AIME Hosted Buyer Program - Connect, Discover & Learn

AIME 2026 Hosted Buyer Program

Looking to expand your network, discover new destinations, venues, and activations, and connect with event suppliers – all in one place? AIME 2026 is where it happens.

Join us from 9–11 February 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre for an unmissable three-day experience. From pre-scheduled meetings and vibrant trade show activations to inspiring talks from global industry leaders, AIME brings the business events community together to spark fresh ideas, foster meaningful connections, and drive real commercial outcomes.

Whether you’re seeking the latest industry insights or ready to unlock new partnerships, AIME is the place to be.

Domestic applications close Friday 5 December at 5pm AEDT. International applications are now closed.

APPLY HERE TO BE A HOSTED BUYER

Apply by 28 November, be accepted, and attend AIME 2026 to go into the draw

AIME Welcome Event
Monday 9 February 2026

A cornerstone of the AIME experience, the Welcome Event sets the tone for a week of meaningful connection, knowledge exchange, and business opportunity.

Held in the heart of Melbourne, this vibrant evening brings together over 2,000 hosted buyers, exhibitors, VIPs, and media for a night of premium hospitality, live entertainment, and powerful networking.

More than a celebration, the Welcome Event is a strategic opportunity to forge new relationships and spark commercial conversations before the trade show opens.

AIME Welcome Event

Tuesday 10 February 2026 | 8.30am - 6.00pm
Wednesday 11 February 2026 | 8.30am - 5.00pm

The AIME Trade Show is held on days two and three of AIME and is where the pre-scheduled appointments (PSAs) between hosted buyers and exhibitors take place.

As a hosted buyer you will get access to the Hosted Buyer Lounge, which offers refreshments, relaxation areas and the opportunity to meet with your peers.

We differentiate ourselves from other events by filling your diary with two days of high-quality, pre‑scheduled meetings. At other events, you are left to search for the right suppliers yourself. At AIME, we take that worry away.

You will get access to our state-of-the-art meetings technology, which will give you the opportunity to connect with other buyers and exhibitors of interest to you. Plus, you’ll have the flexibility to arrange additional ‘freeflow’ meetings.

Exhibitors and live activations include:

Leading destinations
Event technology companies
Convention bureaux & tourism offices
Destination Management Companies
Convention centres
Travel and tour operators
Hotels and resorts
Production and AV suppliers
Boutique venues
Airlines
Attractions and activities
Cruise companies
Caterers
Support services for events

Uncover Melbourne Experiences
Sunday 8 February 2026

Led by the Melbourne Convention Bureau, the Uncover Melbourne Experiences are an experiential and creative showcase of Melbourne, designed to educate, excite, and inspire. Get ready to be immersed in Melbourne’s endless possibilities for innovative and memorable business events.

Knowledge Monday
Monday 9 February 2026

Step into a world of ideas at Knowledge Monday – AIME’s flagship learning day, designed to spark new thinking and elevate your approach to business events. Held on day one of AIME, this dynamic program brings together global thought leaders and visionaries to explore the future of events.

AIME Ideas Academy on the Floor presented by Spice
Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 February 2026

Collect even more insights from AIME Ideas Academy on the Floor presented by Spice, taking place at the AIME trade show over two days. These interactive sessions deliver practical insights, creative inspiration, and actionable tips you can take straight to your next event.

AIME Knowledge Program

The Accelerate Program is available to assist the more junior members of our industry – who have less than 3 years’ experience – to network, learn and grow - using AIME to accelerate their industry career path. Junior buyers – called “Rockets” – shadow their managers on their Pre-Scheduled Appointments (PSAs) with the AIME exhibitors.

The program offers valuable relationship introductions to exhibitors and allows participants to learn from their manager on the job. The program also gives free access to Knowledge Monday, Ideas on the Floor, the AIME Welcome Event and many more learning and networking opportunities. It also offers the “Rockets” access to the Hosted Buyers Lounge, where they can meet experienced event professionals.

Note: flights, accommodation and transfers are to be covered by the Rocket’s employer.

Hosted buyer criteria

Domestic hosted buyers	International hosted buyers
Experienced event planners with minimum 3 years’ experience who plan and manage business events from end-to-end (e.g., source, influence, make budgetary decisions, contract and deliver business events).	Experienced event planners with minimum 3 years’ experience who plan and manage business events from end-to-end (e.g., source, influence, make budgetary decisions, contract and deliver business events).
Event planners with less than 3 years’ experience can apply for our Accelerate Program.	Experienced event planners who work in different sectors of the business events industry including associations, PCOs, DMCs, event management agencies, corporate in-house event planners, incentive planners etc.
Experienced event planners who work in different sectors of the business events industry including associations, PCOs, DMCs, event management agencies, corporate in-house event planners, incentive planners etc.	Experienced venue ‘finders’ or venue sourcing companies for business events.
Experienced venue ‘finders’ or venue sourcing companies for business events.	Experienced event planners who plan and manage business events outside of their own country – minimum number of events/delegates subject to application details.
Experienced event planners who plan and manage business events on a regular basis – minimum 6+ business events per annum / 50+ delegates.	Associations – hosting a convention, congress or annual scientific meeting in the APAC region.
Associations – hosting a convention, congress or annual scientific meeting in the APAC region.	Some business events must have been held in Australia / Asia-Pacific within the past 3 years and there are definite plans to organise business events in Australia / Asia-Pacific region.
Business event planners are not wedding planners or tour operators / travel agents who only organise the tour or travel component for a business event.	Fluent in English – to be able to correspond with the hosted buyer team and conduct meetings at the trade show without an interpreter.
	Business event planners are not wedding planners or tour operators / travel agents who only organise the tour or travel component for a business event.

