VisitScotland at IMEX Frankfurt

A highlight in the business events calendar

Last week, our Business Events team attended IMEX in Frankfurt, one of the biggest business event trade shows in the world.

A key date in the global business events calendar for VisitScotland, IMEX brings together meeting and events planners with business events destinations, hotels and venues from around the world to generate future business in the tens of millions for 2026 out to 2032.

It's a fantastic platform for the global business events community to develop new and existing working relationships, learn about the latest industry developments and ideas, and ultimately help create the best possible events, meetings and conferences.

This year, the event had record attendance from both suppliers and buyers – a sign of the continued value and development opportunities delegates get from attending the trade show.

Team Scotland on the Scotland stand at IMEX

Presenting Team Scotland

For 2025, a number of Scottish partners exhibited on the Scotland stand, managed by our Business Events team. Partners exhibiting were:

Aberdeen Convention Bureau, Cameron House, Convention Edinburgh, EICC, Glasgow Convention Bureau, Horizons by TPG, P&J Live, Scottish Events Campus, Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa Edinburgh, and Spectra.

Across the three days, Team Scotland:

conducted over 250 one-to-one meetings
hosted presentations to business event organisers
attended networking events throughout the show and in the evenings
spoke on thought leader panels about how to attract and retain future talent in the sector
and even held a ceilidh on the Scotland stand in some friendly competition with other destinations to attract the most visitors

Our Director of Marketing and Digital, Jill Walker, and Head of Business Events, Neil Brownlee, attended the IMEX Policy Forum which explores the outcomes and legacy of business events and how the sector can be a catalyst for economic and social progress.

I’ve been every year since 2010, but IMEX Frankfurt still needs to be seen to be believed. It is hard to get across the sheer scale and quality of this show which caters solely for the Business Events market.

Our Marketing and Digital Director, Jill Walker, attended for the first time and was warmly welcomed to the global MICE community – Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events – with introductions to other destinations such as Business Events Canada, Singapore, Sydney, Netherlands, Germany and Ireland.

The remarkable relationships and personal closeness of this business events community were clear, as they shared approaches, challenges, perspectives and quite a few laughs with disarming candour.

Neil Brownlee, Head of Business Events, VisitScotland

IMEX Frankfurt is a must-attend trade show for the Glasgow Convention Bureau. The popular Scotland stand, managed by VisitScotland’s Business Events team, gives partners much-needed visibility and the opportunity to meet with high-value conference organisers.

It’s a key platform for Glasgow to showcase the city’s strengths as a world-class conference destination, build relationships, and secure future business.

The support VisitScotland provides is invaluable and ensures Scottish partners are well-positioned to compete on a global stage.

Aileen Crawford, Head of Tourism & Conventions at Glasgow Convention Bureau