Advocacy and advancement

Using our influence to unite and advance the global meetings and events industry.

Taking action for the future

Action is needed to secure a future for our global meetings and events industry.

We act by bringing the global events community together to do business, to learn and to drive positive change. We provide a platform to stimulate policy change at both national and municipal level, helping to lobby governments as a voice for our industry. We support the positive development of our industry, and we recognize the critical importance of inspiring and investing in future generations of event professionals.

Supporting our mission to unite and advance the meetings industry

The IMEX Policy Forum

Our Policy Forum connects the meetings world with public policymakers to influence the direction of business events nationally and globally. We bring together policymakers, event professionals, industry association leaders, destination representatives and influencers to redefine the impact of business events on destinations.

A proven platform for discussion and engagement, the Policy Forum has welcomed more than 600 policymakers from across the globe since launch. Enabling our destination community to directly influence key decision makers in their city, region, or country. And elevating the profile of the global meetings and events industry.

Learn more about the Policy Forum

Taleb Rifai

Secretary General,
UNWTO

"IMEX and the Policy Forum provide a valuable opportunity for governments wishing to gain essential insights into this continually expanding sector."

Highlights from the 2023 Policy Forum

Aligning the goals and priorities of policymakers and the business events industry in a complex and uncertain world.

IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum

Created to encourage the best and brightest to develop successful business events industry careers, the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum program nurtures connection, sparks conversation and encourages knowledge-sharing for our industry’s future leaders.

Offering enviable opportunities for the next generation of event professionals, inviting them into our exhilarating business events world, Future Leaders Forums take place alongside leading industry events worldwide, and annually at IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America. They are our way of investing in the future of our global industry.

See the Frankfurt program See the America program

Faculty Engagement Program

Bolstering our investment in our future leaders, the Faculty Engagement Program, run in partnership with IAEE, engages academics teaching and designing event management courses.

The program brings influential educators to our shows to share intelligence, to discuss new trends, solutions and innovations, to learn from industry and academic best practice. All with one singular aim—to help them deliver competitive and compelling event management courses.

See program details

Supported by our partners and collaborators