The 2016 conference year is not over yet, with five mega MICE conferences still on the horizon before the year’s end. Here’s a briefing of five industry conferences to consider this fall and winter season.
MEET National
Washington, D.C.; Sept. 7-8
Next month, MEET National will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The conference’s Poken technology allows suppliers to easily download sales collateral to present to clients, and its new mobile app allows attendees to connect before, during and after the event. Keynote speakers Daniele Levine, founding director of The Avant-Guide Institute, and Steve Gilliland, a motivational speaker and author, add to the event’s appeal.
International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Americas
Rivera Maya, Mexico; Sept. 26-29
For event planners creating luxury travel experiences, this invitation-only event connects meeting planners with high-end suppliers from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The conference boasts 15,000 business appointments over four days and 5,760 minutes of time to network. While building relationships is the emphasis, an energizing beach yoga session will be available each morning for interested attendees.
IMEX America
Las Vegas; Oct. 18-20
Now the largest meetings industry trade show in the U.S., IMEX America enters its sixth year, with 3,100 exhibitors, 3,000 hosted buyers and 2,000 attendees joining together. Keynote speakers such as Meetology Lab CEO Jonathan Bradshaw, who will weigh in on the science behind interpersonal communication, and world-renown hacker Pablos Holman, who will speak about innovation, are among some of the highlights.
World Travel Market
London; Nov. 7-9
The international conference attracts 50,000 travel industry professionals from 182 countries. The three-day event will host 80 sessions from 12 travel sectors as well as a program with more than 250 speakers from companies such as Facebook, Twitter and AirBNB. Meeting planners won’t want to miss networking with Wellness Tourism suppliers in the dedicated wellness lounge.
Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition
Anaheim, Calif.; Dec. 6-8
Meeting planners can end the year at IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition, which offers more than 70 education sessions and more than 60 product categories. This show emphasizes the importance of industry trends and technology and offers more informal learning environments such as its creative Campfire Sessions or Tech SwimUp. It also encourages young professionals with its 20 Under 30 program, which gives complimentary registration to selected applicants.
