IMEX Frankfurt ready to make an impact again

Take a look at what’s in store for IMEX Frankfurt 2024 for eventprofs and all ‘corporate athletes’ With a global range of exhibitors, learning sessions that dig into today’s most pertinent issues and opportunities to build new connections, IEX Frankfurt 2024, which takes place 14-16 May, is set to be a show with impact. Planners have constraints on their resources and have become much more international about how they spend

their time, money and energy, so in planning this year’s show in Frankfurt, IMEX CEO, Carina Bauer tells us: “We’ve been more international, too. We’ve taken a close look at our attendees, what they want, and why they want it” “Doing business will sit front and centre of the show, along with opportunities for event professionals to broaden their global connections. A visit to IMEX Frankfurt will be an efficient and enjoyable experience from start to finish, and one that enables planners to supercharge their desired results, Bauer adds. The Asian market is growing significantly with Macau, Malaysia, Korea and Singapore all expanding their presence this year. They join a broad range of European destinations from Croatia, Finland and Ireland to Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The area of the show floor devoted to technology is set to see Cvent increase its space and new additions including TranslateABLE. All the major hotel groups will be present, says IMEX, including Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, Radisson and – new to the show – Langham. Curated content for the event community IMEX’s learning programme begins the day before the show, on Monday 13 May, with specialist education for event professionals from associations – Association Focus, and in-house – Exclusively Corporate. With burnout on the increase (according to the Freeman Trends Report 2024), Exclusively Corporate speaker Mike Ford, founder of Grateful Lemon, is set to tackle the crisis head on in his session: ‘Energised or exhausted: Master the dance between stress and recovery’. He explains: ” we can learn some really vital lessons from the world of sport – athletes are unapologetic about their need for recovery. In many ways, we’re no different as event planners. You could say we’re ‘corporate athletes’ and have the same need to factor in recovery time!” The curated content continues during the show with She Means Business, a programme exploring aspects of diversity and gender equality. First-timers to IMEX can make the most of a ‘welcome package’ of activities before and during the show, including a webinar on 25 April focusing on the team’s top tips for making the most of the show. New learning formats including themed guided tours will shed a fresh light on the show. Also new for 2024 are focused panel discussions with speakers unafraid to tackle tough subjects, including men’s mental health and suicide, to menopause and perimenopause to social anxiety. Attendees are encouraged to save the date for a new Speaker Preview webinar taking place on 13 March where the show speakers will offer quick fire tasters of their education sessions. On the show’s ‘Impact’ Talking Point, Carina Bauer, says: ” We’re especially emphasising the ‘act’ within Impact, forming a rallying cry for our industry to collectively address the big issues facing our planet and communities. “Intention is one thing, but action is everything. We’ve also added new impact factor bonus points to our Innovation in Sustainability Award this year, inspired by our Talking Point.”