IMEX America Smart Monday Highlights AI, Gen Z and Cultural Inclusion in Business Events

IMEX America Smart Monday Highlights AI, Gen Z and Cultural Inclusion in Business Events as industry leaders examine how intentional design can improve meetings. From protecting attention and strengthening human connections to recognising cultural differences and engaging younger generations, the education programme offers practical insights for creating more inclusive experiences

Las Vegas, United States, 13 October 2026: Intentional event design emerged as a central theme at Smart Monday, powered by Meeting Professionals International (MPI), as global meetings and events professionals examined how changing audience expectations are reshaping business gatherings.

Held ahead of IMEX America, scheduled for 13–15 October, the dedicated education programme brought together event planners, association representatives, corporate buyers and industry specialists. Discussions focused on protecting attention, strengthening personal connections, embracing cultural differences and creating experiences that appeal to different generations.

With 69 educational sessions and numerous partner activations, Smart Monday provided an opportunity to explore practical approaches to event planning. Speakers emphasised that successful meetings increasingly depend on understanding participants rather than simply introducing new technology or expanding event programmes.

The discussions also highlighted the growing importance of accessibility, representation and meaningful engagement in the international meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry.

Protecting Attention Becomes a Priority for Event Planners

As digital communication, artificial intelligence and constant information flows compete for people’s attention, meeting organisers face a significant challenge. They must create environments where participants can concentrate, engage with ideas and build professional relationships.

Caitlin Krause, founder of MindWise, addressed this issue during her MPI keynote, Empowered Connection in a Digitally Layered Landscape.

Krause explained that attention has become one of the most valuable resources in modern society. She encouraged experience designers to consider how every element of a meeting influences the way participants focus and interact.

Her presentation introduced the concept of attention architecture, which examines how the structure and environment of an event guide audience engagement.

Rather than treating technology as the central feature of an experience, Krause encouraged planners to establish clear objectives for its use.

Her message was particularly relevant as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prominent across event management, including registration, programme development, personalisation and attendee communications.

While these technologies can improve efficiency, the keynote highlighted the importance of ensuring that technological improvements contribute to meaningful human experiences.

For meeting planners, this approach could involve introducing purposeful breaks, reducing unnecessary distractions and allowing participants more opportunities for focused discussions.

Disney Demonstrates the Value of Creative Event Design

The importance of thoughtful planning was reinforced during Magic in the Details: How Disney Designs Meetings That Matter.

Robby Briley, Senior Event Consultant at Disney Meetings & Events, explained how creative thinking can turn practical limitations into opportunities.

Drawing on a recent client event, Briley described how challenges and restrictions helped shape the final experience.

Rather than treating obstacles solely as operational problems, his team used them to develop different ways for participants to engage with the programme.

The session demonstrated that successful event design does not necessarily depend on unlimited budgets, elaborate production or increasingly complex technology.

Instead, it requires a clear understanding of the audience and careful consideration of how individual creative decisions contribute to the overall experience.

This principle has particular relevance for corporate meetings and incentive programmes, where organisers must balance financial constraints, business objectives and participant expectations.

By approaching limitations creatively, planners can develop distinctive experiences without losing sight of accessibility or inclusivity.

Rwanda Highlights the Importance of Local Culture and Representation

Cultural awareness was another major focus during A Global Perspective on Inclusion, which explored how demographic differences, traditions and social expectations influence participation in international events.

Maëva Haguma, Deputy CEO of Rwanda Convention Bureau, emphasised the importance of designing programmes that reflect the communities in which events take place.

She highlighted the role of women in Rwanda’s business environment and noted that approximately 70 per cent of the country’s population is under 30.

These characteristics, she explained, should influence decisions about speakers, programme content and audience engagement.

Her comments raised an important consideration for international conference organisers: a successful event format in one destination may not automatically meet expectations in another.

For destinations developing their business events sectors, cultural representation can also strengthen connections between international delegates and local industries.

Including speakers from different backgrounds and recognising the priorities of younger participants can help organisers create programmes that better reflect their host destinations.

