Delivered by Talk2 Media & Events, The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) 2026 is the largest show produced under Event Director Silke Calder and her team.
The official opening press conference brought together senior industry figures, including Matt Pearce, Chief Executive Officer of Talk2 Media & Events; Julia Swanson, Chief Executive Officer of Melbourne Convention Bureau; and Robin Mack, Managing Director of Tourism Australia. Speakers highlighted the strength of demand for face‑to‑face business engagement and the role AIME continues to play in supporting high‑value commercial outcomes.
Pearce said the growth of AIME was a clear indicator of industry confidence.
“AIME 2026 is the biggest show our team has delivered to date, and the continued growth in buyers, exhibitors and international participation reflects the confidence our industry places in the event,” he said.
Sustainability remains a central theme for the show, with Pearce providing an update on AIME’s progress under the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative. AIME has committed to reducing the emissions it can directly control by 50 per cent by 2030, with a longer‑term goal of achieving net zero by 2050.
“Our venue emissions, which represent a significant component of what we can directly influence, have been reduced dramatically,” Pearce said, pointing to the strong sustainability credentials of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Exhibitors include convention bureaux, convention centres, hotels and resorts, unique venues, event technology providers, production and audiovisual companies, destination management companies, airlines and cruise operators.