Dominican Republic Follows Now with Jamaica, Puerto Rico and More Caribbean Markets to Showcase Tourism Products at IMEX America 2026

Dominican Republic will join Jamaica, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean markets at IMEX America 2026 in Las Vegas, showcasing tourism products and business-events capabilities to international buyers. The participation highlights the region’s growing focus on meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, while strengthening connections with planners seeking distinctive Caribbean destinations.

IMEX America 2026 is set to turn Las Vegas into a major international marketplace for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions sector, bringing together thousands of buyers, destinations, hospitality companies and event specialists from across the world.

The three-day trade show will take place at Mandalay Bay from 13 to 15 October 2026, following Smart Monday, powered by MPI, on 12 October. The event is designed primarily for professional buyers and suppliers rather than leisure travellers, making it one of the most important gatherings on the global business-events calendar.

What makes IMEX America 2026 significant?

IMEX America has established itself as a major meeting point for the international MICE industry, connecting destinations and suppliers with organisations that plan and purchase business events.

For 2026, the event is expected to feature more than 3,700 exhibitors from over 80 countries, alongside more than 6,100 buyers and global decision-makers. This international scale gives destinations an opportunity to promote convention facilities, hotels, incentive experiences, transport infrastructure and event services directly to influential purchasers.

The event also reflects the growing economic importance of business tourism. Corporate meetings, incentive programmes, conferences and association events generate spending across accommodation, aviation, restaurants, attractions, transport and professional services.

Which companies are participating?

The exhibitor base covers virtually every major segment of the business-events supply chain.

International hotel groups and hospitality brands represented through the 2026 marketplace include Marriott International, Hilton, Fairmont, Radisson Hotel Group, Belmond, Mandarin Oriental, Wyndham, The Langham, JW Marriott, Renaissance Hotels and Hotel Indigo, among others.

The participation extends beyond traditional accommodation providers. Disney Meetings & Events, Maritz, PONANT, PRA Global Sales, Maverick Helicopters and Cipriani Events New York are among the organisations represented in the event marketplace.

Countries and Markets confirmed or represented through 2026 exhibitors include:

North America

• United States
• Canada
• Mexico

Caribbean

• Barbados
• Dominican Republic
• Jamaica
• Puerto Rico
• St Martin and other Caribbean markets represented through destination and hospitality suppliers

Europe

• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Switzerland
• Italy
• Germany
• Austria
• Netherlands
• Czech Republic
• Hungary
• Spain
• Portugal
• France and other European markets

Asia-Pacific

• Japan
• South Korea
• China-related markets
• India
• New Zealand
• Australia
• Thailand and other Asian destinations

Middle East

• United Arab Emirates
• Qatar
• Türkiye and other Middle Eastern markets

Africa

• Egypt
• Morocco
• South Africa and other African destinations and suppliers

Destination management companies and specialist travel businesses also form an important part of the exhibition. Companies and organisations listed in the marketplace include Truly India Tours, Horizons DMC Ireland, Liberty Morocco, NEXIT DMC, Attend New Zealand, Del Cabo Events and IMS – Vienna, Budapest, Prague.

This diversity illustrates how the MICE economy increasingly depends on partnerships between hotels, destinations, transport providers, attractions, DMCs, event agencies and experience companies.

Which countries and destinations are attending?

IMEX confirms that exhibitors at the 2026 edition represent more than 80 countries, underlining the international nature of the event.

North American participation remains particularly important because the show is hosted in the United States and has a strong North American buyer base. The United States, Canada and Mexico are therefore major markets within the wider exhibitor and buyer ecosystem.

Europe is also strongly represented, with destinations and suppliers from markets including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central Europe.

The international presence extends to Asia-Pacific, where destinations and companies from markets including India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia are targeting global meetings and incentive business.

The Middle East, Africa and Caribbean are also represented through destination organisations, tourism companies and specialist suppliers.

IMEX has specifically highlighted growing or returning participation from destinations including Montreal, Texas, Los Cabos, Egypt and Barbados, alongside returning markets such as the Dominican Republic, South Korea, Jamaica, Japan, Switzerland and Thailand.

How important is the buyer community?

The buyer community is central to IMEX America’s business model.