The discussion positioned inclusion as a practical planning consideration rather than an additional feature introduced after the programme has been developed.

Singapore Shows How Food Can Support Business Connections

Carrie Kwik, Executive Director, Conventions, Meetings and Incentive Travel at Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, offered another perspective on culturally responsive event design.

Kwik explained that food plays an important role in social interaction and business relationships across many Asian cultures.

She suggested that conference organisers could consider extending lunch breaks to 90 minutes, giving participants more time to establish professional connections.

The recommendation illustrated how seemingly minor scheduling decisions can influence the overall quality of an event.

In many international conferences, networking opportunities are concentrated around formal receptions or tightly scheduled breaks. However, longer informal interactions may create additional opportunities for collaboration.

Kwik also described an initiative developed for the Cocoa Association Asia conference.

An International Farmers Network Forum was introduced to involve small-scale farmers in discussions connected to the wider industry programme.

Insights from the forum subsequently helped shape the main conference agenda, ensuring that perspectives from those directly involved in cocoa production received greater attention.

The example demonstrated how organisers can strengthen inclusion by allowing underrepresented participants to contribute to programme development.

For international association conferences, this approach offers a way to connect senior decision-makers with the communities affected by their discussions.

Gen Z Engagement Emerges as a Growing Industry Challenge

Generational change featured prominently in conversations among hosted buyers attending Smart Monday.

As younger professionals enter industries and professional associations, event organisers are examining how traditional conference formats can remain relevant.

Claudinne Cerveira, representing the Gases and Welding Distributors Association, explained that Generation Z is becoming an increasingly important part of the organisation’s membership.

She highlighted the need to bridge the gap between established members and younger professionals entering the industry.

Her observations reflected a broader challenge for associations seeking to maintain engagement across different career stages.

Younger participants may approach networking, professional development and digital interaction differently from previous generations.

However, effective event design must also recognise that preferences vary within every age group.

Ruth Kissling-Gretener, a buyer from Switzerland, similarly expressed an interest in understanding what younger audiences expect from events.

She attended the show seeking ideas for attracting Generation Z participants and encouraging their continued involvement.

These conversations highlighted the importance of designing programmes that support different learning styles, communication preferences and professional objectives.

Smart Monday Offers 69 Sessions and Specialist Buyer Programmes

This year’s Smart Monday programme featured 69 educational sessions alongside partner activations and dedicated events for specialist buyer communities.

These included Association Focus, Executive Meeting Forum and Corporate Focus.

The programmes provided opportunities for professionals working in different segments of the business events industry to examine challenges relevant to their organisations.

Association representatives could explore member engagement and conference development, while corporate planners could consider approaches to improving meetings and incentive experiences.

Executive-level discussions also created opportunities to examine broader industry priorities.

Together, these activities reinforced Smart Monday’s role as an educational platform supporting professional development before the main IMEX America exhibition.

The range of sessions reflected the increasingly diverse responsibilities of modern event planners, who must combine logistical expertise with creativity, technology awareness and audience understanding.

What Intentional Design Means for the Global MICE Industry

The discussions at Smart Monday pointed towards a wider evolution in the meetings and events sector.

Organisers are being encouraged to assess success through the quality of participation and the relevance of experiences, rather than relying exclusively on attendance figures or programme size.

Attention management, cultural understanding and generational engagement are becoming important considerations in the planning process.

For convention bureaux, venues, hotels and destination management companies, these priorities may influence how meeting spaces, hospitality services and delegate experiences are developed.

For corporate and association organisers, they offer practical ways to improve communication, encourage participation and strengthen professional relationships.

The central message from Smart Monday was that effective event design begins with understanding people.

As IMEX America brings the international business events community together, these principles provide a framework for creating meetings that are more inclusive, purposeful and responsive to changing expectations.

IMEX America Smart Monday demonstrated how purposeful planning can strengthen the future of business events. By addressing digital distractions, cultural diversity and generational expectations, industry experts highlighted practical opportunities for more meaningful meetings. The discussions reinforced the importance of human connection, creative thinking and inclusive participation across the global MICE sector.