China International MICE Exchange (CIMX) 2026 has concluded its inaugural edition in Beijing. The three-day event took place at the China National Convention Center Phase II.
Organized by Messe Berlin China, CIMX received support from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. It brought together international destinations, convention bureaus, airlines, hospitality groups and MICE service providers.
The event welcomed 150 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions, 350 hosted buyers and more than 3,000 attendees from over 41 countries and regions. It also generated nearly 6,000 business meetings.
Beyond the exhibition, the programme featured 120 conference speakers covering 40 industry topics. It also included nine networking events and a four-day familiarization trip to Beijing and Tianjin.
Business Matchmaking Connects International MICE Buyers
Business matchmaking was a central feature of CIMX 2026. It connected international destinations, convention bureaus, airlines and hospitality groups with corporate planners and professional buyers.
Pre-scheduled appointments and onsite networking provided opportunities to exchange market insights. Participants also explored business opportunities and established industry contacts.
The exhibition featured 150 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions. Their offerings covered destinations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Chinese destinations and regions included Beijing, Tianjin, Hainan, Shanghai Lin-gang Special Area and Macao. Their participation highlighted opportunities for corporate meetings, incentive travel programmes and international business events.
Yang Jin, Deputy Director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Division at the 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.”
International Associations Support Industry Exchange
CIMX 2026 also attracted participation from Chinese and international industry associations. These included the MICE Committee of the China Association of Travel Services and the China Advertising Association Event Marketing Committee.
Other participants included the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Sourcing China and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA).
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) also participated.
Elle Ng-Darmawan, Senior Director, APAC, at the Global Business Travel Association (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.”
CIMX Conference Examines Trends Shaping Business Events
The CIMX Conference featured 120 speakers covering 40 topics across six conference tracks. The programme also included three specialized workshops and forums.
Discussions addressed key developments and challenges facing China’s and the global MICE industries. Topics included industry trends, cross-border event development and destination showcases.
Other subjects included incentive travel, artificial intelligence and the future of business events.
Florence Chua, Managing Director, APAC, at 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 caliber of the speakers were very high.”
CIMX also hosted several industry-specific forums and workshops. These included the CIMX–ICCA International Association Meetings and Destination Development Forum.
The other sessions were the PCMA Corporate Intelligence Exchange Workshop and the GBTA Business Travel Forum. They provided opportunities for international associations and industry partners to exchange expertise and discuss cooperation.
Networking Events Bring Industry Participants Together
CIMX 2026 featured nine social events alongside its exhibition and conference programme. These gatherings provided further opportunities for industry participants to connect.
Highlights included the Corporates in MICE Luncheon and MICE² Macao × Hengqin Networking Luncheon. Other events were the Singapore-Sponsored Luncheon and Shanghai Lin-gang · Dishui Lake Night.
The CIMX Opening Dinner brought together 400 industry professionals and key stakeholders. The dinner marked the exhibition’s inaugural edition.
Buyers and Media Visit Beijing and Tianjin
Following the exhibition, international buyers and media representatives departed on a four-day familiarization trip to Beijing and Tianjin.
The programme included visits to MICE venues, event facilities and cultural attractions. Participants gained first-hand exposure to the destinations’ business events infrastructure and capabilities.
The visits were intended to support future international meetings, incentive travel programmes and business cooperation.
CIMX Announces Return to Beijing in 2027
Reflecting on the inaugural edition, 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.”
CIMX will return to Beijing for its second edition from 2–4 November 2027. The event will again take place at the China National Convention Center Phase II.
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