position as the World's Best MICE City and ensure that business events can make a positive and lasting impact. The campaign invites meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) organisers and planners to take a fresh look at Singapore's value proposition as a leading MICE destination that can deliver targeted results in a competitive environment. Following the announcement of a new marketing strategy last year, this is the first of six global campaigns the STB will run in the coming years to further showcase Singapore. "Positioning Singapore as the World's Best MICE City is an integral part of our efforts to maintain our competitive edge and highlight Singapore's strengths. This is particularly important as MICE organisers and participants are looking for destinations that add value and have a positive impact. We will continue to invest in new MICE products and experiences and invite organisers and planners to join us in creating business events that deliver meaningful outcomes," says Yap Chin Siang, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Tourism Board. Singapore is considered a major commercial hub with cutting-edge innovation, technology and research capabilities and has a vibrant business ecosystem where thought leaders, investors and companies meet. It also provides neutral ground for meaningful dialogue, access to unique tourism offerings and an excellent track record of hosting high-quality events.

Better support for organizers and participants

Singapore has set clear goals, standards, certification programs and incentives to create a greener future for the MICE industry. However, the changing environment requires an increasing need for destinations to redefine their experience and the support they offer to MICE planners, companies and participants. Especially with industry players increasingly focusing on driving meaningful change. This is also demonstrated by the Meeting Needs

Survey (2023) of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), in which the associations emphasize the importance of their events having a positive impact on the destination and integrating a lasting experience into their activities. For example, 44 percent of international associations have changed their tenders with requirements in the past three years. The results also highlighted various ways in which associations are aiming to make a positive contribution, from hosting sustainable events to engaging market segments for an inclusive approach.

Leading the way to create positive change

The STB's global MICE campaign is based on input from companies and events that are leading the way in implementing positive action.

To enable businesses to shape their own impact in Singapore, the STB is developing a comprehensive legacy toolkit that provides a clear framework for planning, executing and measuring the results or impact of an event. For example, business partnerships formed at a MICE event could drive industry development. For example, increased community awareness of health issues brought about by an event's initiatives could also lead to early prevention and detection, thereby improving the quality of a population's health over time. The legacy toolkit also includes case studies and information on the support the STB provides. It is scheduled to be completed and published by June 2024.

The STB has also launched an enhanced Singapore MICE Advantage Programme (SMAP) to attract more MICE organisers to Singapore. The programme offers a range of new perks, including discounts at new lifestyle and retail partners Mandai Wildlife Group and Design Orchard, and has also been extended to existing partners to include shopping vouchers and complimentary offers, including food and beverages. This global MICE campaign is an extension of our destination brand Passion Made Possible, which highlights Singapore's character of creating opportunities and making ordinary moments extraordinary. In addition to the campaign film and social media, the campaign, which will be gradually rolled out across key markets and regions such as China, Europe, Germany, Indonesia and the United States, will also include trade events and MICE exhibitions to showcase how Singapore covers every aspect of the MICE offering.

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Asia Convention Alliance, City Destinations Alliance, G3, ICCA, Joint Meeting Industry Council, SITE, MPI, Destinations International...

During the first post-COVID IMEX last year, the password was 'Finally we meet again,'. During this 21st edition, that was undoubtedly 'connecting, working together, joining' Many associations and organizations announced new, renewed or more extensive partnerships. The trend par excellence during this very successful IMEX edition. Again without Russia. And actually without China, but Hong Kong was prominently present.

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For the past year, Malaysia has seen progress in the recovery of its business events industry as the pandemic recedes, attributing to the government’s effective inoculation processes and citizens’ awareness. The nation is getting back on track as international borders reopened in 2022 and saw an increase of tourism visitors. The country’s strategy in steadily strengthening the business events industry includes promotional campaigns and international collaborations, which is already witnessing short term results of 114 business events secured from this year till 2030.

Info: https://www.myceb.com.my/

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• More Choices of Certified MICE Venues
As of March 2023, there are 1,228 meeting rooms in Thailand that have acquired Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) certification, giving international MICE planners a wider selection of professionally managed facilities. There are also 63 certified Special Event Venues – places that offer a unique ambience such as rooftop terraces, art studios, auditoriums, museums, refurbished old factories, vineyards, and parks and gardens.
• MICE Suppliers – Sustainability and Tech Solutions
Thailand now boasts 52 MICE entrepreneurs certified with Thailand Sustainable Event Management Standard (TSEM). This means planners have a larger pool of qualified local partners who can guide them in selecting and implementing a variety of impactful sustainability practices. These MICE suppliers can also help event organisers access a wide range of technology solutions to improve productivity and outcomes. These solutions include digital artworks, special visual and lighting effects, virtual influencers, data analytics, reservation and ticketing apps, and temporary staff recruitment platforms.
• MICE Events – Parade of Global Meetings
Bangkok will be a host city for a line-up of global meetings. All are of significant impacts for the industry, economy and global development. The ICCA Annual Congress 2023 will take place in November. In 2024, the capital city of Thailand will be hosting Global Spine Congress and Money 20/20. The Annual Meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund 2026 is confirmed for Bangkok, as well.

