M&IW Takes On IMEX America 2024
On October 8–10, team members from Meetings & Incentives Worldwide (M&IW) attended IMEX America, the largest tradeshow for the meetings, events, and incentive travel industry. Now, they share the top takeaways and actionable insights they’re bringing back to help their customers elevate their events and experience the M&IW difference.
Ashley Krueger, CITP
Sr. Manager, Incentives & Engagement
Host: Four Seasons
“The biggest takeaways that customers should know is that meetings are stronger than ever. Even though we’re seeing increased budgets due to inflation, costs are already starting to go down, and it is nothing that our planners can’t handle by being strategic and having open conversations on what is important. It’s also a positive sign as we look to attract and retain the next generation of talent. As part of the SITE Young Leaders Program, that’s especially important to me.”
Sarah Waller
Destination & Experience Design Consultant
Host: Hosts Global
“One of my biggest takeaways is that hotel rooms for 2027 are booking quickly, so it’s essential to start sourcing at least three years in advance. Additionally, cruises are gaining popularity again, especially river cruises. I’m excited that the outlook for incentive travel is highly promising and that sustainability is at the forefront for hotels as they shared their practices on more environmentally friendly and socially responsible events. It’s great to see them prioritizing that without us needing to specifically ask.”
Rachel Egan, CMP, HMCC
Sr. Event Sourcing Manager
Host: Preferred Hotels & Resorts
“I was excited to see that outdoor breakouts are on the rise. Hotels are even building larger cabanas, both with and without AC, on lawn space to use for breakouts as opposed to renting traditional function space, especially if the breakout needs are only for a few hours. Also, more hotels are building or expanding their footprint in city centers near sporting arenas. This cuts down on the need for multiple in-house restaurants or additional space within the hotel because we can rent externally within walking distance instead. It can also make for a nice change of scenery for attendees.”
Johanna Chasse
Sr. Incentive & Experience Design Consultant
Host: Hilton
“I have attended IMEX for several years, and I’m always looking for quality service providers that offer a positive ROI for customers. This year, I loved learning more about Expedition Luxury Cruising offerings. Cruises are making a comeback in incentives, especially at the luxury level. I also explored incentive destinations that I’m excited to introduce to our customers, especially the Nordics, Abu Chabi, and Dubai.”
Kim St. Martin
Sr. Event Sourcing Manager
Host: Hilton Luxury Brands
“IMEX is all about nurturing relationships. Every meeting is helpful as you can gather so much information in a one-on-one meeting. There’s still educational value, too. For example, I sat in on a session on contracting clauses and learned which clauses can create confusion and how to avoid that confusion. It was eye-opening and will help me—and by extension, my customers—when creating addendums.”
Interested in working with our team or learning more about their IMEXperience? Contact us.
Interested in joining the M&IW team? Check out our open positions.