IMEX America 2026第15届在拉斯维加斯闭幕，总出席超17,800人创纪录

IMEX America 2026 was one for the record books, as the 15th edition of the largest MICE industry show in the world notched an attendance figure of nearly 18,000 meetings and events professionals and the suppliers who court their business.

Carrying the theme “Design Matters” and held October 13-15—with the MPI-powered Smart Monday educational day October 12—at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the official numbers are as follows:

• Total attendance: 17,800-plus
• Buyers: 6,000-plus, of which approximately 4,800 were hosted; 70% are U.S.-based and 85% are based in North America
• Scheduled meetings: approximately 96,000, representing about 48,000 hours
• One-on-one meetings: Approximately 82,000, with 14,000 group and booth presentations.
• Education sessions: 420; approximately 100 were held on Smart Monday

• Trade show numbers: The tradeshow floor grew approximately 5% over the 2025 event

  [Related: All Our IMEX America 2026 Coverage in One Place]

“Despite some uncertainty in the wider world, there’s been a spirit of optimism across the show floor,” said IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer. “Time and again, clients have told us that what makes this show work for them is that it feels personal. Buyers arrive well organized, exhibitors are informed and well prepared. They also understand that a walk-up meeting here can be a highly valuable prospect, thanks to the quality and seniority of the people we attract.”

Next-Gen Industry Members Take a Starring Role

Two program highlights centered around nurturing the next generation of meeting professionals: 

• A redeveloped Future Leaders Lab produced by IMEX and MPI via Strategy Table, which attracted students from fields that included economics and finance in addition to events, hospitality and tourism, was co-moderated by Meetings Today’s Taylor Smith and the Executive Leadership Council’s (ELX) Hannah Elston.
• The launch of the Brian D. Stevens Hospitality Education Fund to support student scholarships and industry research. The fund had already received donations of approximately $1 million by the end of the event.

“Over the past year, we have been working very hard to reimagine and redevelop that forum for the next generation of young people,” Bauer said during the closing press conference. “So, we [launched] a redesigned program called the Future Leaders Lab. We hope very much that it will serve to attract a broader spectrum of students, not just those from events and hospitality degrees. We want those Gen Zs and those Gen Alphas to know the real opportunity to work in a world where the end product is a human experience.” 

[Related: IMEX America 2026 Through Photos: Best Moments and Highlights From Las Vegas]

[Related: We Met at the IMEX Future Leaders Forum. Now We’re Moderating It.]

International Headwinds

IMEX America 2026 took place in a challenging time for the meetings and tourism industry in the U.S., with international visitation down.

“The strength of this show matters to Las Vegas, matters to our entire industry. Frankly, right now it matters to the United States,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We’re all working through headwinds as it relates to both domestic and international travel, so we appreciate the commitment that everyone here has made in order to come. It’s simply a show you cannot miss, regardless of what you have to work through in order to get here.”

According to Bauer, however, while international attendance was down by about 2% at the 2025 IMEX America compared to the year before, this year's event may notch a modest gain.

"Actually, it will be probably a couple of percentage points higher on international than last year," she said.

Mandalay Bay Convention Center IMEX Fun Facts

Stephanie Glanzer, chief sales officer and senior vice president, MGM Resorts International, whose Mandalay Bay Convention Center was the host of the event, provided a few revealing facts:

• Mandalay Bay had more than 20 event managers in sales, catering, convention services and events assigned to the show.
• Over the three days of the event, more than 200 receptions were held in the building every evening.
• On the last day of the event, more than 4,000 pieces of luggage were held.
• More than 1,800 bottles of champagne were served on the exhibit floor, along with more than 2,000 espresso martinis.
• Mandalay Bay’s solar farm, located about 30 miles from the facility, generates 100% of the facility’s daytime energy needs.

Smart Monday Numbers

According to Rachel Benedict, chief revenue officer, MPI, the association’s Smart Monday event was also a success. Highlights included:

• Total Attendees: 2,800 participants
• Keynote engagement: 1,000 attendees for the opening keynote
• Total sessions: 24, including 10 campfire demonstrations plus four certificate programs resulting in 26 hours of continuing education credits through the Events Industry Council
• Rendezvous closing event: Generated more than $700,000 for the MPI Foundation; the event has resulted in more than $15 million being given back to the meetings and events industry since its inception in 2011

IMEX America 2027 will take place September 28-30, with Smart Monday September 27, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. 

[Related: Cvent’s Mike Dietrich Explains Major New AI Research and Its Impact on Event Planners]

About the author

Tyler Davidson is the vice president and chief content director for Meetings Today, which publishes the meetings industry trade magazine Meetings Today as well as MeetingsToday.com, various newsletters, webinars, the in-person Meetings Today LIVE! Hosted-buyer events and other meetings and events industry B2B channels.

Tyler has covered the travel trade for nearly 35 years.  In his role with Meetings Today, which recently won the prestigious FOLIO: Eddies Award for best magazine issue, Tyler leads the editorial team on its mission to provide the most in-depth meetings content in the industry. Previously, he worked as the Asia, Canada, Pacific Northwest and Western U.S. editor at Travel Weekly magazine and TravelAge West. Before joining the dual editorial staff producing destination sections for Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, Tyler was the Africa, Israel, Middle East, Switzerland and Pacific Northwest editor at TravelAge West. He also undertook general news and feature assignments while working at the magazines. 

Besides reporting on the travel trade, Tyler has covered the real estate industry, held various editorial positions at the San Francisco-based national satire magazine The Nose, wrote freelance technology industry pieces and covered the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders for a bilingual newspaper in San Francisco. He has a B.A. in Journalism from San Francisco State University, where he worked in various editorial capacities on its award-winning student magazine, Prism. 

Contact: [email protected]