Intentional design, cultural inclusion, sustainability, and emotional storytelling took center stage at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, as the global business events industry explored how thoughtful design is reshaping the future of meetings and experiences.

Held under IMEX’s 2026/27 Talking Point, “Design Matters,” the show transformed its exhibition halls, activations, and education sessions into living examples of how design influences not just how events look, but how people connect, engage, and remember them. From immersive sensory experiences to inclusive programming and sustainable planning, the conversations throughout the event reflected a growing industry focus on creating events with greater purpose and impact.

At the Inspiration Hub session, A global perspective on inclusion as a core design principle, speakers highlighted how cultural understanding and inclusivity are becoming essential parts of authentic event design.

Julia Swanson from Melbourne Convention Bureau emphasized the importance of recognizing Indigenous communities within event experiences. “Cultural inclusion’s paramount. In Australia, recognizing the First Nations community is essential and ensuring they’re represented in events is a key priority. Our role as a CVB is to ensure our clients embrace this, for example inviting a First Nations representative to give a welcome or speak at an event.”

Melissa Riley from Destination DC added: “Designing an event with everyone in mind right from the very beginning ensures that all attendees, regardless of their needs, have a great time—we call it the ‘shiny eye experience’.”

The importance of first impressions and emotional connection also emerged as a key theme during the discussions. Danae Winn, a US-based buyer specializing in global corporate incentives, explained: “One of my design priorities is ensuring a great welcome. First impressions count and set the tone for the rest of the event.”

During the session Personalizing with intention: Designing attendee-first experiences, Sofia Eriksson from American Express Global Business Travel spoke about the growing importance of sensory design and emotional engagement in events. “Know that your attendees will only remember the peak emotional moments so plan these—especially the start and the end—on purpose. The more senses you use the more deeply embedded the memory so make use of smell, touch, color, sound and taste to heighten your event’s impact and make the impression, and ROI, a lasting and powerful one.”

The conversations also reflected the growing complexity of designing events that satisfy multiple stakeholders while remaining creative and memorable.

Nicola Colbeck from UK-based Sparq Live said: “Some of my biggest corporate clients have multiple stakeholders and that often means aligning many different perspectives.”

Corrado Alberti from Next Group highlighted the value of originality in standing out within the competitive events industry. “As an agency, we like to offer something unconventional that’ll make our event proposal stand out from the crowd. This often takes the form of interesting and memorable activities—our team have great on-the-ground contacts that enable us to tap into the latest happenings and hot topics.”

Sustainability also remained a major focus throughout the event, particularly during the session Good design is good business: Lessons learned.

Matthew Burgess from the UK Design Council explained how early design decisions play a major role in reducing environmental impact. “At the World Design Congress, we engaged stakeholders—that’s suppliers, partners, and sponsors—around sustainable event design from the outset, taking them on the journey with us.”

The design philosophy was visible across IMEX Frankfurt 2026 itself, particularly inside the newly redesigned Hall 9. Through its layout, textures, color palettes, scent experiences, digital installations, and visitor flow, the space demonstrated how thoughtful design can create more engaging and memorable attendee experiences. Interactive features, including the Metahuman Choir and a digital graffiti wall, further brought the event’s “Design Matters” theme to life.

IMEX is held at Messe Frankfurt, Germany, from 19–21 May 2026.

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