• MICE Experiences – Local Choices, Global Recognition
Thailand is now offering one more choice of culinary journey for MICE planners and travelers because The Michelin Guide will feature Koh Samui and Surat Thani city in southern Thailand in its 2024 edition. This development will make it easier for MICE visitors to explore Thailand’s delectably diverse culinary landscape. Similarly, Muay Thai fighting is also making headlines in the global arena. 
• Privileges in MICE Support Schemes
TCEB will be highlighting three support schemes at IMEX 2023 – “MI Plus Experience By Yourself”, “Partnership package”, and “Convene Plus BCG”. The first offers support scheme for site inspection, with certain amount of fund for related items during the trip in Thailand, such as accommodation, F&B, ground arrangement based on the criteria of the group. It is on a first come, first served basis and subject to terms and conditions and availability. Partnership package is collaboration of TCEB with 55 suppliers in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, and Hua Hin to offer privileges for such activities as dinner cruise, shopping, forest adventure, sight-seeing activities. “Convene Plus BCG” targets the Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) and associations, and helps with their bid preparation, convention planning, marketing and promotion, and practices that are aligned with the Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model

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Past event - IMEX 2022

In Frankfurt vond van 31 mei tot 2 juni 2022 de 20^ste editie van de IMEX vakbeurs plaats. De vorige keer dateerde al van 2019 maar het leek alsof het event nooit was weggeweest en er niets was veranderd. De afwezigheid van Rusland (niet uitgenodigd) en China (door de Covid 19 situatie) viel op geen enkele manier op. En werd ruim goed gemaakt door de grootste Afrikaanse deelname ooit en de prominente aanwezigheid van Azië en het Midden Oosten. En vanzelfsprekend van gastheer Duitsland. Een opvallende Europese afwezige was Litouwen. Een land dat als organisator van de vakbeurs CONVENE in het verleden nochtans een opvallende rol speelde op MICE vlak in de Baltische regio.

IMEX chairman Ray Bloom en IMEX CEO Carina Bauer konden tevreden een volle hall 8 overschouwen, terwijl hall 9 gebruikt werd voor faciliteiten, ondersteuning en de hosted buyer lounge. En bij zowel de aanbieders als de buyers overheerste het optimisme en de blijdschap van weer ‘terug’ te zijn.  Dato Sri Abdul Khani Daud, CEO van Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau verwoordde perfect het algemeen gevoel tijdens de persconferentie van MyCEB: ‘Het jaar 2019 was tot nu toe het absolute topjaar voor Maleisië tijdens de IMEX. Vanzelfsprekend kunnen we nu nog niet hetzelfde niveau halen wat de kwantiteit en kwaliteit van de afspraken betreft. Maar IMEX is de belangrijkste beurs voor MICE in de wereld. Er hier bij zijn is dus een must en superrelevant. Om samen met alle andere landen de MICE markt weer leven in te blazen en herop te bouwen na de Covid crisis. Daarenboven zijn we hier eindelijk weer face to face met onze wereldwijde partners en collega’s.’

België en Luxemburg

Prominent vlakbij de ingang presenteerden het visit.brussels Association & Convention Bureau en het Luxembourg Convention Bureau aan de IMEX bezoekers. Met op de stand van Brussel Elisabeth Van Ingelgem (directeur), Thierry Van Eyll (international development) en het team van Chez Léon. [foto] Algemene tevredenheid hier bij de standhouders die evenveel afspraken noteerden als tijdens het succesjaar 2019. Hetzelfde gevoel bij de Luxemburgers met veel bekende maar ook nieuwe gezichten. [foto]

Grote afwezige dit jaar, tot verwondering en ongeloof van velen: Meet in Flanders. En dus geen spoor van nochtans belangrijke MICE bestemmingen als Gent en Brugge. Enkel Antwerpen was sober op de afspraak met A Room with a ZOO. Met onder andere Ilse Van San en Lieve Fransen als standhouders

