Who Visits?
IMEX is unique in attracting thousands
of meetings and incentive travel executives from around the world, together
with over 4,000 buyers from the valuable German outbound market. Buyers at IMEX are Either:AgencyIncluding incentive, business and conference travel agencies, full service incentive houses, conference organisers, sales and promotion agencies, marketing, PR and advertising agencies. AssociationFrom international or European institutes, federations or associations who organise congresses, conventions and meetings internationally. CorporateExecutives within companies involved with meetings, conferences and incentive travel programmes. Buyers have responsibility for, or direct influence over, decisions regarding destinations / venues. |
“People are not just here window shopping, they are here to do business.” Ana Maria Viscasillas President & CEO, Puerto Rico Convention Bureau |
Buyers Either Attend IMEX as Hosted Buyers or as Visitors:
Hosted Buyers
Almost 4,000 hosted buyers from around the world attended IMEX 2012 as guests of the show organisers. The hosted buyer programme includes economy flights or first class train travel from selected destinations, overnight accommodation, transfers between the airport, hotel and exhibition and a host of other benefits.
To qualify for the hosted buyer programme buyers must be agency, association or corporate buyers and be responsible for planning, organising, recommending or making financial decisions for any of these events outside their home country:
corporate meetings and hospitality, incentive travel programmes, association meetings, conferences, seminars, exhibitions, roadshows, product launches, promotional events, training programmes
The programme ensures that key buyers in the global meetings and incentive travel industry attend the show as invited guests, maximising the sales potential for exhibitors.
Research amongst hosted buyers confirms that 60% hold annual budgets of US$500,000 or over, with over 40% responsible for more than US$1 million spend per year. 25% of these buyers attend from long-haul markets outside Western Europe, including the USA, Australia, South America, Asia, Middle East and South Africa.
More about the hosted buyer programme, whether you qualify and how to apply.
Visitors
IMEX 2012 attracted almost 5,000 visitors, excluding hosted buyers, from nearly 90 countries, including thousands of German decision makers from the world's third largest outbound meetings and incentive travel market, representing US$50 bn per year. Independent research* confirms the potential for further growth:
• In 2012 42% of meeting planners from Germany, Austria and Switzerland assume they will carry out more events than in 2011 (2011: 46%)
•30% of meeting planners from Germany, Austria and Switzerland expect to plan more events in 2012; with 62% holding an equal number
*Source: tmf - travel marketing factory GmbH/ mmm - MICE market monitor 2012
