The current momentum in the business events sector shone through in the strength and scale of IMEX America last month.
Newly-released figures highlight a 6.5% increase in buyers from 2024 to 6,145 and confirmation of a new record number of participants—17,633—underscoring ongoing industry demand for the innovative market-leading trade show.
Of these, more than 4,700 were hosted buyers, with 41% managing budgets of $5 million and above. An additional 1,400 buyer attendees brought additional purchasing power to the show floor.
The 3,700 exhibiting companies ensured a favorable ratio of buyers to exhibitors, fuelling the volume of business meetings evident on the show floor. There were a total of 92,000 meetings spanning one-to-one, group appointments and presentations.
Further statistics from the 14th edition of IMEX America can be found here, including buyers by nature of business, buying power and country.
A bespoke ‘IMEXperience’
Insights from the show highlight a continued desire for attendees to shape their own tailored, community-driven event experience.
- 800 people joined various first timer welcome sessions at the show which were increased from one to four due to strong demand. Each was curated by members of the IMEX team, bringing different voices and formats to the welcome program.
- There were 373 education sessions across the four days including partner education and sessions on the show floor Inspiration Hub. Attendees could ‘pick and mix’ sessions to match their learning goals within a range of topics including new tracks: Leadership and culture, and Community builders. Among the most popular sessions on the Inspiration Hub were trend forecasts, budgeting, and event design.
- Exhibitors delivered creative brand story-telling through inventive activations. These included Scottsdale’s hat-making bar, live harp music from Ireland and Encore’s futuristic, train-inspired booth.
Hosted buyer Kathy Bakeberg from Type A Events explained the power of the in-the-moment connections fuelling the show and the importance of walk-up, as well as pre-scheduled meetings: “The exhibitors were fantastic—so creative with their booths and presentations. I stopped by the LA booth for the popcorn and ended up getting a full presentation from ten hotel reps! It’s the kind of serendipitous discovery you just can’t get online.
“Being at the show and connecting in person makes such a difference—it’s what turns a transaction into a real relationship.”
IMEX CEO Carina Bauer sums up: “This year’s edition of IMEX America was remarkable not just for its size, but also the value created for our industry.
“The sheer scale of the show offers a clear snapshot of the industry's current landscape. It was encouraging to witness the energy and confidence reflected in the countless business connections made, not just on the floor but in the many hundreds of fringe events for which IMEX is increasingly recognized.
“It was also gratifying to see how attendees tapped into those added-value activations and offerings to create their own personalised take on the show, enjoying dozens of micro experiences within a macro event.”