Swisstainable

De stand van Zwitserland had dit jaar duurzaamheid als thema. Vandaar ook de slogan Swisstainable. Myriam Winnepenninckx, manager Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau in Brussel: ‘Zwitserland staat synoniem voor bergen, bossen en mystiek. Dit willen we behouden voor de komende generaties. Met de nieuwe strategie van Zwitserse duurzaamheid willen we, samen met de hele toeristische sector, een beweging op gang brengen met de ambitie om een van de meest duurzame bestemmingen ter wereld te worden. We streven daarom naar een harmonieus evenwicht tussen de behoeften van de gasten, de lokale bevolking en de omgeving. We willen deze aanpak versterken en communiceren naar onze gasten. Zodat ze meer verantwoord kunnen reizen met toch een ruime keuze aan een aangepast aanbod en ervaringen.   

Zwitserland Toerisme en acht Zwitserse bestemmingen zijn een samenwerking aangegaan met het Global Movement for Destination Sustainability (GDS). GDS beoordeelt en evalueert de sociale en milieu inspanningen van een bestemming. Dat draagt bij tot het verbeteren van en uiteindelijk tot het komen tot meer duurzame MICE bestemmingen.”

Belgian Coast hotels

Negen Accor hotels aan de Belgische kust presenteerden zich in Frankfurt gezamenlijk aan de buyers. Daarbij zeven Ibis hotels en twee Mercure hotels. Matthias Dujardijn (sales manager hotelexploitaties) en Rik In ’t Zand (Mercure hotels): “Wij willen ons met deze Accor kusthotels als een geheel presenteren, vooral dan tijdens beurzen als IMEX. Omdat er voor meetings en events een wisselwerking mogelijk is en de kust hiervoor een mooie bestemming is. En zeker bij buitenlanders, zoals de Duitsers, erg populair. Er zijn ook heel wat nieuwe vestigingen gepland. Zo opent in 2023 een Ibis Styles in Bredene en in 2024 een Mercure in Knokke. Een belangrijke aanwinst wordt ook het eveneens voor 2024 geplande Novotel aan de luchthaven van Oostende.

City Destinations Alliance

Vanaf 31 maart 2022 is City Destinations Alliance de nieuwe naam en identiteit van de organisatie die voorheen bekend stond als European Cities Marketing. De rebranding markeert een belangrijke verschuiving die al enkele jaren aan de gang is en versneld door de pandemie.

Petra Stušek (voorzitter van de City Destinations Alliance: “Als een gemeenschap van professionals in stadstoerisme en een alliantie van meer dan 115 Europese stadsbestemmingen, zijn we net zo Europees als altijd, we delen de passie en liefde voor stedelijke ervaring en het stadsleven in het algemeen. Als alliantie is het ons doel om de levenskwaliteit in de Europese steden te verbeteren. We zetten ons in voor een duurzame en verantwoorde bezoekerseconomie die werkt voor mens, plaats en planeet. In de afgelopen tien jaar zijn de activiteiten van Destination Marketing Organisations (DMO's) aanzienlijk veranderd. Terwijl de meeste DMO's zich vroeger beperkten tot citymarketing en bezoekersontvangst, zijn de activiteiten van vandaag veel complexer en meer divers. Tegenwoordig hebben leidende bestemmingen de taak om te zorgen voor duurzame en verantwoorde praktijken in de bezoekerseconomie, het begrijpen en beheren van bezoekersgedrag, het faciliteren van publieke betrokkenheid en het zorgen voor het gebruik van slimme applicaties in het stedelijke landschap en nog veel meer. Met de nieuwe merkidentiteit – City Destinations Alliance – erkennen we dat bestemmingsleiderschap zoveel meer inhoudt dan marketing.”

INFO: citydestinationsalliance.eu

Singapore Tourism

Singapore staat wereldwijd bekend als een tuinstad. In het kader van het Singapore Green Plan 2030 - een landelijke beweging voor duurzame ontwikkeling - zet Singapore zich in om een duurzame stedelijke bestemming bij uitstek te worden voor reizigers.

De Singapore Tourism Board (STB) werd in 2021 lid van de Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) en ondersteunt lokale toerismebedrijven krachtig bij hun evolutie naar duurzaamheid. In 2022 trad Singapore toe tot de Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-I), die de sociale en milieuprestaties van Singapore vergelijkt met die van andere bestemmingen. Deze jaarlijkse evaluatie houdt de voortgang van de stadstaat als stad in de natuur bij en stimuleert de prestaties in de richting van duurzaamheidsdoelen. Ondertussen blijft de STB samenwerken met de lokale industrie om normen, certificering en een grotere aanvaarding van groene praktijken te bevorderen.

