IMEX Frankfurt 2026: What We Learned About Incentive Travel

Every few years, a trip reminds you exactly why getting on a plane matters. For our team, IMEX Frankfurt 2026 was that trip. From 18 to 21 May, our team was on the ground in Frankfurt, packed into back-to-back meetings with destination management companies, luxury hotel brands, and tourism bureaus from across the globe. Ten meetings a day. Four days. A floor so vast it makes AIME look like a warm-up.

Here is what we brought home for our clients.

What Is IMEX Frankfurt and Why Does it Matter?

Event vendor management is the process of identifying, engaging, and coordinating the third-party suppliers who contribute to your event. This includes IMEX Frankfurt is one of the world’s largest trade shows for the meetings, incentives, conferences, and events industry. Think of it as the global marketplace where the best suppliers in the world come to showcase their destinations, properties, and experiences.

For our team, it was the first visit in nine years. The industry had moved on, and so had the show. The scale alone sets it apart. The exhibition builds from brands like Accor, IHG, and Marriott were extraordinary, a real testament to the investment these groups are making in winning corporate and incentive business. The craftsmanship in those stands was genuinely impressive.

Beyond the floor, IMEX runs keynote sessions, breakouts, and industry forums throughout the event, creating valuable opportunities to learn from leaders across the global meetings and events industry.

Incentive Travel Trends We Are Watching

The mood across the show floor was confident. Strong, even. New luxury hotel announcements, expanding destination portfolios, and genuine appetite for international incentive programmes all pointed to an industry in growth mode.

Here are the standout themes from our meetings.

Europe Remains the Headline Act

For Australian incentive groups, Europe is as desirable as ever. Our meeting schedule leaned heavily European, and the conversations reinforced what we are already seeing from our clients: France, Italy, Portugal, and the broader Mediterranean continue to drive strong interest. New luxury properties are opening across the continent, and the infrastructure for high-end incentive programmes is better than ever.

Morocco Is an Emerging Market Worth Watching

One of the most interesting conversations we had was with a DMC representing Morocco. It was largely new territory, and the meeting shifted that quickly. Morocco offers a genuinely compelling mix of ancient culture, dramatic landscapes, and luxury hospitality that is developing at pace.

As a destination that sits just outside the well-worn European circuit, it offers something different for groups looking to surprise and reward. We are now actively exploring it for clients looking for something beyond the expected.

The UAE: Resilient and Ready

There is uncertainty in the region right now, and the industry is navigating that honestly. But the UAE’s presence at IMEX was strong, and the confidence from operators there was clear.

Once the current global picture settles, the UAE will be positioned to welcome international incentive groups with the same ambition and scale it always has. We are watching this space closely for the right timing.

The Standout Experience: Orient Express Luxury Yachts

If there was one product that genuinely stopped us in our tracks, it was this.

The new Orient Express luxury yacht concept is as high-end as incentive travel gets. Still very new to the market, it offers a level of exclusivity that very few experiences can match. For a top-tier incentive group where standard luxury simply will not do, this is the kind of experience that creates the moments people talk about for years.

We met the team behind the product and the conversation was extraordinary. It is exactly the kind of discovery that justifies getting on a plane and being in the room.

We are looking forward to sharing more with clients as the product matures. If this sounds like your group, reach out and we can talk through what is possible.

Interested in what a top-tier incentive programme could look like? Explore our incentive travel services and let us start the conversation.

Real Value for Real Clients: The Canada Example

The best measure of any trade show is whether it delivers something tangible for the people you work with. For us, the answer from IMEX was yes, before we had even landed back in Sydney.

One of our meetings was with a tourism bureau representing Canada. We have a group heading there this year, and the relationship that was built at the show has already proven its worth.

Since returning, we have been in ongoing contact with the bureau, pulling together unbiased recommendations, supplier introductions, and destination intelligence that would have taken months to gather remotely. The briefs going out to DMCs in the coming weeks are sharper and better informed because of that one meeting.

That is exactly the kind of outcome that makes events like IMEX worth the investment. Not just inspiration, but direct, practical benefit for a live client programme.

A Note on Frankfurt Itself

IMEX is held at Messe Frankfurt, the city’s massive convention complex. Frankfurt is a business hub, and it wears that role well.

We made time to explore the Old Town on arrival day before the show kicked off, and it was a genuine highlight. Compact, beautifully preserved, and easy to navigate in an afternoon.

As an incentive destination in its own right? Probably not our first recommendation for an Australian group looking for wow factor. But as a base for doing serious business, learning from the best in the industry, and making connections that matter? Frankfurt earns its place on the map every time.

A Thought on Sustainability at Scale

IMEX had a clear sustainability stance this year, and we respect the intent. One thing worth noting: the name badge system used pre-printed cardboard holders rather than the on-demand printing approach common at Australian trade shows like AIME.

At a show of this scale, with tens of thousands of attendees, print-on-demand is arguably the more sustainable approach. It is a small observation, but it speaks to something we think about a lot in our own work.

Sustainability is increasingly central to how we plan and deliver events. Find out more about our approach to sustainable event management.