Always looking to deliver fresh value, IMEX America, from Oct. 13-16 in Las Vegas, will build on its reputation for delivering high-quality, co-located events. There are several new partner events along with new locations for annual favorites.
Gen Y education; new Business School and golfing
Delivering additional learning power to Gen Y attendees, Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) will host a new SITE Young Leaders Conference (Oct. 12-13) focused on building the next generation of incentive travel leaders. The conference is open to industry professionals under 35 years or with less than five years’ experience. The program complements the cross-discipline IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum (Oct. 15-16), which is open to students.
For attendees who want to “bring their game” and support meetings industry research, there’s the new Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) IMEX America Golf Classic at the Rio Secco Golf Club (Oct. 13).
Adding further educational punch to Smart Monday, powered by MPI, will be programming from a range of partners including SITE, International Special Events Society (ISES), Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) and Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). MeetingCentric tours, certification programs, deep-dives and a track dedicated to association executives – Association Focus – complement the range of concurrent sessions and MPI’s signature morning keynote.
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) brings its Business School to IMEX America for the first time. This deep-dive afternoon with Dr. Jerry Jellison of the University of Southern California will be open to both senior-level suppliers and buyers. Adding further choice to the sessions available for senior planners will be a new track delivered by Senior Planners Industry Network (SPIN) whose members have a minimum of 10 years’ planning experience. The track is open to all and runs throughout the show.
New venues for existing favorites
A number of the popular, annual co-located events will also get new venues but deliver the same excitement and networking power.
The Convention Industry Council’s Hall of Leaders Gala takes place at The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino (Oct. 12) this year while SITE Nite North America — which is expecting over 1000 guests — will raise the roof on a new location at LIGHT Nightclub at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on Oct. 13. The DMC Network and Ovation Global DMC Talent Search presents another opportunity for social networking, but this year takes place on Oct. 14 at the Bank NiteClub.
Rounding off the week’s hallmark evening events will be the MPI Foundation Rendezvous, which comes back in full force with an expected 1,500-plus participants invited to party and network Oct. 15 at a new Las Vegas nightclub — Drai’s at The Cromwell.
See the IMEX America schedule at a glance
The IMEX Group runs two award-winning, annual tradeshows for the international meetings, incentive travel and events industry.
