The ninth edition of the International MICE & Wedding Forum (IMWF) concluded its programme of conferences, business meetings and evening events with a gala night held on 30 October. Participants, who stayed at BAYOU Anda for three nights, will begin departing on 31 October.
At the forum, agency owners and decision-makers attending as invited hosted buyers from 45 countries met with exhibitors representing hotels, hotel groups, tourism organisations and destinations. In its ninth edition, IMWF set a new record in terms of exhibitor numbers and geographical diversity.
Over 3,500 One-on-One Business Meetings Held
In addition to meetings held during events and free time, more than 3,500 one-on-one business meetings took place solely during the B2B programme on 30 October, as part of pre-scheduled appointments. Products, project requirements and potential cooperation opportunities were discussed for destination weddings, corporate meetings, incentive programmes and full-buyout operations.
Shared accommodation, conferences and evening programmes also enabled continuous interaction beyond the scheduled meetings. The commercial outcomes of these discussions will be assessed through the proposals and follow-up processes carried out by the respective parties after the event.
Insights emerging from the forum's conference and panel programme, held under the theme "From Classics to New Discoveries," will be shared separately through industry publications and IMWF Insider content.
A Closing Celebration of Collective Effort
The gala night celebrated the relationships developed and the collective efforts made throughout the forum. Appreciation was extended to Turkish Airlines, BAYOU Anda, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Akra Didim, Rixos Hotels Egypt, and all exhibitors, invited guests, sponsors, partner suppliers, speakers, as well as the IMWF and Inventum Global teams who brought the event to life.
Discussions Underway in Three Countries for the Tenth Edition
Bünyat Özpak, Founding Partner of Inventum Global, also shared updates on preparations for IMWF's tenth edition in his closing remarks:
"We see the value of IMWF in the new opportunities that the relationships established here create for all parties. Hotels become acquainted with new source markets and elite industry players, while agencies explore new destinations and products they can offer to their clients. Spending three days and three nights together under one roof, sharing the same environment, creates a unique opportunity for these relationships to develop within a single gathering, and does so in the most comfortable way possible.
IMWF instantly brings significant visibility and recognition to the region, country and hotel that hosts it within the enormous global MICE, wedding and events market.
Accordingly, we have received significant interest from various destinations in hosting our tenth edition in 2027. Over the past six months, we have narrowed these proposals down to three and are currently in discussions with the relevant ministries and various properties in three countries. We are approaching the final stages of our evaluation process and will announce our final choice as soon as possible.
Our goal, as we strive to build on our achievements every year, is to deliver the strongest and most spectacular IMWF we have ever organised. We will take all the experience we have accumulated to an even higher level. We are ambitious about this.
IMWF is currently among the best in its field; however, our goal is to make IMWF the world's most powerful platform in its category, and we remain fully committed to achieving that goal."
The International MICE & Wedding Forum was held with Turkish Airlines as its Airline Partner, BAYOU Anda as its Accommodation Sponsor, in collaboration with Inventum Global, and with the support of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Akra Didim.
About IMWF
Founded by Inventum Global, the International MICE & Wedding Forum is one of the world's leading business development platforms in the international MICE and destination wedding sectors. This annual, invitation-only B2B platform brings together industry decision-makers at the same hotel for three days and three nights, combining conferences, shared experiences and pre-scheduled one-on-one business meetings into a single programme.
Turkish Airlines has supported IMWF since its first edition and serves as the Official Airline Partner for the 2026 edition. IMWF Insider is the platform's media brand, focusing on industry news and content publications.
