AIME 2026 and the Case for Human Expertise

The meetings industry faces ongoing challenges due to rapid advances in artificial intelligence, rising sustainability expectations and a geopolitical landscape that influences where organisations feel confident in hosting events. At the same time, the sector must navigate a generation shift while attracting professionals capable of designing, planning, and delivering high-level international events.

These themes framed discussions throughout the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME), which brought the industry together in Melbourne in February 2026, from the Knowledge Monday programme to the wider event partnerships and the trade show itself.

This year’s theme, Expertise Matters, highlights a key fact about business events: while technology can support our work, our industry still relies on professional expertise to build human connections and trust, connect multicultural communities, and transform meetings into real-world outcomes.

The 2026 edition of AIME confirmed the show’s ongoing importance in the global events calendar. The opening press conference took place inside the Formula 1 Exhibition at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), a reminder that Melbourne’s reputation as an events capital is built on hosting global platforms, from the Australian Grand Prix to international industry gatherings such as AIME.

The 2026 edition welcomed over 1,500 hosted buyers, more than 765 exhibitors, and around 5,000 participants from 36 countries and territories. During the two-day trade show, over 25,000 meetings were scheduled between buyers and exhibitors. The economic impact of AIME 2026 is estimated at A$425 million (€260 million), building on the success of AIME 2025, which generated A$400 million (€245 million) in confirmed business.

AIME delivered a record year. This level of participation reflects Asia-Pacific’s position as a stable and reliable region for international meetings at a time when geopolitical volatility continues to influence how organisations assess destinations.

Speaking during the opening press conference, Talk2 Media & Events CEO Matt Pearce attributed the event’s continued growth to a deliberate focus on curation and strong institutional partnerships.

“Our success has been built on bringing qualified buyers who are ready to do business with our exhibitors,” Pearce said. “Quality remains the principle that guides the event.”

Owned by the Melbourne Convention Bureau and delivered by Talk2 Media & Events, AIME operates within a broader industry ecosystem. The 2026 edition brought together leading global organisations, including ICCA, AIPC, IAPCO, PCMA and UFI, alongside the Australian Business Events Association (ABEA).

The operational phase of AIME’s partnership with ICCA, which includes new education programmes and bidding development initiatives for the region, further reinforces the event’s role in strengthening association expertise across Asia-Pacific.

This concentration of industry organisations also shapes the role AIME plays within the global meetings calendar. Beyond its function as a marketplace, the event has become a forum where associations, destinations and organisers examine the structural challenges facing the sector.

Knowledge Monday is at the heart of these discussions. Sessions explored topics such as leadership development, artificial intelligence, sustainability governance, and the evolving demands placed on event professionals, particularly as the industry seeks to attract and retain the next generation of event leaders.

The programme was curated by AIME Event Director Silke Calder together with El Kwang, Founder and Chief Engager of BEAMexperience, supported by an industry advisory committee.

Calder reminded participants that the theme Expertise Matters reflects the role business event professionals play in an increasingly complex environment.

“This theme speaks directly to the value that business events professionals bring,” she said, noting that the sector’s human expertise becomes even more relevant as the industry navigates technological disruption and changing global conditions.

The keynotes developed that idea through a sequence of perspectives on leadership, resilience and performance. Entrepreneur Kristina Karlsson opened the day by reflecting on the experience of building and rebuilding an international retail brand, emphasising the importance of perseverance when navigating uncertainty.

Behavioural scientist Milo Wilkinson followed with an exploration of how cognitive patterns influence decision-making and organisational change.

Performance coach Dan Haesler closed the keynote series by examining how professionals maintain clarity and focus in high-pressure environments.

Leadership themes extended into the wider programme as well. A session titled Legacy, Leadership and Belonging, delivered with Tourism New Zealand, examined the organisational culture behind the All Blacks rugby team.

Former All Black Ian Jones described how shared purpose, humility and collective responsibility underpin the team’s long-term success, principles that resonate with organisations managing complex international events.

Many of the discussions returned to the same question: how AI and automations are reshaping professional roles across the meetings industry.

Across several sessions, speakers acknowledged the potential for AI to automate administrative tasks, analyse large volumes of data and support event planning processes. At the same time, most emphasised that the design of meaningful event experiences remains fundamentally human.

Event professionals increasingly see AI as a tool that can support efficiency while freeing planners to focus on higher-value work such as stakeholder engagement, creative programme design and partnership development.

Sustainability formed another major focus of the programme. Discussions developed with ICCA and EarthCheck examined how environmental reporting and ESG expectations are increasingly shaping event procurement and destination selection.

Panellists addressed practical measures, including carbon measurement, local procurement strategies and venue infrastructure investments designed to reduce energy consumption and waste. Several destinations shared examples of how sustainability policies are now integrated into bid strategies and long-term legacy planning.

These discussions connect directly with AIME’s own operational commitments. The event is now a signatory of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative and has set a target to reduce emissions it directly controls by 50% by 2030.

“Our next step is to move beyond measurement into collective action across the entire events ecosystem,” Pearce explained during the press conference.

The MCEC, which hosts AIME annually, plays a significant role in that transition. The venue operates on renewable electricity and maintains a range of sustainability initiatives covering energy efficiency, waste reduction and accessibility, allowing event organisers to track environmental performance more precisely.

Educational exchanges continued during the trade show through the Ideas Academy held on the exhibition floor. These short-format presentations allowed planners, suppliers and destination representatives to share practical insights between scheduled meetings, reinforcing AIME’s role as both a marketplace and a professional learning environment.

Networking remained an equally important dimension of the event. Hosted buyer programmes, association gatherings and informal meetings created opportunities for industry professionals to develop partnerships throughout the event.

The Welcome Event, Aimagination, held at Evoqué in Melbourne’s CBD, brought together more than 2,000 participants and provided a social setting where many of those conversations continued beyond the trade show floor.

The next edition of AIME will take place from 15–17 February 2027 in Melbourne.

Explore the full Australia Destination Report for further insights into the country’s business events strategy, sustainability initiatives and association-focused developments across key destinations.