Free Wild Card Space
To qualify for a winning place, Wild Card entrants have to justify their potential as a brand new meetings and incentive travel destination or a new convention and conference centre (those currently in development or which have been open for three years or less) from a new and emerging destination.
None are permitted to have exhibited at a major meetings or incentive travel trade fair before. They also have to demonstrate that they have the commitment and capacity to handle new business and that their destination has the infrastructure to support the demands of the meetings and incentive travel market.
The 2012 Wild Card Application Form
Benefits
Each winning destination receives free exhibition space within the Wild Card Pavilion, one complimentary hotel room for three nights in Frankfurt, plus one free ticket to the IMEX Gala Dinner. The winners also benefit from marketing support to assist them in presenting their destination to the audience of international buyers at the show.
A case study of previous Wild Card winner Poznan, who became an independent IMEX exhibitor.
See all past Wild Card winners
2011 Winners
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Budva, MontenegroBudva Riviera is nestled in the centre of the Montenegrin coastline with its beautiful coves, sandy beaches and picturesque settlements. It was once one of the most popular Roman summer resorts and the old town of Budva’s Roman baths and medieval church are well worth a visit. It is a great incentive destination providing a number of excellent conference hotels and unique venues such as the Old Fortress Citadela - an ideal place to organise a gala dinner. From boat tours, to paragliding, sailing and sightseeing tours or social evenings in Montenegrin restaurants serving local specialities this city has plenty to offer business events and meetings.
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Jurmala, LatviaJurmala is located on the Baltic Sea coast in Latvia, situated 15 kilometres from Riga International Airport and 25 minutes drive from the capital city of Latvia, Riga. Jurmala has many new and renovated hotels offering modern conference facilities, banquet halls, set in a coastal location surrounded by pine forests. The Baltic Beach Hotel is a unique venue located right on the beach front, offering 165 guest rooms and 10 equipped conference halls for international seminars, conferences, and presentations. As well as offering venues such as the famous Dzintari concert hall and nature parks, in the summer time activities and events can be organised on the beach and in the winter there is an open air ice-skating hall.
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MongoliaMongolia, a stunning wild environment, in North East Asia, bordering China and Russia, is perfect for hosting exceptional and exclusive incentive events in between the dunes, valleys and steppes. Surrounded by sacred mountains and the echoes of Mongolia’s mythical history – from the Great Empire of Ghengis Khan to the creative spirituality of Zanabazar. Upmarket nomadic geolodges are nestled in the steppes while new international conference hotels will soon open in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. |
View the German Wild Card winners
View quotes from past Wild Card winners
View a small selection of press coverage achieved by the 2010 Wild Card Programme