Going green – IMEX America builds on success of sustainability initiatives

Going green – IMEX America builds on success of sustainability initiatives

Hosted buyers, visitors and exhibitors alike can all enjoy a greener IMEX America this year thanks to a host of sustainability initiatives focusing on waste reduction and education.

News Release
August 19 2015 – A new charity recycling initiative, becoming part of the Green Team and attending relevant education sessions will help attendees to reduce waste and increase their awareness of corporate social responsibility.

This follows the results of the MeetGreen® Sustainability Report for IMEX America 2014 which showed a 31% reduction on total waste from the previous year. The use of locally sourced foods increased by over 150% and food waste decreased by 56%.

The organisers of IMEX America 2015, which takes place 13 – 15 October in Las Vegas, are building on this success as Carina Bauer, CEO IMEX Group, explains: “IMEX America is committed to encouraging the meetings and incentive travel industry to address sustainability issues and to tackle these issues in a proactive, practical way. The intention is to raise the green bar across the board and strengthen our sustainability efforts.”

Among the sustainable initiatives attendees can discover are:
• The Inspiration Hub – home to all the show floor education, the Inspiration Hub features a number of sessions exploring various aspects of sustainability. These include Guiding you to (and through) greener events by Aaron Elliott and Nancy Zavada, President and Founder of Meet Green. Current CSR trends and their impact on the events industry will be explored by Lizzy Paulson, Events Director at Time Warner Cable, in Planning for a revolution: the rise of people, planet and profit. Are you losing out by ignoring CSR?

• The Shade Tree – IMEX is supporting a new initiative at The Shade Tree, a shelter for homeless and abused women and children. IMEX sustainability consultants, MeetGreen®, have designed a complete recycling program, Evergreen Shade Tree, which will establish processes and signage, educate residents and provide recycling bins. Attendees are also invited to The Shade Tree to visit the Healing Garden, created by the IMEX Challenge team in 2014. After the visit the group can join Song Division who will be working with the children at the shelter to write and produce a song.

• Green Team – all buyers and exhibitors are invited to become a part of the team. Green Team members are asked to complete tasks that reduce waste and increase awareness of corporate social responsibility. Members of the IMEX America Green Team receive a green ribbon to wear proudly during the show.

• Badge Back – at the end of the show, buyers and exhibitors can place their badge in one of two boxes. Each box represents a local charity – The Shade Tree and Opportunity Village, Nevada’s largest not-for-profit organization providing vocational training, employment and arts-based programs for citizens with intellectual disabilities. For every badge recycled, donations will be made.

• Clean the World – at the booth, attendees can build hygiene kits from recycled toiletries gathered from participating hotels. The kits will then be donated to The Shade Tree shelter.

For further details about sustainable activities at IMEX America, visit www.imexamerica.com/about-us/sustainability/

IMEX America attendee registration is open. To register please visit http://www.imexamerica.com/register/

Hosted buyer registration is available via the IMEX team, visit: http://www.imexamerica.com/hosted-buyers/hosted-buyer-program/how-to-qualify-apply/

IMEX America hits a four year high

IMEX America hits a four year high

Las Vegas, October 16 2014 – IMEX America’s fourth edition came to a close earlier today at the Sands Expo®, Las Vegas, with IMEX Chairman, Ray Bloom, declaring the trade show the biggest to date with growth in all key areas.

He confirmed that the number of exhibiting companies taking part had once again risen, going up from 2694 in 2013 to 2900 in 2014. This was reflected in a 13 percent increase in the size of the show floor.

In addition Bloom described the continued expansion of the hosted buyer program: “Numbers climbed from 2000 at launch to reach 2700 last year. This year we’ve hit over 2900 for the first time,” he said.

He also mentioned that total participants for IMEX America 2014 were 10,000 and that total downloads of the IMEX App had also risen by 22 percent to 5450 compared to last year. “I am delighted with the reception the upgraded IMEX app has received. It’s a valuable tool and a real asset to everyone who uses it,” he said.

As a result of this year’s all round growth, the number of one-to-one business appointments and booth presentations taking place at the show rose to 53,000, compared to 50,000 last year. Bloom also revealed that 1250 group appointments were attended by 10,600 hosted buyers, an increase of 12% on last year. He added that a higher proportion of hosted buyers are now coming into the show from further afield and staying in Las Vegas for longer to take full advantage of the show and other industry events.

Speaking at the show’s closing press conference he talked about the huge number of co-located events and industry meetings now taking place around IMEX America, with 10 events completed even before the show opened on Tuesday morning. The IMEX Challenge, Site Young Leaders Conference and various industry fundraisers such as Site Nite, the first ever CEIR IMEX America Golf Classic, the CIC Hall of Leaders Gala plus the MPI Foundation Rendezvous were named as just some of the week’s highlights.

