9 Upcoming Event Industry Events You Shouldn't Miss in 2026
From Dubai to Las Vegas to London, the second half of 2026 is packed with must-attend events for MICE, event tech, and B2B event marketing professionals. Here are 9 worth putting on your calendar.
The second half of 2026 is packed. Whether you're in MICE, event tech, corporate event marketing, or B2B events, there's a gathering somewhere in the world where the conversations you need to be having are already happening.
Here's a rundown of the events worth putting on your calendar, and what makes each one worth showing up for.
CEMA Summit 2026
9–11 August | Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, Toronto
Every summer, corporate event marketers stop running events for three days and compare notes. That's CEMA Summit — three days of practitioner-led sessions where every story shared is a real programme, including what failed and what people would do differently.
This year's theme is "Where the World Comes Together," and the main stage already features speakers like Omar Johnson, former CMO of Beats by Dre, on how brands can use AI without losing authenticity. If you work in corporate event marketing, this is your community.
Middle East Event Show 2026
18–19 August | Sheikh Maktoum Hall, DWTC, Dubai
The Middle East events industry's annual gathering. Two days, one floor, 6,000+ professionals from across MICE, live events, and entertainment. If you're active in the region, this is the room where relationships get built and supplier decisions get made.
This year's edition covers AI in event tech, ESG, and creative strategy across 35+ free sessions. The awards on the third evening are a good reason to stay around.
Come find us at Booth E50.
More at informaconnect.com/middle-east-event-show
Qatar Event Show 2026
1–3 September | Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, Doha
Qatar's events and MICE industry is growing fast, and the Qatar Event Show is where the regional community meets. Three days covering event technology, production, and design — with exhibitions, conferences, workshops, and networking running across the full programme.
If you're building a presence in Qatar or exploring the wider GCC market, this is a practical first stop.
Saudi Event Show 2026
9–10 September | The Arena, Riyadh
Now in its sixth edition, the Saudi Event Show is the Kingdom's leading gathering for events, entertainment, and MICE professionals. 5,500+ attendees across two days — organisers, government stakeholders, agencies, suppliers, and technology providers all in one place.
Saudi Arabia's experience economy is moving quickly. The conversations happening at this show are shaping where the market goes next.
Come find us at Booth C70.
More at informaconnect.com/saudi-event-show
UNBOUND 2026 (formerly INBOUND by HubSpot)
16–18 September | Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston
HubSpot's flagship annual conference has a new name. After fifteen years as INBOUND, it's now UNBOUND — same community, broader scope. Three days built around marketing, sales, and go-to-market strategy, with AI running through almost everything on the agenda.
If your work sits at the intersection of marketing technology and event marketing, the sessions here tend to be genuinely useful — less theory, more practitioner-led content from teams doing the work at scale.
IMEX America 2026
13–15 October | Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas
The largest meetings and events trade show in North America, and one of the most structured buying environments in the industry. Most of the meaningful activity at IMEX happens through pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments between buyers and suppliers — so it rewards preparation more than most shows.
Over 3,100 suppliers and 4,200+ qualified buyers across three days, with 63,000+ pre-booked meetings. If you're trying to get in front of meeting planners and event decision-makers with real budgets, this is the most concentrated opportunity of the year.
Web Summit 2026
9–12 November | Altice Arena, Lisbon
Web Summit is one of the largest technology conferences in the world, and Lisbon has been its home since 2016. Four days, tens of thousands of attendees, and a speaker lineup that consistently pulls in heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs, and the founders shaping what comes next in tech.
For event professionals, Web Summit sits in a slightly different category from a pure industry show. It's less about buying and selling event services and more about understanding where technology and business are heading — which, given how fast AI is reshaping the events space, makes it genuinely worth attending. Past speakers have included Sam Altman, Serena Williams, Geoffrey Hinton, and António Guterres.
If you're thinking about where event technology fits into the broader tech landscape over the next three to five years, the conversations here are hard to replicate anywhere else.
IBTM World 2026
17–19 November | Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona
IBTM World is the global marketplace for the meetings and events industry. Three days in Barcelona where 2,500+ destinations, hotels, venues, event tech providers, and suppliers from 150+ countries come together in one place.
What makes IBTM different from most events industry shows is the hosted buyer programme. Qualified buyers get pre-scheduled, pre-matched meetings with relevant suppliers across the three days, which makes it one of the most efficient environments in the industry for getting in front of the right people. If you're evaluating suppliers or looking to get your product in front of senior event buyers, the structure here does the work for you.
The conference programme runs alongside the show floor, covering the future of business events, sustainability, and how technology is changing the way meetings are designed and delivered.
Event Tech Live 2026
11–12 November | ExCeL London
The only trade show dedicated entirely to event technology. Two days, four stages, free to attend — and an audience where 86% of visitors hold purchasing authority. That combination doesn't happen often.
Now in its 13th year, ETL brings together event organisers, marketers, agencies, and tech providers from across the globe. The sessions are editorially curated, not paid placements, which keeps the content quality high.
Come find us at Booth B4. We'll be showing how AI-powered personalised carousels help event teams turn speakers, exhibitors, and attendees into organic marketing channels on LinkedIn — automatically, at scale.
See what Premagic can do for your event
If you're planning for any of these events and thinking about how to get more reach before doors open, we'd love to show you how teams are using Premagic to turn every speaker, exhibitor, and attendee into a marketing channel.
It takes about 20 minutes and you'll leave with a clear picture of what's possible for your next event.
Premagic is an AI-powered event engagement platform helping event teams activate attendees, speakers, and exhibitors as marketing channels. We'll be at MEES (Booth E50), Saudi Event Show (Booth C70), and Event Tech Live (Booth B4) this year. Come say hello.
