AS AIME 2025 drew to a close in Melbourne yesterday, organisers already declared record numbers as they sought to ensure the Asia-Pacific Incentive and Meetings Event remained the region’s foremost MICE trade show.
The number of exhibitors is up 100 from last year, with pre-show figures showing 675. The 2025 also show signed up more than 640 international buyers with an expected a total of more than 4,500 attendees.
“I’m delighted to announce that AIME 2025 will be the biggest show our team has ever produced,” Matt Pearce, CEO of Talk2 Media & Events, which manages the show on behalf of owners Melbourne Convention Bureau, told a press conference.
“In an environment where there are new entrants and regional events this is testament to AIME’s track record of delivering meaningful business outcomes,” Pearce said, referring to a new show in Singapore that challenged AIME’s status as Asia-Pacific’s leading industry event and another in Hong Kong due to debut next month.
“Last year more than A$330 million of business was generated at AIME and we are confident that figure will be higher again this again this year.
“AIME is about more than just impressive numbers. It’s about creating an experience that exceeds expectations, fosters meaningful connections, and drives the business events industry forward. And this week Melbourne and AIME truly is where the business events world meets in Asia Pacific.”
AIME 2025 will build on the “exceptional growth of 2024”, organisers said in a statement. “This cements AIME as the leading event for the international business events community in the Asia Pacific.”
More than 200 new exhibitors joined this year’s event at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre with Singapore and Thailand returning with international pavilions. Sands Resorts brought its bar-style pavilion to the showfloor representing its properties in Macau and Singapore. Some 30 countries and regions were represented at the event including Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Hong Kong’s stand was themed with the Incentive Playbook campaign created by the city’s tourism board in cooperation with neighbourhood service providers.
New Zealand had the largest international representation with a setup that included a Hobbit-style dwelling inspired by the Lord of the Rings.
“We’re trying very hard to increase not just the number of exhibitors, but also the different categories,” event director Silke Calder told MIX. “So our other categories, such as the [sections for] boutique, DMCs or live activations has grown enormously.
“The fact that we’re running for 32 years, and we have definitely shown over the last four years that we produce quality year by year,” Calder said, adding that AIME has a best trade show award three years in a row. “That speaks for itself.
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“In terms of other shows, I think Australia needs this show, and whether there will be other little events popping up, like the Singapore show or Hong Kong… [we’ve] just got to wait and see,” Calder said, referring to the postponements of ibtm Asia Pacific before organisers RX dropped the plans and Informa Markets Asia stepped in to announce the debut of Connect Marketplace.
Melbourne Convention Bureau chief executive Julia Swanson said: “AIME provides the best opportunities in our region for industry to share knowledge, create meaningful connections and drive economic and social outcomes across our sector. It’s the perfect platform for the entire business events industry to showcase their products and services to a targeted and informed audience.”
Legacy: Melbourne shows how it’s done
Some 170 hosted international buyers from New Zealand, Europe, UK, Southeast Asia, North Asia, India, South America, USA, and Canada have been registered. More than 470 domestic buyers were signed up, while with three in four overall hosted buyers were attending AIME for the first time.
More than 20,000 meetings are estimated to have taken place across the expanded showfloor during the two days of the expo, including 15,000 pre-scheduled appointments between vetted buyers and matched exhibitors.
AIME’s Knowledge Program on Monday, February 10, opened the event with more than 1,500 delegates registered.
