Organisers of IMEX, the worldwide exhibition for the meetings, events and incentive travel industry, announced a full breakdown of attendance figures for last month’s highly successful Messe Frankfurt show.

The total number of hosted buyers from global markets rose by just over 15% to 3,260, with trade visitors rising by 14% to 3,870.  This resulted in the show’s highest attendance to date, with over 7,000 visitors.

IMEX credits its 375 intermediaries, who include the major hotel groups and media partners, for ensuring that its hosted buyer groups comprise top quality, professional buyers who are actively seeking to place business.  Over 50% of these buyers hold annual budgets in excess of US$500,000, with 1 in 3 holding budgets of over US$1m. Post-show research also shows that 80% of the IMEX hosted buyers spent more than 10 hours in the show, visiting from 25 – 60 stands each.

Widespread positive exhibitor reaction suggests that IMEX 2005 succeeded in its goals of being an exhibition that delivers business. Dirk Elzinga, Managing Director of the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa said of the show, “In 25 years of participation in business tourism trade shows, this is by far the best. I really believe in IMEX as a place to do business. This stems from the professionalism and personal commitment of the organisers at the very highest level. I believe that the show will be even bigger and better next year – it is still growing. IMEX can’t be beaten.”

Buyers also represented a large number of long-haul destinations this year. These included Australia, South Africa, Thailand, China, UAE, Singapore, Brazil, Hong Kong, Qatar and Oman. Representation from Eastern European countries was also markedly higher this year, with buyers attending from Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Croatia.

The statistics reveal that a new marketing campaign, in partnership with ICCA (The International Congress and Convention Association) and the German Convention Bureau amongst others, had a positive impact on the total number of association buyers attending. This group accounted for 11.5% of hosted buyers and 18% of total trade visitors to the exhibition. Over 250 of these buyers attended the popular IMEX Association Day, which took place the day prior to the exhibition and included educational seminars and social networking with IMEX exhibitors.

Other feedback suggests that visitors and exhibitors are beginning to more fully use and appreciate the show’s technological benefits. An online appointment system and an easy to navigate virtual exhibition, which includes the ability to quickly research and contact exhibitors at any time, now ensure that IMEX remains a strong and dynamic presence in the market every day of the year. The number of online appointments made prior to the show this year rose to 25,000.

Says Chairman, Ray Bloom, “Feedback from exhibitors has been extremely positive. The move to Hall 8 has proved a success with the entire exhibition on one level; it has also added light, colour and more space and everyone’s benefited. Our visitor numbers remain strong, thanks to our excellent partnerships with a number of leading associations and intermediaries plus the German Convention Bureau. With the added benefit of the show’s year-round virtual exhibition and strong online communications programme, we’re confident that the positive results generated at Frankfurt will continue to create more business for exhibitors in the months to come.”

Next year’s IMEX will again take place in Hall 8, Messe Frankfurt’s largest single-floor hall, from May 30 – June 1 2006.

A full breakdown of the show’s statistics can be found at http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/2005stats.html.