Kicks Off at IMEX America 2014

Future Leaders Forum – A Defining Moment for Next-Gen Meeting Professionals – Kicks Off at IMEX America 2014

Las Vegas, Oct 2014 – For more than 105 college students from 24 universities across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum (FLF) at IMEX America 2014 is more than just a break from studies – it is a defining career moment in the meetings industry. That’s exactly the goal that IMEX Group Chairman Ray Bloom envisioned 11 years ago when he launched this education program designed to prepare next-generation leaders in the fast-growing global meetings field. The two-day program runs through today at the Sands Expo® in Las Vegas.
Bloom said, “Featuring sessions on hot topics led by industry thought leaders, professional development training and a wide array of networking opportunities, FLF aims to ignite the passion of all attendees and entice them into rewarding careers that will shape the direction of the meetings industry.”

Die IMEX verkündet neue strategische Kooperationen

Die IMEX verkündet neue strategische Kooperationen

NEU 2014: neue Verbändepartnerschaften, zwei neue Awards, der „Tech Hub“ und der „Meeting Design Hub“

Frankfurt, 18. Februar 2014 – Die ständige Ausrichtung an Marktentwicklungen und die pro-aktive Beantwortung neuer Herausforderungen – dafür steht die IMEX seit ihrer Gründung vor zwölf Jahren. Dieser Verantwortung entspricht die preisgekrönte Messe auch 2014 und verkündet gleich zwei neue Awards sowie mehrere neue Projekte, Kooperationen und Initiativen.

Neu ab 2014: Zwei neue IMEX-Awards
Der “Destination Marketing Award” – presented by Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) – ehrt erfolgreiche Branding- bzw. Marketingkampagnen für Destinationen, Regionen oder Orte. Dieser Award wird speziell vor dem Hintergrund der neuen Möglichkeiten, die das Social Media Marketing bietet, mit Spannung erwartet.

Der “International Excellence Award” – presented by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) – zeichnet Organisationen bzw. Unternehmen aus, die einen herausragenden Event in der internationalen MICE Branche konzipiert bzw. organisiert haben.

Beide Awards werden – gemeinsam mit den bereits bestehenden „Green Awards“, den „Academy Awards“ und den „Industry Awards“ – im Rahmen des IMEX Gala Dinners am Mittwoch, den 21. Mai 2014 verliehen.

Neue Partnerschaften und Kooperationen
Die IMEX vermeldet eine neue Partnerschaft mit der “German Association of Scientific Medical Societies” (AWMF). Diese präsentiert im Rahmen des IMEX Verbändetages („Association Day“) ein Seminar in Deutscher Sprache zum komplexen Thema der Besteuerung von Events.

Außerdem bestätigt die IMEX die neue Kooperation mit der “Association of German Travel Managers“ (VDR). So können VDR-Mitglieder am beliebten “Exclusively Corporate @IMEX”-Event teilnehmen, der im letzten Jahr mit großem Erfolg erstmalig durch geführt wurde. Der weitere Ausbau der Kooperation und weitere gemeinsame Aktivitäten sind geplant.

ISES, the International Special Events Society, hat beschlossen, das diesjährige Board-Meeting im Rahmen der IMEX America in Las Vegas durch zu führen. Eine engere Kooperation mit der ISES auch in Europa bzw. Deutschland ist geplant.

Dazu Carina Bauer, CEO der IMEX Group CEO: “Unsere beiden Messen IMEX Frankfurt und IMEX America basieren beide auf starken strategischen Partnerschaften mit den führenden Branchen- bzw. Industrieverbänden – zum Wohl aller Beteiligten. Durch diese enge Anbindung ist unsere stetige Innovationskraft sowie die laufende Optimierung all unserer Aktivitäten und Initiativen gewährleistet.“

NEU 2014: der „Tech Hub“
Welche neuen technologischen Entwicklungen gibt es in der MICE-Branche? Und wie können diese ideal im Veranstaltungsmanagement eingesetzt werden? Der„Tech Hub“ gibt Antworten und top-aktuelle Inspirationen.

NEU 2014: der „Meeting Design Hub“
Der neue Meeting Design Hub auf dem Showfloor präsentiert Alles, was für professionelles Meeting Design nötig ist: Neben neuesten Technologie- und Service-Tools werden dort aktuelle Studien präsentiert und Experten geben wertvolle Praxistipps und stehen für Fragen zur Verfügung. Verschiedene Campfires, Workshops und Seminare garantieren bestes Lernen – von Experten für Experten.

Editor’s notes
• Registrieren Sie sich für Ihren IMEX-Besuch: http://portal.imex-frankfurt.com/register
• DATEN: Die IMEX in Frankfurt findet vom 20. bis zum 22. Mai 2014 in Frankfurt statt
• PRESSEINFORMATIONEN: – http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/press/
• STATISTIKEN: http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/about-us/show-statistics/
• IMEX CSR STRATEGIE: Die IMEX Group hat zahlreiche CSR Projekte und Initiativen
• gegründet und etabliert – viele davon zum „mitmachen“. Weitere Informationen unter:
• http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/about-us/sustainability/
• Die IMEX Gruppe organisiert auch die IMEX America – America’s worldwide exhibition for
• incentive travel, meetings and events. Die IMEX America 2014 findet vom 14. bis zum
• 16. Oktober 2014 im Sands Expo and Convention Center® at the Venetian/Palazzo in Las
• Vegas statt http://www.imexamerica.com
• Folgen Sie uns auf unseren Social Media Kanälen – http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/about-us/social/

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