IMEX America, the largest global gathering of stakeholders in the MICE industry in the United States, took place from the 7th to the 10th of October 2024, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas. This 13th edition of the meeting-incentive fair set new records, confirming a strong recovery of the meetings industry after several challenging years.
With a total of 15,800 participants, including 5,758 buyers from 75 countries (of which 4,350 were hosted buyers) and 3,500 exhibiting companies, IMEX America 2024 exceeded all expectations. There was also a 7 percent increase in exhibition space, with this year’s fair featuring over 400 exhibition booths, and 85,000 pre-scheduled meetings held over three days. IMEX America has thus become the leading global MICE fair, surpassing even European events like IMEX Frankfurt and IBTM Barcelona.
Dubrovnik: Croatia’s Most Desired Destination for Incentives and Corporate Events
The Dubrovnik Tourist Board's Convention Bureau presented at IMEX America on a joint stand with the convention bureau of the Zagreb Tourist Board. In addition to the convention bureau, Croatia's MICE offerings were represented by hotel chains such as Sun Gardens Dubrovnik and Maistra Hospitality Group, as well as DMC agencies like Terranautica, Supertours, Intours, Bantours, Katarina Line, and Kontura DMC.
Dubrovnik attracted the attention of business travel organizers mainly from the United States, but also from Canada, South America, and Australia. A total of 40 meetings were held, and Dubrovnik confirmed its status as Croatia’s most sought-after destination for organizing incentives and corporate events, with a special emphasis on the availability of direct flights and connections to major international hubs. The direct connection to New York has significantly contributed to the perception of Dubrovnik as a desirable destination.
Concrete inquiries were recorded for organizing events in 2025, 2026, and 2027, with requests including familiarization with hotel offerings, congress and event spaces, especially historical and unique locations. Buyers expressed interest in incentive programs, including various activities, excursions, and culinary offerings.
In addition to meetings with interested buyers, discussions were held with representatives from The Meetings Space and Northstar Meetings Group regarding events for The Meetings Show and SMU MICE workshop in 2025.
The Key Role of Trust and Long-Term Partnerships in the MICE Industry
The Smart Monday program, which preceded the fair on the 7th of October, opened a series of relevant topics such as artificial intelligence, negotiation tactics, and community integration. Meanwhile, panels and lectures during IMEX addressed issues of collective impact, prosperity with purpose, and trust-based leadership.
Several studies on trends in the MICE industry were also presented. It is essential to highlight that the incentive travel industry is expected to see the most significant growth in the next two years. As many as 45 percent of buyers expect results to be significantly above those achieved in 2024. Predictions for 2025 according to the Northstar/CVENT Meetings Industry PULSE Survey indicate a much more moderate price increase than was the case this year, along with a transition from the traditional buyer-supplier relationship to a more consultative partnership approach that builds long-term trust.
Dubrovnik's participation in IMEX America 2024 once again confirmed the strong status of the destination in the global meeting industry, ensuring numerous opportunities for future business collaborations and events in the coming years.
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