Designed to both educate and entertain the global business event community, from seasoned veterans to first-timers, the 150-plus session-strong programme also offers new formats and 'a few surprises', say organisers.
Learning sessions will be delivered across seven tracks at IMEX America in Las Vegas between 8-10 October.
Technology and innovation, business practices, impact, trends/research, well-being, experience design and event marketing, will direct the programme.
Tahira Endean Photo Credit: IMEXTahira Endean, head of programming at IMEX, outlined how she approached the design of this year’s programme, “We’re out and about talking to our community all the time – we want to put ourselves in our attendees’ shoes to figure out what will resonate and enhance their show experience. What I love to do when crafting our learning program is to bring together unexpected combinations of people, all with a range of perspectives. The resulting debate and discovery is where the magic happens.”
Creative collaborations
Drawing from their own experiences, three speakers will explore how to build meaningful, culturally-relevant experiences that go beyond the traditional:
Justin Wren – also an MPI keynote speaker at the show - is a US mixed martial artist who, following a life-changing trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, founded Fight for the Forgotten. This non-profit provides clean water, education, and empowerment to Pygmy communities in Africa.
Sucheta Rawal is an award-winning food and travel writer who has visited more than 100 countries across all seven continents learning about different cultures along the way. She founded Go Eat Give to raise awareness of different cultures through food and travel. “When I travel abroad, I dive into what people eat in their homes and why,” she says
Virginie de Visscher from Destination Canada and Leonie Ashford from Tourism New Zealand will share their experiences as founding members of the new Global Indigenous Tourism Association.
Holly Ransom is delivering a new Emergent Leadership Day where industry leaders from associations will examine leadership from different angles. Being a good listener, asking the right questions and stepping into the ‘courage zone’ are all likely to figure highly in these discussions.
Innovation as a star attraction
With innovation topping the list of preferred topics for education according to Freeman’s research (Freeman Trends Report), Skift is bringing back its Innovation Lab to the show.
New for this year is a partnership with the Unique Speakers Bureau International who are bringing together more than 15 speakers from around the world to Smart Monday. At the USBI Global World Series Speaker Showcase in partnership with IMEX and MPI, attendees can dip in to quick-fire speaker overviews throughout the day and potentially meet or source keynotes for their future events.
Finally, a series of meeting planner toolkit sessions will cover all the essentials, from contracts, security, managing risk and preparing for REAL ID, set to come into force for US travellers from next year.
Technology to enhance educational value
IMEX will continue to work with Snapsight, Gevme’s AI powered tool, to provide real-time takeaways from the education sessions. These highlights, available online and via the app, will free up attendees to put aside their notebooks and be fully present and focused in the sessions.
“We’re leaning into the reality of how people want to access learning,” added Tahira. “Whether it’s using AI to capture insight from the show floor or using a ‘pick and mix’ of formats with an understanding that we all digest information in different ways.”
In line with current trends and preferences, well-being activities will be embedded across the show and in various styles designed to offer life-hacks, learning, coaching, fitness, nutritional and mental health guidance
IMEX America 2024 takes place at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, and opens with Smart Monday, powered by MPI on Monday 7 October, followed by the three-day trade shower 8-10 October.
