AIME 2026 to Generate Record $425M in Business, Reinforcing Regional Leadership

Independent post-show research following AIME 2026 projects a record-breaking AUD $425 million in business transactions between exhibitors and buyers over the next 12 months, underlining the event’s position as Asia Pacific’s leading business events trade show.

At the core of AIME’s model is a focus on quality over quantity. The event combines human expertise with AI-powered scheduling to match vetted global buyers with targeted exhibitors, creating a highly curated environment designed to generate meaningful connections and tangible business outcomes.

This approach is reflected in strong satisfaction scores. Exhibitor Net Promoter Score (NPS) reached 32.6—well above the industry benchmark of 9.6—while visitor NPS climbed to 59.4, significantly exceeding the benchmark of 30.6.

Talk2 Media & Events CEO Matt Pearce said the results reflect the strength of AIME’s curated approach: “AIME is uniquely built around the quality of the connections we create,” he said. “Our event is carefully curated to ensure the right people are meeting each other, which leads to stronger conversations, better partnerships and real commercial outcomes. The projected $425 million in business shows the value of those meetings and the role AIME plays in supporting destinations, venues and suppliers across the Asia Pacific region.”

Melbourne Convention Bureau CEO Julia Swanson added: “AIME continues to shine as the premier business events trade show in our region and MCB is incredibly proud to own such an impactful event. The ongoing success of AIME reflects the strength of our local business events industry as well as the capacity for Melbourne to host large-scale trade shows that draw exhibitors and buyers from around the world and generate record-breaking amounts of business. We look forward to the continued growth and success of the show as we continue to innovate and provide further opportunities for strong partnerships and excellent outcomes.”
 

AIME Event Director Silke Calder (above) also highlighted the event’s growing global reach: “AIME continues to grow in both scale and impact, with more of the global industry coming together each year to meet, connect, learn and do business,” she said. “The strong satisfaction scores from exhibitors and visitors show the quality of the meetings taking place and the importance of AIME as a platform for building new partnerships and future events.”

Delivered by Talk2 Media & Events, AIME 2026 marked the largest edition to date, setting new records across size, hosted buyers, exhibitors and overall attendance—reflecting sustained global demand for in-person engagement.

Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9–11 February 2026, the event welcomed more than 1,500 vetted buyers, over 765 exhibitors from 36 countries and territories, and more than 5,000 attendees. Across the two-day trade show, more than 25,000 pre-scheduled meetings took place.

As Asia Pacific’s largest and longest-running business events exhibition and learning platform, AIME continues to connect a global community of professionals with industry suppliers through a seamless blend of human expertise and advanced technology.

Owned by the Melbourne Convention Bureau and delivered by Talk2 Media & Events, AIME remains the first major tradeshow on the international business events calendar.

AIME 2027 will take place from 15–17 February 2027, followed by AIME 2028 from 14–16 February 2028, both at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.