Poland at IMEX Frankfurt 2026

This year’s edition of IMEX Frankfurt once again confirmed Poland’s strong position on the international meetings and business events market. The Polish Tourism Organisation, through the Poland Convention Bureau POT, together with partners from across the country, promoted Poland as a modern, safe, and sustainable MICE destination, offering high-quality services and authentic experiences for participants of congresses, conferences, and incentive travel.

Poland’s presence stood out thanks to a cohesive concept based on quality, creativity, and emotions. The organizers consistently focused on elements that build an authentic image of the country—high standards, unique experiences, culture, and an increasingly emphasized offer of sustainable cities and regions. The slogan “Poland. More than you expected” was reflected both in the event program and in the atmosphere of the Polish stand A455 at Messe Frankfurt.

A special feature of this year’s presence was the daily “Musical Mornings” featuring Basia Giewont and her band. A new addition was choreographer and dancer Adam Soroczyński, who interpreted stories sung in Polish through movement. The combination of music and dance became one of the most recognizable elements of the Polish presence at the fair, attracting attention and creating an emotional message that transcended language barriers.

The café area also played an important role as a space for meetings, networking, and promoting key industry initiatives. On Tuesday and Wednesday, two events titled “Better Together – More Than You Expected” were held, organized jointly by PCB, Szczecin Convention Bureau, Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement), and MEET4IMPACT. This was another element of promoting the GDS-Forum & Impact Day, which will take place in Szczecin on June 16–18.

Equally important was the meeting at the Polish stand of the community led by Irina Graf and Sina Bünte. The Eventprofs Meetup demonstrated how important interpersonal relationships and small-scale events held outside the official IMEX program are.

IMEX Frankfurt 2026 was above all an intensive period of business meetings and relationship-building at the Polish national stand. The team of the Polish Tourism Organisation (Aneta Książek, Jarosław Marciuk, Magda Mazgaj, and for the first time Przemysław Marczewski), along with Polish exhibitors, held dozens of discussions with hosted buyers and industry representatives from around the world.

These conversations were no longer about general presentations of Poland, but about specific projects, requests for proposals, recommendations of proven partners, possibilities of organizing site inspections, participation in press tours and study visits, support programs, and the Polish Congress Ambassadors Program.
“Looking at it from this perspective—intense days, authentic meetings, and very positive energy around the Polish stand—I am convinced that our presentation this year fully reflected the idea that guided us: Poland. More than you expected,” summarized Aneta Książek, Head of the Meetings and Events Office – Poland Convention Bureau at the Polish Tourism Organisation.

The strong interest in Poland’s offer, the activity of partners, and Poland’s 18th place in the ICCA Country and City Rankings 2025 (results announced during the ICCA press conference) confirm the growing recognition of the country as an attractive destination for international corporate and association events.

The Polish National Stand at IMEX Frankfurt 2026 received the “Better Stand Silver” award by NZCE. Better Stands by NZCE is an initiative supporting sustainability in the event industry by replacing single-use exhibition stands with reusable constructions. The program, developed by Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) and implemented by the International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES), aims to reduce waste and CO₂ emissions. Better Stands introduced an evaluation system based on 10 sustainability criteria and certification levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—promoting best practices.

General summary of the Frankfurt trade fair

IMEX, held from May 19–21 at Messe Frankfurt, hosted over 13,000 participants, including more than 4,500 buyers, most of whom participated in the hosted buyers program. Nearly 3,000 exhibitors took part in the event. Over the three days, a record 73,000 pre-scheduled meetings were held, including 63,500 one-to-one meetings—an indicator of strong business activity.

At the closing press conference, Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group, said:
“Beyond the numbers, the human element and the energy of this community remain at the heart of IMEX. While artificial intelligence was a hot topic, the counterpoint is that meetings are experiencing a renaissance. More than ever, their value lies in conversations with people who inspire one another, leading to many positive outcomes—especially in business, friendships, employment, and innovation in the industry.”

In 2027, IMEX Frankfurt is scheduled for the second week of May, taking place from May 11–13.