Geopolitical uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration dominated conversations at IMEX Frankfurt 2025, rising as a key concern in each schooling classes and casual discussions on the present flooring.
Regardless of the backdrop, the occasion wrapped Thursday with a powerful exhibiting: 13,000 attendees and greater than 4,000 consumers participated in 67,000 pre-scheduled conferences over three days — figures that CEO Carina Bauer mentioned matched pre-pandemic ranges. Organizers mentioned the present was the most important ever when it comes to exhibitor flooring house.
Nonetheless, instability has been impacting conferences. Cvent’s newest world sourcing knowledge exhibits a lack of round 5% of room nights in Europe yr up to now.
One schooling session particularly addressed the primary 100 days of the Trump administration and dispelled a few of the misconceptions about welcoming enterprise vacationers to the U.S. The session featured Kevin Hinton, managing director, group journey of the U.S. Journey Affiliation, and Elliott Ferguson, President & CEO of Vacation spot DC, who was just lately deposed from his function at chair of Model USA.
A joint examine by The Hague & Companions Conference Bureau and the European Society of Affiliation Executives revealed overwhelming concern from affiliation and nonprofit executives, with 28% saying they’d already relocated their occasions to extra politically secure areas, though it did outline or ask respondents what they contemplate these to be.
An Trade Reliant on Political Assist
Programming at IMEX Coverage Discussion board, which connects authorities officers with trade leaders, principally averted the difficulty. However many spoke concerning the want for trade leaders to take care of ties to coverage makers and it confirmed in bulletins from a number of locations at IMEX Frankfurt 2025.
London’s Deputy Mayor for Enterprise and Development, Howard Dawber, took half within the discussion board and joined the London Conference Bureau on the present to stipulate the town’s 10-year expertise financial system development plan, and spotlight 10 main worldwide congresses scheduled for 2026, projected to generate $337 million (£250 million).
A delegation of state-level coverage makers from Maharashtra, India, additionally took half within the discussion board. On Wednesday they formally launched the Maharashtra Conference Bureau with an emphasis on selling the capability of the 2022-built, one-million-square-foot Jio World Conference Centre to the worldwide market
Eire’s Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, who took half within the discussion board three years in the past was additionally on website to launch the nation’s Enterprise Occasions 2030 technique, which targets 8% annual income development by 2030 for a sector value $1.13 billion (€1 billion).
Luxembourg’s Minister Delegate for Tourism Eric Thill was additionally current to announce Bettina Bunge as Luxembourg Conference Bureau’s new CEO, whereas unveiling a recent model identification.
ICCA Rankings Reveal Shifting Aggressive Panorama
For a lot of locations, the ICCA rankings stay a key approach of demonstrating advertising exercise success to coverage makers or anybody else making budgetary choices. This yr noticed the return of Vienna to the highest of the town rankings, with Lisbon in a detailed second.
The U.S. led the nation rankings, with Italy sustaining its second place. ICCA expanded its evaluation and included various metropolis rankings the place Dubai led cities in common occasion individuals and Barcelona topped direct income era with an estimated $360 million in complete direct financial return.
Partnerships Strengthen Trade Cohesion
Two our bodies representing the worldwide trade — one U.S.-based and one EU-based — introduced a refreshing partnership. The Occasions Trade Council (EIC) and the Joint Conferences Trade Council (JMIC) agreed to coordinate efforts in sustainability, advocacy, and analysis. The collaboration provides a welcome respite to the polarized political local weather, even whether it is lengthy overdue.
New Analysis Highlights Trade Challenges
With range and sustainability taking the brunt of a few of the Trump administration’s early initiatives, IMEX Frankfurt 2025 noticed the announcement of analysis and sources providing insights for locations and associations.
The International Vacation spot Sustainability Motion and the European Journey Fee printed “A Vacation spot’s Information to the New EU Sustainability Rules,” providing sensible steering on sustainability reporting necessities and environmental claims compliance.
Amid U.S. political pressures, Vacation spot Canada launched year-two findings of its Legacy & Affect Examine, specializing in figuring out the important thing legacy drivers for enterprise occasions, pre-event success components and final result classes for measuring influence.
Lastly, a brand new examine on occasion funding revealed a major disconnect between said objectives and choice standards. The evaluation of 115 vacation spot bid funding assist applications by Conferli, #MEET4IMPACT and the International Vacation spot Sustainability Motion revealed that 91% of locations declare to prioritize constructive influence, however solely 6% embody environmental or social influence standards in funding choices.
