IMEX white paper urges destinations to treat business events as strategic assets, not just visitor spending

IMEX, an Events Industry Council corporate member and strategic partner, released the white paper 「Place Leadership and the Business Events Sector」, developed following the Place Leaders Forum at IMEX Frankfurt. It was written by urbanist Professor Greg Clark CBE FAcSS and Borane Gille, Head of City Innovation & Investment at The Business of Cities. Drawing on 27 destination case studies worldwide, the paper examines the global trends reshaping destination strategy and sets out practical recommendations for destination organisations, convention and visitor bureaus, venues and their partners. Its central argument is that destinations should stop viewing business events merely as drivers of visitor spending and instead treat them as strategic assets that advance broader economic, innovation and community priorities. The paper supplies frameworks and real-world examples for embedding business events within wider place and economic development strategies. Natasha Richards, Director of Impact & Industry Relations at IMEX and a member of the EIC Board of Directors, said destinations that act now will be best placed to thrive in the years ahead. EIC positioned the findings as complementary to its own research on infrastructure, mobility, advocacy and long-term destination resilience.