Een recent initiatief is de Hotel Sustainability Roadmap, die in maart van dit jaar is gelanceerd door de Singapore Hotel Association en de STB. De routekaart omvat strategieën voor duurzaamheid en doelstellingen voor de hotelindustrie. Waaronder het opvolgen van emissies vanaf 2023. Met de bedoeling om de emissies door hotels tegen 2030 te verminderen en dat met het oog op een netto nul-uitstoot tegen 2050.

INFO: www.visitsingapore.com/mice/en/

Nouveau Parc des Expositions pour Strasbourg

Signé par Kengo Kuma, le nouveau Parc des Expositions ouvrira ses portes en septembre 2022.

Avec 20 000 m² de surface d'exposition entièrement modulable, dont un hall indépendant de 6000m² et 3 halls d'un seul tenant de 15 000m².

Et un hall temporaire supplémentaire de 4800m², une nef de 2 300 m² avec des larges baies vitrées baignées de lumière naturelle, une salle événementielle de 400m² pour déjeuners, cocktails, moments conviviaux ou conférence

Autres éléments : un accès au toit avec terrasse en bois de 30m², des accueils, vestiaires, bureaux organisateurs, salles de repos avec douche, 2 400 m3  de bois permettant de stocker 1 700 tonnes de CO2, technique de rafraîchissement par géocooling, installation prochaine de 5 000 m² de panneaux photovoltaïques qui permettront d’alimenter en énergie les 2 structures

Proximité avec les accès autoroutiers et  transports en commun.

INFO : www.mystrasbourg.com

Bahrein

Nog een nieuw tentoonstellings- en congrescentrum dat voorgesteld werd in Frankfurt, is Exhibition World Bahrain, dat eind dit jaar zijn deuren opent. Het centrum moet een katalysator worden voor de economische groei, sociale ontwikkeling en het scheppen van nieuwe jobs. Het nieuwe centrum combineert de essentie van de authentieke Bahreinse geest en warme Arabische gastvrijheid, geaccentueerd door het gebruik van de kleuren van de nationale vlag. Het weerspiegelt de essentie van een ruimte die is ontworpen om verbinding te maken, ideeën te delen en onvergetelijke ervaringen te creëren.

Met 95.000 m² aan tentoonstellingsruimte, een grote hall voor 400 tot 4000 gasten, 95 vergaderzalen en 25 restaurants en winkels moet Exhibition World Bahrain het koninkrijk uit het Midden Oosten op de meetings- en events kaart zetten.

INFO: www.ewbahrain.com

TCEB en het Queen Sirikit Convention Center

Het Thai Convention and Exhibition Center mist geen enkele editie van IMEX en is er telkens als de kippen bij om nieuws en nieuwe initiatieven te delen. Naast de gevoelige vermindering van de COVID-safe maatregelen vanaf 1 juni (en wellicht schrapping van alle maatregelen later deze zomer) was er met komende opening van het gloednieuwe Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Het nieuwe centrum vervangt het vroegere, verouderde centrum is moet naar verwachting openen in juni dit jaar. Het zal een oppervlakte beslaan van 330.000 vierkante meter (tegenover 65.000 voor het oude), waarvan 78.500 vierkante meter voor events (een verdrievoudiging ten opzichte van vroeger). Belangrijk is de creatie van het erbij aansluitende Benjakitti Forest Park, meteen het grootste stadspark van Bangkok. Het QSNCC krijgt een directe aansluiting met het MRT metronetwerk en daarbovenop 3000.

INFO: www.businesseventsthailand.com - www.qsncc.com

Nouveau Parc des Expositions pour Strasbourg

Signé par Kengo Kuma, le nouveau Parc des Expositions ouvrira ses portes en septembre 2022.

Avec 20 000 m² de surface d'exposition entièrement modulable, dont un hall indépendant de 6000m² et 3 halls d'un seul tenant de 15 000m².

Et un hall temporaire supplémentaire de 4800m², une nef de 2 300 m² avec des larges baies vitrées baignées de lumière naturelle, une salle événementielle de 400m² pour déjeuners, cocktails, moments conviviaux ou conférence

Autres éléments : un accès au toit avec terrasse en bois de 30m², des accueils, vestiaires, bureaux organisateurs, salles de repos avec douche, 2 400 m3  de bois permettant de stocker 1 700 tonnes de CO2, technique de rafraîchissement par géocooling, installation prochaine de 5 000 m² de panneaux photovoltaïques qui permettront d’alimenter en énergie les 2 structures

Proximité avec les accès autoroutiers et  transports en commun.

INFO: www.mystrasbourg.com

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