IMEX America: How to Survive, Thrive and Revive

Author

Lauren Petrosky

Field Marketing Manager

IMEX moves fast. With more than 14,000 attendees, 6,100+ buyers, 3,700+ exhibitors and 300+ education sessions, IMEX America 2026 offers seemingly endless opportunities to learn, connect and do business. Between juggling appointments, networking events, educational programming and everything else Las Vegas has to offer, the week can feel overwhelming.

But you can not only survive IMEX, but thrive, revive and enjoy the city along the way. We tapped our Las Vegas experts, Candie Beane, Amber Belt, Ed Gillis and Kristin Green, for their local knowledge, favorite finds and insider tips to share how.

Whether you are coming for the education, networking, partnerships or a little Vegas adventure, a thoughtful plan and expert advice can help you make the most of every meeting, mile and moment.

Here's how to survive, thrive and revive during IMEX 2026.

Survive: Start Planning Before the Show Starts

IMEX rewards preparation. Before you arrive, identify your priorities, review the agenda and block time for the education, appointments and events that matter most to you. Just as important, leave room for transportation, meals and the time to reset.

Smart Monday

Held the day before the trade show floor opens, Smart Monday is the unofficial kickoff to IMEX. It’s a strategic way to ease into the week, invest in professional development and start networking before the trade show floor opens. “It’s the warm-up lap before IMEX,” says Ed Gillis.

Programming includes education sessions, keynote presentations, roundtables, activations and MPI Academy certificate courses. Some specialty programs require separate registration, so review the options before you arrive.

That advice applies to the entire week. Schedule the educational sessions you want to attend, map out your business appointments and make plans for dinners and events before your flight lands.

Leave Extra Time for Transportation

Las Vegas distances can be deceptive. A hotel that looks like it is “right there” may require a lengthy walk through resorts, convention spaces and pedestrian routes. “People think they can walk because their hotel is ‘right there.’ Then it becomes a 40-minute to an hour-long walk,” says Amber Belt.

Whether you are taking a rideshare, taxi, or driving yourself, build additional travel time into your schedule, especially in the morning and at the end of the day. As Amber puts it, “traffic is real.”

Hosted buyers can take advantage of the dedicated shuttle service. If you are not participating in the hosted buyer program, make your transportation plan before the week begins.

Make Your Dining Reservations Now

The most popular restaurants fill quickly during IMEX week. If there is a must-visit dinner spot on your list, reserve it before you arrive.

How far in advance should you make dining reservations? “Yesterday. Now,” says Candie Beane. “Now is too late,” adds Ed Gillis, “If you don’t have a reservation, you’re going to the food court.”

Caffeinate Before Mandalay Bay

Avoid starting your morning in a convention center coffee line. “Get your coffee at your hotel. Don’t wait until Mandalay Bay,” advises Candie Beane.

Your hotel café is likely the most practical choice. Hazel Coffee at Mandalay Bay offers an on-property alternative, while Leone Café provides a slower-paced local option away from the Strip.

Choose Comfort

Fashion takes a back seat to function during IMEX. The show floor is concrete; the Strip is farther than it looks and your feet will feel it. “Comfortable shoes will see you through the marathon,” says Candie Beane.

Ditch the heels and dress shoes. Comfort wins every mile, every time.

Thrive: Make the Most of IMEX

Preparation gets you through the week. Being intentional helps you get real value from it.

Make Meetings Meaningful

Resist the urge to fill every opening in your calendar. A handful of longer, more focused conversations may create more value than a schedule packed with back-to-back appointments. Otherwise, as Kristin says, "The week is over and you're sitting there like, 'What did I do of any value except that I'm really tired’.”

Kristin shared her strategy for the week: focus on fewer, more meaningful meetings, have organic conversations, attend one major event and get enough sleep. The goal is to leave IMEX with real value, not simply an exhausted calendar.

Step Off the Show Floor

Business may begin on the show floor, but it does not end there. “Don’t just think life ends at the trade show. That’s just the start,” says Ed Gillis.

Evening receptions, hosted events and industry gatherings offer opportunities to continue conversations without the time limits of show-floor appointments. SITE Nite brings the industry together for one of the week’s biggest celebrations. “It’s the big kickoff party,” says Ed Gillis.

MPI Rendezvous is another highly anticipated event. If it is on your list, get your ticket early, because “once the tickets are gone, they’re gone,” Candie says.

Network at a Running Pace

For a different kind of connection, trade your business cards for running shoes. IMEXrun brings attendees together for fresh air, casual conversation and movement before the day’s appointments begin. Think of it as networking at a different pace. Let movement kick in the endorphins before the appointments begin.

Revive: Escape the Chaos

That is exactly why making time to recharge is just as important as filling your calendar.

Between the lights, noise, crowds, appointments, late nights and constant conversation, it is easy to overlook your most basic needs. Even a short break can help you return to the show refreshed and ready to engage. “If you can detach for a moment, go breathe,” Kristin advises.

Protect Your Downtime

Do not assume an open hour will naturally appear in your schedule. Before you arrive, block time to step away from appointments, receptions and notifications. Whether it's a spa treatment, a quiet meal or simply an hour away from appointments, the goal is to create enough breathing room to show up fully for the conversations that matter.

Hydrate, Rest, Repeat

Las Vegas is still the desert, even when most of your day is spent inside a convention center. “The air here will suck water right out of you,” warns Amber Belt.

Long days, late nights and a packed social calendar can catch up with even seasoned attendees. Drink more water than you think you need, get enough sleep and pace yourself. Hydration is not optional. Drink up H2O and keep it coming all week.

Trade Neon for Nature

Las Vegas is geographically striking, but many visitors never make it beyond the Strip.

Red Rock Canyon replaces neon lights with red sandstone cliffs and desert air. Valley of Fire delivers dramatic Nevada scenery, while Mount Charleston and Lee Canyon offer cooler temperatures, trees and a completely different environment outside the city. “You’re 30 minutes from the Strip and you’re in the woods. It is gorgeous,” says Kristin.

A full outdoor excursion may be best for attendees staying an extra day, but even a brief change of scenery can help you reset.

Explore a More Local Las Vegas

If time allows jump away from the resort corridor to experience where locals go.

Downtown Summerlin offers shopping and dining away from the casino crowds. The Arts District combines independent boutiques, creative cocktails and neighborhood energy. Tivoli Village offers European-inspired surroundings, restaurants, coffee and a slower pace.

Experience Something Only in Vegas

Reviving does not always mean slowing down. Sometimes it means doing something memorable enough to pull you out of work mode completely.

The Mob Museum and Neon Museum offer a look at the people, signs and stories that shaped the city. “The Mob Museum and Neon Museum are two things you can only do in Vegas,” says Ed.

For a classic night out, Golden Steer channels the era when legends such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin once dined. Fremont Street delivers vintage Vegas, while the Sphere offers an experience designed for the city’s modern era.

The goal is not to check every attraction off a list. Pick one experience that could only happen here and enjoy it.

Ready for IMEX?

Whether you are coming for the education, networking, partnerships or a little Vegas adventure, a thoughtful plan can help you make the most of every meeting, mile and moment.

Start early. Plan your agenda. Drink water. Be authentic. Reset when you need to. Drink water. Wear comfy shoes. Drink water. And remember that the best IMEX experience does not necessarily come from doing everything. It comes from being intentional about what you choose to do.

See you at IMEX.