The event attracts corporate meeting planners, incentive specialists, association executives, event agencies and other professionals responsible for selecting destinations and suppliers for major programmes.

The scale of the purchasing audience gives exhibitors an opportunity to move beyond general destination promotion and establish commercial relationships with organisations that have identifiable event requirements and budgets.

The previous edition provides an indication of the buying power involved. IMEX America 2025 attracted 6,145 buyers from 74 countries, including hosted buyers and buyer attendees.

The United States accounted for the largest share, followed by Canada, Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom. This reinforces the importance of IMEX America for destinations seeking access to the North American meetings and incentive travel market.

Why is India participating in IMEX America?

India is also seeking to strengthen its position in the international MICE market.

Falcon – India MICE Partners is participating at IMEX America 2026, while Truly India Tours is also listed within the official exhibitor marketplace.

India’s participation comes as the country seeks to expand international meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions business. Major Indian cities have increasingly developed specialised convention infrastructure, premium hotels and destination experiences capable of supporting large corporate and incentive programmes.

Participation in an event such as IMEX America gives Indian suppliers the opportunity to connect with international planners and promote the country’s combination of business infrastructure, cultural attractions, hospitality and increasingly sophisticated event capabilities.

Why are destinations investing in MICE tourism?

The growing presence of destinations at IMEX America highlights the strategic value of MICE tourism.

Business-events visitors can generate significant economic activity because their travel often involves accommodation, organised transport, restaurants, venues, entertainment and other professional services.

MICE travellers can also help destinations reduce reliance on traditional leisure tourism. Conferences and corporate events are frequently scheduled during periods when leisure demand may be weaker, creating opportunities to improve hotel occupancy and venue utilisation.

For destinations competing internationally, winning a major conference or incentive programme can also generate repeat business and encourage delegates to return for leisure travel.

Why does Las Vegas remain a major MICE destination?

Las Vegas provides an important setting for IMEX America because the city itself is one of the world’s best-known meetings and conventions destinations.

Its extensive hotel inventory, large-scale convention facilities, entertainment infrastructure, international air connectivity and established event-services ecosystem make it particularly suited to hosting a global business-events exhibition.

Mandalay Bay’s convention facilities provide the central venue for the 2026 event, while the wider Las Vegas destination offers exhibitors and buyers an opportunity to experience a mature MICE market first-hand.

The city’s role demonstrates how business-events infrastructure can become an integral part of a destination’s tourism economy rather than functioning separately from leisure travel.

What does IMEX America mean for the global travel industry?

The scale of IMEX America 2026 demonstrates the continuing importance of face-to-face business within the global travel industry.

Although digital platforms have transformed how companies communicate, major corporate events, incentive programmes and international conferences continue to depend on physical destinations and professional suppliers.

The event also provides an indication of where destinations are directing their tourism strategies. From established European and North American markets to emerging MICE destinations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, countries are competing for high-value business-events visitors.

The participation of thousands of exhibitors also means that IMEX America acts as a barometer for the wider meetings industry, revealing changing destination priorities, hospitality investment and demand for new event experiences.

A major global marketplace for MICE tourism

IMEX America 2026 will bring together an exceptionally broad collection of travel and tourism businesses, with more than 3,700 exhibitors representing over 80 countries and thousands of professional buyers expected in Las Vegas.

Its importance extends beyond the exhibition floor. The event creates commercial connections between destinations, hotels, DMCs, event agencies, attractions and corporate planners while giving destinations an opportunity to compete for future conferences, incentive programmes and international meetings.

For the global travel industry, the Las Vegas gathering therefore represents both a marketplace and a strategic platform for shaping the next generation of business-events tourism.

The Dominican Republic’s presence alongside Jamaica, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean destinations underlines the region’s ambition to capture more international MICE business. At IMEX America 2026, Caribbean tourism suppliers can promote venues, hospitality, experiences and destination services while building commercial relationships with global planners and influential travel-industry decision-makers.

IMEX America 2026 will place Las Vegas at the centre of the global MICE industry, connecting more than 3,700 exhibitors with thousands of influential buyers. Participation from over 80 countries highlights intense international competition for business-events tourism, while major hotel groups, destinations and travel companies seek new partnerships and opportunities.