IMEX America 2023

VisitScotland Business Events team and 13 Scottish partners at IMEX America 2023

Article published 26/10/2023

This month (16 - 19 October) our team and 13 Scottish partners headed to IMEX America in Las Vegas, which this year attracted more than 4,000 buyers. This was a perfect forum for Scottish partners to network with peers and event professionals from across the globe to connect, network, learn and do business.

Team Scotland had an action packed few days, starting the night before the main tradeshow opened with SITE NITE North America.

The reception, which marked the 50th anniversary of the association, was an opportunity to connect with industry friends and colleagues and celebrate the achievements of SITE and the SITE Foundation's important work in research, education and advocacy on behalf of the incentive travel industry. This was the perfect forum for Scottish partners to network with peers and buyers alike as the strength and depth of the Scottish chapter continues to grow.

The partners attending IMEX America alongside VisitScotland Business Events were:

Day one

We kickstarted our first day at IMEX America by attending the VisitBritain Association Breakfast, where VisitScotland and the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow were represented.

VisitScotland Business Events joined the Destinations International Global Business Events Focus Group. The workshop provided students from New York University with an opportunity to hear from industry experts and understand how destinations are maximising success, identifying gaps, best practices and concept tools, resources or education that is missing.

Throughout the day, the VisitScotland Business Events stand was teeming with activity, with over 100 appointments, destination presentations for North and South American hosted buyer groups and a Scotland Reception supported by Ian MacLeod Distillers, SEC and Edinburgh partners.

In the evening, we joined the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association for its evening reception at Luxor Las Vegas, which gave the team an opportunity to speak to industry colleagues, exchange ideas and expand their networks.

Day two

Our Head of Associations, Rory Archibald took part in an education session 'Seed Talks: Planting Ideas' which was moderated by Elizabeth Short, President of GLOBE Series. Rory joined Corey Clark, Senior Sustainability Manager at Honeycomb Strategies and Karina Lance, Deputy Director of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and discussed how business events can be a driver for socio-economic change.

After another busy day on the stand we attended a reception hosted by ICCA where we had the chance to network, make new connections and have thought-provoking conversations with associations from across the world.

We hosted our final Scotland Reception, which was once again supported by Ian MacLeod Distillers, SEC and Edinburgh partners. We were joined by the outstanding Piper, Cindi McIntosh-Behr, who provided us with incredible musical entertainment. Cindi is the Official Piper for the Clan Chattan Association of Scotland and Piper and Former Trustee for St. Andrews' Society of Los Angeles. All proceeds of Cindi's attendance were donated worthwhile causes in the US. She was also supported by James Fraser of Mount Royal Hotel who delivered an awe-inspiring Address to the Haggis, which certainly generated further interest from the IMEX audience.

The final day

On the final day of the event, we had another busy day of appointments on the VisitScotland stand and held more destination presentations for hosted buyer groups from across North and South America. 

Business was certainly back at IMEX America and across the three-day event approximately 300 one-to-one business appointments were hosted on the stand, and we are excited to see the results of these conversations and the business that will come to Scotland in the coming years. The show continues to grow in terms of attendance and volume of appointment and networking opportunities.

Richard Knight, Director of Marketing - The Americas, said: "It was great to once again be back at IMEX this year, with such a strong contingent of Scottish partners representing all sectors of the industry.

"With a lively and bustling stand featuring traditional Scottish hospitality and cultures to further enhance the business development and provision of information. I am positive that the appointments and subsequent enquiries will generate many new pieces of business for Scotland in the future.

"The event, that has once again grown, also gave us a perfect stage to promote the sustainable missions and capabilities of Scotland along with our Journey to Change work, both on and off the exhibition floor. Attention now turns to fostering new relationships and following up on all new opportunities. A great team approach to maintaining Scotland's presence on this all-important global stage."

The VisitScotland team will next be exhibiting at CHS Birmingham on the 31 October at the ICC Birmingham.