AIME 2026 opens in Melbourne with record buyer and exhibitor growth

• February 10, 2026
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AIME has opened its 2026 edition in Melbourne today, reporting record growth in both buyers and exhibitors and signalling continued momentum for the Asia Pacific business events sector.

Delivered by Talk2 Media & Events, AIME 2026 is the largest show staged under Event Director Silke Calder and her team, reinforcing the event’s positioning as a leading business events trade platform across the region.

The opening was marked by an official media conference held within the striking Formula 1 exhibition at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, underscoring the venue’s ability to host large-scale, high-impact experiences alongside major trade events.

The media conference featured Matt Pearce, CEO of Talk2 Media & Events; Julia Swanson, CEO of Melbourne Convention Bureau; and Robin Mack, Managing Director of Tourism Australia.

Pearce said the event’s expansion reflects industry confidence and an emphasis on outcomes. “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 was also a central theme, with Pearce outlining progress under the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative. “AIME signed up to the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative several years ago, with a milestone target of reducing the emissions we can directly control by 50 percent by 2030. I’m pleased to share that we are well on the way to achieving that target,” he said.

He added that venue-related emissions — described as a significant portion of what organisers can directly influence — have fallen sharply, “largely due to the strong sustainability credentials of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre”.

Pearce said AIME’s next phase would move beyond measurement into collective action, working with partners towards a 50 percent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

Across the three-day programme, AIME 2026 is set to welcome more than 1,500 vetted buyers, host over 5,000 attendees, and showcase more than 750 exhibitors representing the global business events ecosystem.

International reach is again a feature, with exhibitors from 36 countries and territories, including first-time participation from South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Uganda, alongside strong representation from Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.