Messe Berlin’s official launch, 11 September, of the China International MICE Exchange (CIMX) in Beijing – set to take place next November – marks a milestone for the global meetings and events industry. CIMX will debut 3-5 November, 2026, in the Chinese capital and provide a key platform linking China’s dynamic market with international players.
CIMX was officially launched with a taster event – MICE Meeting Point, organised by ITB China at the Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing, 11 September. Preceding the launch, Zheng Fang, deputy director-general of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and David Axiotis, managing director of Messe Berlin (China), signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding outlining collaboration on the launch of CIMX, including working jointly on global promotion and hosted buyer recruitment.
More than 120 guests were in the Hyatt Regency for the launch ceremony, joining peers from the industry to witness the creation of this new platform.
Organisers say they expect to showcase over 200 exhibitors at CIMX next year, including destinations, venues, hotel groups and resorts, airlines and cruise operators, travel and DMC services, PCOs, and event tech providers. They also hope to attract more than 350 qualified buyers from China and overseas, along with 5,000 trade visitors. Nine thousand pre-scheduled and matched one-to-one business meetings are planned, to facilitate effective deal-making.
A CIMX Conference will feature global and Chinese industry leaders sharing market insights, best practices, and innovations, covering areas such as revenue models, sustainability, and technology.
Messe Berlin’s David Axiotis said: “The launch of CIMX marks the start of a new international MICE platform. Through CIMX, we aim to build more efficient and meaningful connections between China and the global MICE industry, fostering collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth. We look forward to welcoming industry leaders from around the world to Beijing in November 2026 for the inaugural CIMX.”
Guo Huaigang, director general of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, said: “Beijing offers unique strengths for high-end MICE development. With abundant resources, strong infrastructure, and a vast market, we are committed to fostering an increasingly international, professional, and competitive environment. This partnership with Messe Berlin (China) and the launch of CIMX provide Beijing with a new platform to connect globally and open new channels for two-way exchange.”
The MICE Meeting Point event at the Hyatt Regency in Beijing served as an exclusive ‘taster’ event platform specifically designed for the Chinese MICE and business travel industry. It featured a conference with insightful sessions from top-level industry leaders and experts, a business mart with branded sponsor booths to connect and meet with interested buyers and trade professionals on site, as well as additional networking opportunities to engage with key decision-makers in this dynamic market. The event will be followed by a familiarisation trip.
Director of UK agency Umbrella, Martin Ellis, was at the event in Beijing and told CMW: “As a taster for next year’s main event, MICE Meeting Point showed a lot of promise. Although the selection of exhibitors was understandably small, the quality was very good and there was a good cross section of suppliers. It is an excellent way to build contacts for anyone looking to do business in China.”
Exhibitors of CIMX 2026 can now register HERE and benefit from a 15% discount on their booth package until 31 October, 2025.
