Travel
Meetings in Las Vegas Re Validates by IMEX America
The MICE Industry in the United States hit a jackpot in Las Vegas. A proud British tourism leader, Ray Bloom, the chairman and founder of the IMEX Group, along with his dedicated team, has created hope for the Las Vegas visitors industry. This industry is experiencing a tough time, similar to many US destinations, due to political and economic reasons in the United States.
The biggest ever edition of IMEX America closed today with record attendance, reflecting the current strength in the global business events sector. IMEX signed with MGM for their yearly event until 2030, to be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, even though the Las Vegas Convention Center is poised to open within a month.
The success of IMEX America is particularly remarkable considering Las Vegas experienced a significant tourism decline in 2025, with visitor numbers down substantially compared to 2024. Key factors cited for the decrease include economic uncertainty, rising prices for hotels and entertainment, a shift to online gambling, and changing federal policies for international visitors.
IMEX America’s ability to unite the U.S. meeting industry with IMEX AMERICA 2015 and attract 20% international visitors to Sin City is a sign that Las Vegas remains an appealing destination for meetings and events. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority specifically thanked international delegates for traveling to Las Vegas and experiencing the city as a welcoming destination for visitors from everywhere.
According to Steve Hill, the CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the outlook for Las Vegas Tourism, especially for the meeting industry, is good. His organization will use its influence to oppose the upcoming $250.00 entry fee for visa holders entering the United States. He agreed on pushing the State Department to eliminate this fee, speed up US visa processing times, and expand the visa waiver program to ensure Las Vegas stays competitive for international events. He also supports special handling at the airport immigration for those aliens entering the country to participate in events.
IMEX America, held October 7-9, welcomed over 17,000 participants and was record-breaking from the outset, featuring the biggest exhibition floor to date. The number of buyers increased from 2024, with 6,000 global buyers, of which 4,700 were hosted buyers.
Parking space at the giant convention center parking garage of Mandalay Bay was sold out on the first day of IMEX, despite a hefty $20 fee, forcing those attending the event by car to look for parking at neighboring hotels.
Buyers took part in over 90,000 scheduled meetings with exhibitors across the three days of the show—over 77,000 of which were pre-scheduled one-to-ones.
Proven, trackable ROI
The buyers came to the show business-ready, as Charlene Lopez from Discover Atlanta explains: “We love this show so much—it’s the one. I’ve said it multiple times—there’s more ROI from IMEX than any other show we attend all year. This is where business actually gets done. People come ready to talk details, explore fit, and close deals. That’s why we doubled the size of our presence this year. Our partners make their money back tenfold.”
Juan Camacho from Virgin Voyages adds: “This show is where we’ve made some of our most valuable connections: our biggest client—worth over $3 million to our business—came directly from here. IMEX America is the single most important event for our slice of the industry and every year we see real ROI and repeat business.”
Destination International Revelation at IMEX
Destinations International (DI), the world’s leading resource for destination organizations, shared the results of three recent studies at a press conference during IMEX America. The event highlighted groundbreaking insights from the 2025 Destination NEXT Futures Study, Destination Reputation Study, and just-released Destination Guide to Food Recovery and Redistribution at Events.
The Destination Reputation Study further confirms that reputation and perception can make or break attendance. Safety and political stability remain non-negotiable, while transparency, sustainability, and impact are now essential criteria for planners weighing event locations.
Purposeful and powerful
IMEX CEO Carina Bauer says: “This has been a record-breaking week where we’ve seen first-hand how transformative it is for our industry to meet face to face, to shake hands, do business, and build bonds. The strength in numbers across the board is a sign of a sector that’s both purposeful and powerful right now.
“I’m delighted to announce that we’re building on a successful 2025 edition by solidifying our foundations for the future. We’ve signed contracts with MGM to host the show here at Mandalay Bay through to 2030 and also with our service contractors GES through to 2030.
“These renewals give all our partners and clients added confidence and certainty for the future. In addition, we’ve confirmed our Strategic Partnership with MPI for the next five years.”
Design Matters
Carina closed by announcing the IMEX Talking Point for 2026/27. Design Matters will celebrate the craft and science of good design in all aspects of business life, not just visual identity or experiential design. It also acknowledges Frankfurt as the World Design Capital of 2026.
Carina was speaking at the show’s closing press conference alongside IMEX Chairman Ray Bloom; Steve Hill, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA); Stephanie Glanzer, Chief Sales Officer & Senior Vice President at MGM Resorts International and Rachel Benedick, Chief Revenue Officer, Meeting Professionals International (MPI).
IMEX America 2026 takes place October 13-15 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.