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why we’ve thought long and hard in
the past few days, consulting in
depth with partners and
stakeholders across the industry
before making this announcement.
Our strapline “We Are All
Connected” has never felt more
true, nor more important.
Committed to serving
the industry
“Despite the disappointment and
impact we know you will feel, we
want you to know that we’re fully
committed to serving this industry
that we love. We’re already working
hard in the background to deliver
value and service above and
beyond the trade show you were
looking forward to and will
announce these plans in the near
future.
“We intend to keep morale high
and, together with leaders around
the world, to focus on collective
efforts to rebuild confidence and
advocate for the power of business
events to aid economic recovery
once this situation is over.
“The IMEX team will also be
working hard to deliver a successful
IMEX America (15-17 September)
with plans to recognise the 10th
Anniversary of the show already in
full swing. We hope that the
business events world will join us in
Las Vegas to celebrate our great
industry.
“Once again, we thank the whole
industry for the support that has
been shown to us and we are here
to support others in the industry as
we all work through these difficult
times.”
IMEX partners
gave the following
supportive messages
IMEX
“We very much regret the cancellation
of IMEX in Frankfurt – the leading
tradefair for the business event world
– but we can understand the decision
in view of the current situation. We
appreciate that Ray Bloom and Carina
Bauer made this decision together
with and for the exhibitors, their
partners and participants. The GCB
German Convention Bureau has been
a strategic partner and host at IMEX
for many years, since the very
beginning, and we are looking forward
to continuing our trusting cooperation
next year with proven partners and
new ideas.”
Matthias Schultze, GCB
German Convention Bureau
“While it’s very unfortunate that IMEX
in Frankfurt has been cancelled, we
recognise that this was a tough
decision, which was made in order to
reflect the top priority for our industry:
ensuring the safety and security of our
community. We are fully supportive of
their decision and are confident that it
was not taken lightly.
“The value that the IMEX Group
provides to the meetings and events
industry is immeasurable; and the
benefit our worldwide community
gains from the collaborations
facilitated by IMEX is paramount to its
advancement.
“Meeting Professionals
International (MPI) will continue to
provide the highest level of support
possible to IMEX – our strategic
partners for nearly 20 years – as well
as to our partners and members and
around the world.”
Paul Van Deventer, president
& CEO, MPI
www.conference-news.co.uk
“While we at ICCA share the
disappointment of this decision, we
support Ray, Carina and the IMEX
team in their leadership to take this
bold and decisive action to minimise
the impact to the event’s
stakeholders, large and small.
Together, we have a duty to
collaborate at this time, acting
reasonably and rescheduling events
where possible, using our industry’s
renowned creativity to seek
alternative solutions or formats to
our events where necessary. Our
industry will recover and emerge
from this in due course and
continue to deliver great outcomes
to event audiences worldwide.”
James Rees, president, ICCA
Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA
“It is, of course, deeply regrettable
that the IMEX team has to cancel
their flagship trade show in
Frankfurt this May. However, I want
everyone in the business events
and exhibition industry to know on
behalf of JMIC that we fully
understand and support the
difficult decision that Carina and
Ray have had to make.
“Market places and meeting
places are the core driver of
business. For our industry to
bounce back from the corona
slump, our own market places and
meeting places will as well be our
fastest fast track to recovery.
“We are a resilient industry. We
have shown that in the past, we will
show that again. We are all in this
together.”
Kai Hattendorf, CEO, UFI;
president, JMIC