To stay on top of our game, it’s essential that we are in the know about the latest destinations, venues and suppliers.
IMEX is one of the biggest annual industry events, providing the opportunity to make hundreds of new connections in just one day. In the space of a few hours, we can gain knowledge about; utilising artificial intelligence at events, incentives in locations such as Jamaica or Japan and wellness - inspired team building activities. IMEX America takes place in Las Vegas - the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World!’
We attended IMEX America in October, held at Mandalay Bay (the fifth largest convention centre in the US). You can get a direct flight from London to Las Vegas in just under 10 hours, making it a destination worth considering for global conferences or incentive trips. Las Vegas might be known for its casinos and clubs, but there are many sides to this unique place. Our group stayed at ARIA Resort & Casino, a 5* hotel which features conference facilities, an 150,000 square-foot casino, numerous restaurants, 3 outdoor pools and on-site spa.
For this particular trip there wasn’t much time for relaxing though, as we took part in an intense few days of networking. However, it wasn’t all work and no play as we enjoyed evening events at Hard Rock Café and The Cosmopolitan Hotel. The event at The Cosmopolitan was held in one of their penthouses offering impressive views over the city. From the floor-to-ceiling windows we could see the set up ahead of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix and the newly launched Sphere which hosts immersive shows and concerts. The Sphere stands out amongst the skyline due to the projection technology which makes The Sphere look like a planet one minute and an emoji smiley face the next!
It wouldn’t be right to not attend a concert whilst in Las Vegas and luckily for us, Usher was performing at Dolby Live at Park MGM on one of the evenings we were there. As expected the production was certainly something, with plenty of theatrics. If taking our own groups out to Las Vegas for an event, we would always ensure we included a concert or show as part of the itinerary as the city attracts the biggest music acts and international artists. We regularly create hospitality packages for our clients and can secure VIP tickets for them, allowing us to offer something your attendees couldn’t experience if travelling independently.
There is a big wellness culture in Vegas, so if you prefer spas over parties you’ll still have plenty of choice. It is also a great destination for those that enjoy being active – whether the group want to join a morning run through the strip whilst it’s still quiet or travel to the outskirts for one of the stunning hikes in the mountains. There’s many routes that can be reached within a hour’s drive from the centre or if the group have more time available, then the famous Grand Canyon can be reached in approximately 4 hours.
As expected it took quite a few days before feeling fully recovered from this trip following the jet lag – but if you haven’t been before it’s a must for your bucket-list!
