IMEX America 2022: Our Top 5 Takeaways
On October 17-19th, 2022, corporate events professionals gathered from all over at IMEX America in Las Vegas to see the latest-and-greatest offerings for their meetings and events services. Our FCM Meetings & Events team was there as well, exploring all the innovative vendors we can partner with to make memorable and meaningful moments for our customers.
It was a whirlwind three days, but we made sure to jot down our top five observations to give you insight into what’s to come for corporate events. What happened at IMEX is definitely not staying there.
Go big or go home
IMEX America 2022 felt like the biggest IMEX convention to date. There were dozens (and dozens) of meetings, incentives, conferences, & exhibition (MICE) vendors from all over the world. Everything was organized by type of offering; for example, tech companies were clustered in one place as were individual cities and convention centers, and destination management companies had their own section per country they represented.
Contagious energy
There was one bug everyone was hoping to catch at IMEX 2022, and that was the contagious positivity. With meetings & events coming back in full force, everyone was bringing their A game. What this resulted in was a room full of infectious energy and passion for what we do. Even though there were competing vendors and M&E planners, it felt like everyone was playing for the same team as the industry ramps up again. It was invigorating to be there.
Stand out from the crowd
This year’s convention made it clear that the standard booths with oversized banners are so yesterday. Every booth was upscaled and thoughtfully designed to portray each vendor’s brand and unique vibe. From games to interactive activities and displays, to immersive visualizations, it was genuinely fun (and inspiring!) to walk through the expo hall. We definitely saw some vendors we want to partner with.
Focus on experience
The only acceptable solutions today are custom ones. While historically vendor offerings were structured and rigid, in the post-pandemic world vendors are focusing on the attendee experience. There is an emphasis on attendee comfort, engagement, and emotion. What this has turned into is an industry that is now providing more flexibility and creativity to customize products offerings, and experiences. It was a delightful shift from traditional offerings and capabilities.
Moving on to greener pastures
Sustainability was shouted from the rooftops. It’s clear that the M&E industry is taking sustainability seriously, and is fully aware that our line of work can have a huge impact on our planet. Most vendors were aware that greener events are top-of-mind. A very impactful experience was at the Clean the World booth where attendees could take a few minutes to pack a hygiene kit for someone in need, and even write a personal note! The venue also provided boxes to recycle badges, and vendors even gave out reusable water bottles.
(Psssssst…if you want to host more sustainable events but don’t know where to start, download FCM Meetings & Event’s Sustainable Events Handbook!)
All in all, IMEX America 2022 was an inspiring, exciting, and best of all, fun event. We met a lot of promising vendors and saw clear signals that the M&E industry is trending upward.