As Asia Pacific’s leading business events trade show, the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) continues to evolve in ways that reflect the industry it represents – one defined by innovation, depth of expertise, and a growing global reach.
AIME 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), to be held 9–11 February, will be the biggest show yet delivered by event director Silke Calder and her team at Talk2 Media & Events.
AIME 2026 will host more than 700 exhibitors, 700 hosted buyers, and 20,000 pre-scheduled appointments – a significant increase that underscores the event’s enduring appeal and its importance as a driver of real business outcomes. As of 17 October, more than 80% of exhibition space had been sold or reserved.
The AIME 2026 Hosted Buyer Programme remains at the core of the show’s success, offering curated appointments and high-value networking. Buyers can expect enhanced flexibility through free-flow meeting options and an even stronger focus on return on investment via AIME’s business-matching technology.
Calder says the show’s growth is a reflection of the industry’s renewed confidence and appetite for connection.
Silke Calder
“What excites me most about AIME 2026 is how the show is evolving,” she said. “We’re growing in scale, yes – but also in depth. As a team, we are always striving for perfection, and we have been working hard to finesse our meeting matching methodology for our buyers and sellers, using the latest advances in AI, blended with our team’s expertise and knowledge.”
AIME’s signature education and thought-leadership platform, Knowledge Monday, returns in 2026 with a clear thematic progression. Following 2025’s introspective ‘We Matter’ focus, the new theme ‘Expertise Matters!’ shifts attention to the credibility and strategic importance of professional mastery in an era increasingly influenced by AI and automation.
Curated in partnership with El Kwang and his team at BEAMexperience, Knowledge Monday will feature leading voices from across the global events industry exploring how expertise drives creativity, impact and trust. The programme is shaped by an eight-member Advisory Committee of senior industry leaders, covering the broad business events ecosystem.
“Expertise is the cornerstone of our industry’s future,” Calder says. “At AIME 2026, we want to celebrate that, to create a platform where insight and experience are recognised as the forces that keep our industry credible, confident and connected.”
Managed by Talk2 Media & Events on behalf of the Melbourne Convention Bureau, AIME continues to define the region’s business events calendar, uniting global buyers, exhibitors and industry leaders in a space where ideas, innovation and impact intersect.
For more information, visit aime.com.au
