IMEX America hits record 15,500+ attendees

IMEX America has hit a new record with more than 15,500 attendees at its 2024 edition, signalling growing confidence in the business events sector. 

The prestigious tradeshow saw the participation of over 5,500 buyers – including 4,300 hosted buyers – with more than 86,000 pre-scheduled meetings with exhibitors. Read all about it below.

Here are the top headlines for your weekly event news updates:

• IMEX America clocks new attendance record with 15,500+ participants
• Informa forms festivals division following Ascential acquisition
• Koelnmesse cancels 2025 Cologne furniture tradeshow 
• GES strengthens Middle East presence with Qatar division

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IMEX America clocks new attendance record with 15,500+ participants

IMEX America shattered attendance records as it welcomed more than 15,500 participants to its 13th edition.

The surge of participants over the three-day event underscored the prevailing optimism and confidence in the business events industry.

The 2024 edition was held during October 8-10 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It saw over 5,500 buyers – including 4,300 hosted buyers, engage in more than 86,000 pre-scheduled meetings with exhibitors.

IMEX CEO Carina Bauer said: “We’re delighted that the global business events community has reconvened in such strong numbers here this week, bringing with them a desire to meet with purpose and forge connections for mutual long-term gain.

“The broader catalytic effect of the show has shone through in the many fringe events, activities and celebrations on and off the show floor – it’s exciting to see how people have used the platform of the show to elevate their own impact and experience.

“The sheer number of attendees and meetings at IMEX America this week is further evidence of how our sector continues to prosper and power ahead.”

Key highlights include:

• A 7% expansion in show floor space compared to 2023
• Over 150 education sessions, with more than 1,600 attendees at the Inspiration Hub
• Significant growth reported in the incentive travel industry
• A new Brand Experience Summit at Allegiant Stadium for senior marketers

Informa forms festivals division following Ascential acquisition

Informa Group has announced the creation of Informa Festivals following its acquisition of Ascential plc. The new division will launch January 1, 2025.

Who said business isn’t fun?

We’re expanding our business-to-business events with the launch of Informa Festivals from 2025.

And welcoming @Cannes_Lions, @money2020 and all the @Ascential_ businesses to Informa today.
https://t.co/zpn6QULIHY pic.twitter.com/KFbZKPu0r2

— Informa Plc (@InformaPLC) October 9, 2024

Informa Festivals will focus on experience-led B2B events featuring immersive content and community connections. Key brands include Lions for marketing, Money20/20 for fintech and Black Hat for cybersecurity.

The company is updating its B2B operating model with three focused divisions:

• Informa Markets: Transaction-led B2B events
• Informa Connect: Content-led B2B events
• Informa Festivals: Experience-led events

Informa reaffirmed its 2024 guidance, projecting group revenue of £3.5 billion+ and adjusted operating profit of £970 million to £1bn.

The company expects to enter 2025 with revenues exceeding £4bn and consistent 5%+ underlying growth.

Koelnmesse cancels 2025 Cologne furniture tradeshow 

Koelnmesse, along with key German furniture industry associations, has cancelled the January 2025 edition of imm cologne, the international furniture trade show.

Koelnmesse, the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), and the German Furniture and Kitchen Retailers Association (BVDM) reached this decision after extensive deliberations, prioritizing the industry’s long-term viability over short-term commitments.

Gerald Böse, chairman of the Koelnmesse management board, said: “Pausing the imm cologne at this point in time is a logical decision, in view of the situation the industry currently finds itself in.

“It was an extremely difficult decision to make, but it was also unavoidable in order to show our international customers some consideration.

“Due to its January date, the imm cologne did not take place three years in a row during the pandemic.

This lack of continuity, coupled with the current economic environment, makes it impossible for us as event organisers to guarantee an attractive range of exhibitors for the retailers in Cologne in January 2025.

“We still intend to offer the furniture industry an international stage in Germany in future.

“We are already jointly developing very promising concepts that meet the changed requirements of all stakeholders as best as can be.”

Recent figures from VDM reveal a sharp decline in market turnover, with a 9.7% drop across all furniture categories and an 11.2% fall in upholstered furniture sales during 2023 and the first half of 2024.

Koelnmesse cited dwindling domestic demand and industry-wide financial constraints as primary factors behind the cancellation.

The move aims to provide stakeholders an opportunity to collaborate on developing a more sustainable trade fair format for the future.

The cancellation also reflects broader concerns within the German furniture sector, including declining employee numbers and company closures.

GES strengthens Middle East presence with Qatar division

Global Experience Specialists (GES) has launched a new division in Qatar to expand its localized support for clients in the Middle East.

The move offers regional organizers faster and more personalized service for events and exhibitions including GES’s event management platform Visit.

Donna Hyland, general manager of GES Middle East, said: “We’re excited to bring our expertise to Qatar at a time of huge growth across the events industry in the region.

“With our strong presence already established in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, this new location allows us to be more agile and responsive to our clients’ requirements across the region, and continue to deliver high quality and reliable services with the local knowledge to drive industry success.”

Qatar has emerged as a global event destination highlighted by the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Venues like Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, Qatar National Convention Centre and Aspire Zone offer versatile event spaces.

GES has operated in the UAE exhibitions market for over 15 years and the Qatar launch follows the 2021 opening of its Saudi Arabia office as part of ongoing regional growth.

Recent GES projects in the Middle East include COP28, Dubai Airshow, Arab Health and ADIPEC. The company has also worked on Big5 Construct, Seamless and Intersec in Saudi Arabia.

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