IMEX Frankfurt 2027 runs 11-13 May at Messe Frankfurt, preceded by a free education day on 10 May. Europe's MICE flagship explained.
Cover image: The Frankfurt skyline, host city of IMEX Frankfurt at Messe Frankfurt — photo by DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
IMEX Frankfurt 2027 runs from 11 to 13 May 2027 at Messe Frankfurt, preceded by a free day of specialist education on Monday 10 May. It is the largest meetings, incentives and events trade show in Europe.
The hosted-buyer model
IMEX is built around hosted buyers — corporate meeting planners, association executives, agency and incentive-house buyers whose travel is funded in exchange for a committed appointment schedule.
That produces a very different floor from a leisure show. Almost everyone walking the aisles has been qualified on purchasing authority, and exhibitors work a diary rather than hoping for traffic.
What exhibitors need to bring
MICE buyers ask operational questions: room-block capacity, meeting-space configurations and ceiling heights, ground handling for large groups, incentive programme ideas, visa realities for delegations, and increasingly sustainability credentials and duty-of-care arrangements.
Destination and venue suppliers who arrive with leisure collateral and no capacity data waste their appointments.
Frankfurt and Las Vegas
IMEX runs two shows: Frankfurt in May and IMEX America in Las Vegas in the autumn. Frankfurt draws European and international buyers; America draws predominantly North American ones.
Suppliers selling globally generally do both. Those with one target market should pick by where their buyers sit rather than by show size.
Where it sits against IBTM
IBTM World in Barcelona each November is the other major European MICE show. The two are genuine competitors with overlapping exhibitor lists; the practical difference is timing — IMEX in May, IBTM in November — which lets suppliers hit European MICE buyers twice a year if budget allows.
Practical notes
- Messe Frankfurt is central and served directly by S-Bahn from the airport.
- Take the free Monday education day seriously if you are new to MICE selling — it is genuinely instructional rather than promotional.
- Hosted-buyer applications close well ahead; apply months in advance.
The education programme
IMEX invests heavily in education, and the free Monday programme plus sessions running through the show are a genuine part of the offer rather than filler. Content covers event design, sustainability, wellbeing, contracting and risk — the operational craft of running meetings.
For destination and venue staff new to MICE selling, this is the fastest available route to understanding what buyers actually assess, and it is worth attending even in a year when you do not exhibit.
Sustainability is now a contracting question
Corporate meetings buyers increasingly arrive with carbon reporting obligations attached to their events, and they ask suppliers for data rather than statements. Venues that can evidence energy sourcing, waste handling and measurable footprint per delegate are answering a procurement requirement, not a marketing preference. Suppliers without those numbers are visibly on the back foot at this show.
Frequently asked questions
When is IMEX Frankfurt 2027?
11-13 May 2027 at Messe Frankfurt, with a free day of education on Monday 10 May.
What is a hosted buyer at IMEX?
A qualified meetings or incentive buyer whose travel and accommodation are funded by the organiser in exchange for committing to a schedule of appointments with exhibitors.
What is the difference between IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America?
They are the same brand's two shows. Frankfurt, in May, draws European and international buyers; IMEX America in Las Vegas draws predominantly North American buyers.
Part of our 2026–2027 travel trade show calendar — 124 shows, marts and roadshows worldwide.
