China International MICE Exchange (CIMX) 2026 has concluded its inaugural edition in Beijing, generating nearly 6,000 business meetings and bringing together international industry leaders, buyers and exhibitors to strengthen cooperation between China’s MICE sector and global markets.
Held over three days
at the China National Convention Center Phase II, the event welcomed 150
exhibitors, 350 hosted buyers and more than 3,000 attendees from over 41
countries and regions. Organised by Messe Berlin China and supported by the
Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, CIMX aimed to establish a
dedicated platform for international business exchange, partnerships and
cross-border collaboration.
The exhibition
featured 150 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions, showcasing destinations
and MICE services across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Chinese
destinations represented included Beijing, Tianjin, Hainan, Shanghai Lin-gang
Special Area and Macao, highlighting opportunities for corporate meetings,
incentive travel and international events.
Business matchmaking
was central to the programme, connecting destinations, convention bureaux,
airlines, hospitality groups and MICE service providers with corporate
planners, agencies and professional buyers through pre-arranged appointments
and networking opportunities.
Yang Jin, Deputy
Director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Division at Tianjin
Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, said: “CIMX is a highly professional
exhibition, organized by Messe Berlin China and hosted in Beijing. For Chinese
companies, it provides a platform to connect directly with international MICE
buyers without having to travel abroad, making business exchanges more
cost-effective and efficient. For Tianjin, it also presents an excellent
opportunity to showcase our destination to international buyers and raise its
visibility in the global market.”
The event also
attracted leading industry organisations, including the MICE Committee of the
China Association of Travel Services, China Advertising Association Event
Marketing Committee, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade
(CCPIT), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Global Business
Travel Association (GBTA), International Congress and Convention Association
(ICCA) and Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE).
Elle Ng-Darmawan,
Senior Director, APAC, GBTA, said: “CIMX has seen a good support from the
industry—the meetings and events, MICE or business travel community. I look
forward to seeing the show growing from this point into its future years, and
look forward to continuing to partner with CIMX and just being able to meet
more people from the business travel and MICE community,”
Conference
highlights industry trends and innovation
Alongside the
exhibition, CIMX hosted a conference featuring 120 speakers, 40 industry
topics, six conference tracks and three specialised workshops and forums.
Discussions covered
developments in China's and the global MICE industries, cross-border events,
destination marketing, incentive travel, artificial intelligence and the future
of business events.
Florence Chua,
Managing Director, APAC, PCMA, said: “Through its conference, CIMX brought
together MICE professionals, association members and business leaders from
China and abroad to share diverse content. The conference covered a wide range
of areas, from incentive travel to conferences and exhibitions, making the
content very rich. As the conference of the inaugural edition, both the quality
of the events and the calibre of the speakers were very high.”
Specialised sessions
included the CIMX–ICCA International Association Meetings and Destination
Development Forum, the PCMA Corporate Intelligence Exchange Workshop and the
GBTA Business Travel Forum, providing opportunities for international
organisations and industry professionals to exchange expertise.
Networking also played
a key role, with nine social events held throughout the exhibition. Highlights
included the Corporates in MICE Luncheon, MICE² Macao × Hengqin Networking
Luncheon, Singapore-Sponsored Luncheon and Shanghai Lin-gang · Dishui Lake Night.
The CIMX Opening Dinner brought together 400 industry professionals and
stakeholders.
On the final day,
international buyers and media representatives departed for a four-day
familiarisation trip to Beijing and Tianjin. The programme included visits to
MICE venues, business events facilities and cultural attractions, offering
participants first-hand insights into the destinations' capabilities.
CIMX to return in
November 2027
Nikolaos Swoch,
Director of CIMX, said: “CIMX was created to turn China’s MICE potential into
international business opportunities—and to open new doors into China for the
global industry. This first edition has put that mission into action, bringing
decision-makers together to explore business, build trust and establish
partnerships. Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, CIMX will establish itself as
the must-attend annual gathering for the Chinese and international MICE
communities, driving business growth, strengthening global collaboration and
shaping the future of business events.”
Building on the results of its debut, CIMX will return to Beijing for its second edition from 2–4 November 2027 at the China National Convention Centre Phase II. -TradeArabia News Service