The global events industry is projected to grow to $614 billion by 2026, driven by a steady return to in-person engagement after 2020.
You could feel that energy at IMEX America 2025.
IMEX hosted 6,145 buyers from 74 countries, supported by 17,633 total participants and over 92,000 one-to-one and group meetings.
The show floor in Las Vegas wasn’t just busy; it was buzzing. Meetings ran nonstop, booths were full, and optimism filled the air. Even with a few challenges still hanging in the event space, IMEX felt like a turning point. The industry isn’t slowing down. It’s scaling up.
Here’s what stood out about how data, engagement, and technology are shaping what comes next.
IMEX 2025 felt human again. Booths looked like spaces for connection, not transactions. Conversations ran longer, and exhibitors leaned into hospitality instead of quick badge scans.
That shift is backed by real data. 60% of events are now held fully in-person, compared to 35% virtually and 5% hybrid. Those are numbers we love to see, because we know that a face-to-face request is 34x more effective than an email.
IMEX proved that human connection still drives real results and that the best engagement still happens in person.
With 73% of buyers coming from the US and another 27% representing 73 other countries, the mix of global participation reinforced that the in-person marketplace is back in full force.
On top of the impressive turnout of participants, meetings, and press, AI dominated conversations again this year, but this time the focus was on usability. The tools that stood out were the ones saving time and improving data quality.
We saw matchmaking assistants refining meeting requests, AI copilots enriching leads before they hit the CRM, and note-taking tools turning booth chats into usable summaries within minutes.
That mirrors a broader trend: 85% of event planners now use event management software, and more than half use AI tools for planning or execution.
AI is here to make the event professional's strategy faster, cleaner, and easier to measure.
This year, engagement finally became measurable in meaningful ways. Instead of asking, “How many scans did you get?” the smarter question was, “What percentage of our target accounts engaged in two or more valuable touchpoints?”
That shift shows real maturity. When teams define sessions, meetings, and booth interactions consistently, data becomes comparable and credible.
First-party data is now the foundation of modern measurement. With third-party tracking fading, owned and consented identity data is becoming essential.
The scale behind that change is huge. The global events market hit $1.23 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach $3.23 trillion by 2032.
Teams that prioritize clean, privacy-safe data will lead that growth.
The tech conversations at IMEX were refreshingly real. Everyone wanted systems that actually talk to each other. Clean APIs, native integrations, and less manual cleanup were top of mind.
When registration, onsite engagement, and CRM data flow together, teams win. Reporting gets faster, attribution gets clearer, and sponsors finally share a single version of truth.
Those choices build credibility and trust, both internally and with partners. Integration isn’t just a feature anymore -- it’s a baseline requirement.
Attendees are expecting more than ever. According to Eventify, 64% of participants want immersive, personalized experiences, and 80% say live events remain the most impactful marketing channel.
Even hybrid formats continue to evolve. 45% of attendees prefer events that blend physical and digital elements.
IMEX showed how the best organizers are meeting those expectations with creative design and better use of engagement data.
The show’s 3,700 exhibiting companies demonstrated that innovation and human connection can absolutely coexist.
The Bear Analytics team thoroughly enjoyed our time at IMEX, and we gathered some solid actionable takeaways. If you’re already planning for 2026, here’s where to start:
Design for depth. Define what “meaningful engagement” looks like and measure it consistently.
Capture clean data. Focus on lounges, meeting zones, and activations that allow for consented data capture (Bonus: higher conversion rates).
Connect identity. Tie registration and onsite systems to your CRM or CDP for a full customer view.
Plan reporting early. Pick KPIs that map directly to revenue creation, acceleration, or expansion.
Track quality, not quantity. Ratios tell stronger stories than totals. Focus on engagement-to-conversion or meeting-to-follow-up percentages.
IMEX America 2025 proved something simple but powerful. The future of events is both high-tech and deeply human.
AI is now practical. Engagement data is standardized. Attendees expect personalization and purpose. For teams that can connect these dots, 2026 looks both bright and measurable.
If your team is ready to turn event engagement into measurable growth, Bear Analytics can help.
Our Bear IQ platform helps event leaders standardize engagement data, visualize ROI, and deliver outcomes your partners and leadership can trust.
Learn more by seeing how it works here.
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