Expansion
IMEX America 2026 Marks 15 Years in Las Vegas With 5% Larger Show Floor
By News Desk ·
Key takeaways
- IMEX America 2026 took place October 13-15 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
- The show floor was 5% larger than last year, with approximately 3,870 exhibiting companies and an expected 4,800 hosted buyers.
- IMEX America returns September 28-30, 2027, for its 16th edition, and September 26-28 in 2028.
IMEX America 2026 drew approximately 3,870 exhibiting companies and an expected 4,800 hosted buyers to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, with a show floor 5% larger than last year, according to EIN Presswire. The trade show for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry ran October 13-15 and marked its 15th anniversary in the city.
Carina Bauer on the 15th Las Vegas Edition
IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer discussed the show's 15th anniversary, attendee and exhibitor growth, and the role of AI in events in an interview with TSNN's VP of Content, Danica Tormohlen, on the trade show floor. "Technology should serve the purpose of an event, not define it," Bauer said.
Bauer described how IMEX measures success beyond attendance, pointing to hosted buyer numbers, exhibitor ratios and business meetings. The 2026 edition added human-centered design elements including wellness experiences, meditation spaces, redesigned lounges and a new beauty lounge with makeup and hair stylists. IMEX also trialed carpet designed to be 100% recyclable back into carpet, and provided exhibitors with insights into leads, meetings, buyer demographics and performance benchmarks.
On October 13, Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; Vanessa Claspill, the LVCVA's chief sales officer; Jim Gibson, Clark County commissioner and chair of the LVCVA Board of Directors; and resort sales leaders joined IMEX Group Founder and Chairman Ray Bloom and Bauer at the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, which was illuminated pink to mark 15 years of IMEX America in Las Vegas.
IMEX Group's Event Calendar and Partnerships
IMEX Group operates two flagship global MICE trade shows, IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America, facilitating more than 155,000 annual meetings between thousands of exhibitors and more than 8,000 hosted buyers worldwide, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show more than 30,000 total participants per year attending IMEX events, and a scheduled IMEX Frankfurt for May 11-13, 2027.
Earlier IMEX America Milestones
IMEX America 2026 concluded at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, drawing nearly 18,000 attendees and logging 96,000 meetings, Meetings Today reported on October 16. In August 2026, BizBash covered the IMEX Group's announcement of a streamlined education program for IMEX America 2022, focused on radical simplicity and addressing post-pandemic challenges for event professionals. TSNN reported in August 2026 that the IMEX Group announced IMEX America would move from the Sands Expo & Convention Center to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center starting in 2021, while shifting its dates to September for 2019 and 2020.
IMEX America's Next Editions
IMEX America returns September 28-30, 2027, to Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas for its 16th edition. In 2028, the show will be held September 26-28.