The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) is set to cement its status as the number one business event in the Asia Pacific region with a blockbuster 2025 event.
Set to be hosted in Australia at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 10th to 12th February, AIME 2025 will have an expanded footprint accommodating more than 600 exhibitors, 650 hosted buyers, and the 20,000 meetings that are set to take place on the show-floor.
AIME connects international and local buyers with world-class exhibitors from Asia Pacific and around the world.
At the same time, the global exhibitions association UFI will co-locate its 2025 Asia-Pacific Conference with AIME at MCEC for the first time in history, with its event to follow AIME on the 13th and 14th February 2025.
Four in a row
AIME 2025 will be the fourth event delivered by event director Silke Calder and her team from Talk2 Media and Events, which manages the show on behalf of Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB).
Calder says the team is thrilled to have UFI delegates in Melbourne in the same week as AIME 2025.
She said: “The senior level attendees from large global organisations will be a welcome addition to our event, and we will be working with UFI to make sure that they feel welcome at AIME.”
AIME 2025 is set to eclipse last year’s smash hit event, where business traded between exhibitors and buyers was estimated to be worth more than $330 million over the following 12 months.
Who’s heading over?
Exhibitors include convention bureaux, convention centres, hotels and resorts, unique venues, event technology companies, production and AV companies, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), airlines, cruise companies, and suppliers from across Australia.
Kicking off the first day of AIME, the highly anticipated Knowledge Program has the theme, “We Matter!”, which will highlight and celebrate the global business events industry as a powerful catalyst for economic growth.
Two incredible speakers will deliver keynote addresses that are guaranteed to spark interest, stir debate and engage all areas of the events industry.
Former CTO of Lonely Planet, Gus Balbontin is described as an “investor, explorer, advisor, rebel, thinker and adventurer.” An executive, founder, and investor with a deep understanding of disruption and business transformation and with a focus on using the latest technology advancements to solve customer problems, Balbontin will deliver one of the two keynotes.
Balbontin says he’s looking forward to challenging the AIME audience with his keynote address, Adapt, which is sponsored by AIME speaker bureau partner ICMI.
He said: “I’m excited to provoke them, to challenge them, to make them feel a bit uncomfortable, to make them think new thoughts, to make them connect or reconnect with the rebellious thinking, the rebellious thoughts, that are the basis for innovation.”
Joining him is Dr Kristy Goodwin, a renowned neuro-performance scientist. Through cutting-edge science and neurotechnology, Goodwin equips high-achievers with the tools to lead, live, and work more effectively in today’s digitally demanding environment.
Goodwin’s expertise is highly sought after by senior executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their performance without sacrificing wellbeing.
In her keynote sponsored by speaker bureau Ovations!, Powered-Up Performers: The Neuroscience of Sustainable Peak Performance in a Digital Age, Goodwin will equip AIME delegates with cutting-edge insights and practical brain-based micro-habits to enhance productivity, manage stress, and maximise energy in today’s digitally intense environment.
Drawing from her personal journey through stress and burnout, she will offer strategies to avoid burnout and create a personalised “Power-Up Plan” for each participant.
According to Goodwin: “I’ll share simple things that events professionals can integrate into their days so they can be a high-res, powered-up, thriving version of themselves where they don’t have to pay a success tax, such as compromised physical health, mental wellbeing, and/or relationships in the pursuit of success.”
Come and learn
Joining the keynote speakers, a mix of industry business leaders and renowned professionals will address more than 1500 global event professionals attending the Knowledge Program on the first day of AIME 2025.
The AIME 2025 Knowledge Program is attended by Hosted Buyers, Media, Exhibitors and Visitor Buyers who upgrade their ticket, but opportunities for education and inspiration continue for all attendees on the following days of AIME, with the Ideas Academy presented by Spice.
The Ideas Academy is an intimate space providing visitors access to short, thought-provoking panel discussions and sessions. Ideas Academy sessions will run continuously on Tuesday, 11, and Wednesday, 12 February and are free for all attendees.
