On the Road to IMEX America 2026: How to Make the Week Worth the Trip

IMEX America is three days, thousands of conversations, and roughly a marathon’s worth of carpet. The real question is what you walk out with.

The best IMEX weeks we’ve seen aren’t the busiest ones. They’re the ones that were designed - built around a clear outcome, paced like a good program, and loose enough to leave room for the conversation nobody scheduled. Which is fitting, because that’s exactly how we think about the events we build for clients.

This October 13-15, the Imprint team heads to Mandalay Bay for IMEX America 2026 - and for the first time, we’re showing up alongside MC&A Hawaii and Kuoni Tumlare at booth F125. Before we pack, we asked the people who’ll be on the floor how they make the week count. Here’s what they told us.

IMEX America Tips: Plan the Week Like a Program

We’d never design a client event by filling every hour and hoping something meaningful happens. IMEX deserves the same intention. Start with the outcome, then build the agenda that gets you there.

Our team’s go-to framework for the week:

1. Name your outcome. One sentence. What will be different about your next program because you went?
2. Book around it. Prioritize the appointments that serve that outcome, then fill in around them.
3. Protect the white space. Leave a gap every afternoon. That’s where the hallway conversations - the ones that turn into programs - tend to happen.
4. Capture it while it’s fresh. Five minutes of notes after each meeting beats an hour of trying to remember who said what on the flight home.

“Not every great IMEX connection happens in a scheduled meeting. Most of mine have not,” says Andy McVay, Director of Business Development. “Sometimes it happens over coffee, walking down the convention hall, showing interest in someone’s booth, or even at a lunch spot or bar - or in the five minutes you thought you didn’t have. Don’t schedule every second. Leave a little room for the unexpected, because you never know who you’ll meet.”

What Should You Know Before IMEX in Las Vegas?

Imprint has a home base in Las Vegas, which means some of our team spends IMEX week watching visitors learn the city’s favorite optical illusion in real time: that casino you can see from your hotel window is, in fact, a 20-minute walk. Through three more casinos. At least one of which has indoor canals and a gondolier.

A few things our Las Vegas team wants every attendee to know:

• Wear the comfortable shoes. You will see executives in sneakers. Join them. (Hold that thought - we’ll come back to shoes.)
• Hydrate like it’s your job. Desert air plus casino air plus back-to-back meetings is a combination your body will file a complaint about by Wednesday.
• Get off the Strip once. Some of the city’s best meals and most memorable venues are a short ride away. Ask a local where they’d take a client.
• Reset on purpose. Twenty minutes of quiet in the afternoon will do more for your Thursday than one more booth crawl.

“One of my favorite Las Vegas tips? Get off the Strip for a little while,” says Andy. “Some of the best moments happen when you take clients somewhere they weren’t expecting. A great local restaurant, a hidden spot, or simply seeing a different side of the city can turn a Las Vegas trip into an experience they actually remember. Sometimes it’s not the big production, glitz, glamour, or the fancy lights that makes someone fall for a city. It’s the unexpected moments.”

A Day at Booth F125

If you stop by, here’s what you’ll find: a team that’s had exactly enough coffee, a calendar that runs from first appointment to last call, and a conversation that starts with your goals rather than our services.

We designed this year’s booth around one idea: good things come in pairs. Imprint and our partners showing up together. Your goals paired with the right team. And yes, an actual pair of socks when you book time with us - because after a day on the IMEX floor, a fresh pair is the most practical gift in Las Vegas. Book a program, and we’ll upgrade you to custom shoes. (We told you we’d come back to shoes.)

“People can usually expect a booth to hand them a brochure, if anything at all,” says Andy. “We wanted to give them something they’d actually remember. The socks are a fun icebreaker and a way to start the conversation, but what really matters is what comes next: how we can listen, hear about you and your company, and more importantly, help make your next event better - and what a great partnership together would look like.”

Good Things Come in Pairs: Why We’re Showing Up Together

Earlier this year, Imprint joined forces with MC&A Mainland. That puts us in the same JTB family alongside MC&A Hawaii and Kuoni Tumlare, JTB’s global destination management network. For clients, the practical upshot is simple: the strategic, creative approach you know from Imprint, with on-the-ground expertise that now stretches from Denver and Las Vegas to Honolulu and well beyond.

“Our clients have always asked us to think bigger,” says Nicole Marsh, Founder & COO. “Now we can say yes in more places, with a larger mainland US footprint and with expanded partners who share the same values and approach. IMEX is the first time we get to show that side by side - and the first time a lot of people get to meet the whole team at once.”

How Do You Choose an Event Partner at IMEX?

IMEX is where a lot of partnerships begin, and it’s a great place to separate the vendors from the partners. Our account management team, who see what happens long after the contract is signed, suggested a few questions worth asking anyone you meet - including us.

1. “What outcome would you design this around?” A strong partner asks about your goals before they talk about décor, entertainment, or headcount.
2. “Show me a moment you designed - and why.” Look for the intent behind the moment, not just a pretty photo.
3. “Who’s on-site when the plan changes?” Because it will, and you want to know who’s holding the radio.
4. “How will we know it worked?” Beyond attendance and a satisfaction score - think connection, belonging, understanding, and engagement.
5. What happens after the event? The debrief is where next year’s program gets even better!

Where to Find Imprint at IMEX America 2026

IMEX rewards people who show up with intention, curiosity, and good shoes. We’ll be bringing all three - plus the socks.

Find the Imprint team, alongside MC&A Hawaii and Kuoni Tumlare, at booth F125, October 13-15 at Mandalay Bay. Book time with our team, or reach out to start planning your next program - whether that conversation happens in Las Vegas or long after.

You can also find members of our team at these destination booths:

• D3221 - Meet Hawaii
• D3405 - Visit Phoenix
• C3717 - Visit Orlando
• C4631 - Meet Boston

Headed to C3717? Ask Andrea about Orlando beyond the theme parks!

Five booths, one team. (Yes, that’s a lot of show floor. See: shoes.)

Key Takeaways

• Start IMEX with one clear outcome and book your meetings around it.
• Leave white space each afternoon for the conversations nobody scheduled.
• Ask any event partner what outcome they would design around, and how you will measure it.
• Find Imprint at booth F125, plus four destination booths across the show floor.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Book a meeting, get socks. Book a program, get shoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is IMEX America 2026?

IMEX America 2026 runs October 13-15 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, with Smart Monday education on October 12. Full details are on the IMEX America website.

Where can I find Imprint at IMEX America 2026?

Imprint Events Group will be at booth F125 alongside MC&A Hawaii and Kuoni Tumlare. You can also find our team at D3221 (Meet Hawaii), D3405 (Visit Phoenix), C3717 (Visit Orlando), and C4631 (Meet Boston).

How do I book a meeting with the Imprint team at IMEX?

Book directly through any Imprint team member’s personal scheduling link, or contact Imprint and we’ll connect you with the right person. Everyone who books a meeting gets a pair of socks.

How should I prepare for IMEX America?

Start with one clear outcome for the week, book appointments that serve it, leave white space for unscheduled conversations, and take quick notes after each meeting. Comfortable shoes and plenty of water help, too.

What does Imprint Events Group do?

Imprint is a strategic event company that designs and produces corporate events, incentive programs, and brand experiences built around business outcomes, with teams in Denver, Orlando, and Las Vegas and a global partner network through MC&A and JTB.

Headed to Las Vegas? Book time with the Imprint team at IMEX. Can’t make the show? Get in touch with Imprint - good things come in pairs, and so do good conversations.