NOTE: The above criteria and final decision are subject to the Hosted Buyer Team’s discretion.

Hosted buyer types and inclusions

	FULLY HOSTED BUYER	SEMI-HOSTED BUYER	DAY-BUYER
	32 Pre-Scheduled Appointments (PSAs)	20 Pre-Scheduled Appointments (PSAs)	10 Pre-Scheduled Appointments (PSAs)
	Like to maximise your time?	Prefer some flexibility?	Time poor?
	Fully hosted buyers commit to 32 x 15-minute PSAs with exhibitors.	Semi-hosted buyers commit to 20 x 15-minute PSAs with exhibitors.	Hosted day buyers commit to 10 x 15-minute PSAs with exhibitors on Wednesday, 11 February 2026.
Return economy flights to Melbourne from a major city location	x
Group coach transfers to/from Melbourne airport to your hotel	x
Accommodation in a 4 or 5-star Hotel in Melbourne, number of nights subject to Hosted Buyer region of origin	x	x
Buffet breakfast each morning	x	x
Invitation to participate in the MCB Uncover Melbourne experience on Sunday 8 February 2026*	x	x	x
A ticket to Knowledge Monday on Monday 9 February 2026	x	x	x
A ticket to The AIME Welcome Event on Monday 9 February 2026	x	x	x
Morning, afternoon tea and lunch on show days – Tuesday 11 & Wednesday 11 February 2026	x	x	x
Tickets to ‘Invite Only’ exclusive events	x	x
Access to the ‘Hosted Buyers Lounge’	x	x	x
An online meeting platform providing flexibility and control over your meetings	x	x	x
An open diary to schedule additional appointments with exhibitors	x	x	x
Access to the AIME Hosted Buyer Hub	x	x	x

Note: Hosted day buyers are welcome to attend the tradeshow on Tuesday 10 or Wednesday 11 February and meet as many exhibitors as you wish, however PSAs will be scheduled on Wednesday only.

*The Uncover Melbourne Experience and Knowledge Monday are no longer mandatory events for Australian and New Zealand buyers.

The information above is subject to change.

We've collated the most frequently asked questions and put them into a handy guide for you with FAQs on:

General Information About AIME
Buyer Commitments
Hosted Buyer Benefits & Costs
Application Process
PSAs & Meeting Matching
Accommodation
Flights & Transfers
Exhibitors
Passports & Visas
Terms & Conditions (T&Cs)
Cancellation Policy
Contacts & More Information

Read hosted buyer FAQs

Australian Event Awards:

Best Exhibition or Trade Show Winners: 2024, 2023

Best Congress, Conference or Exhibition Winners: 2022

Australian Event of the Year: 2022

“On behalf of all the team at CBD Events, thank you for hosting us. We've really benefited from meeting the suppliers and have already been able to confirm work with new suppliers that we've met this week.”
Belinda Adderton
CBD Events
“Thanks again for another brilliant year at AIME 2024! So many new connections, the next 3 years of LESANZ Conference destinations scoped and what a brilliant Uncover Melbourne tour I was treated to.”
Beth Benson
LESANZ Secretariat
“I just wanted to send you a message to congratulate you and the whole AIME team for an absolutely sensational week! The stress, anxiety, hard work, blood, sweat and tears has absolutely paid off! You should all be incredibly proud of what you produced … all while remaining calm, welcoming and patient. As hosted buyers, my colleague Diana and I could not have felt more taken care of, spoilt and informed. From the moment we arrived, through to our goodbyes, we thoroughly enjoyed every last minute. Thank you so much for the attention to every single detail, and for a completely seamless attendance, full of warm hospitality.”
Danielle Ricato
Family Business Association
"Thank you so much for a wonderful 2024 AIME conference. It was an absolutely experience from the Uncover Melbourne program, great Knowledge Program, Welcome function and the two-day conference event allowing us to connect and meet with our key stake holders. Also thank you for looking after us so well with our accommodation requirements and the wonderful Hosted Buyers Lounge. Thank you for all your hard work, commitment and passion in bringing this all together for us to experience and enjoyed."
Dorina Martelli
Bankwest
“I just wanted to say a massive congratulations on such a successful AIME. It was honestly such a delight to connect with new and existing suppliers and have the opportunity to chat with them all in the one place. The social functions were phenomenal and ran like a well-oiled machine.”
Elissa Lulan
MCI Australia
“Thank you for an amazing show. AIME just gets better and better and you all do such a fabulous fabulous job.”
Gordy Bayne
Showponi
“Just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and your team for your efforts to host us at AIME this year. As you know we’ve been coming to AIME for many years as we’ve both been working in MICE since the 1990’s. We found the show so valuable, the best yet! To be honest, it well and truly superseded my expectations. The atmosphere was great, amazing selection of exhibitors and some very worthwhile discussions about mutually beneficial business moving forward.”
Jackie Coyne
S2N Events
“I’m writing to thank you and your team for a wonderful experience at AIME this week. Everything was so well organised and the product insight and networking opportunities the event provided to Hosted Buyers like me, were invaluable. After 51 appointments (!), I’ve come away with a wealth of new contacts, product ideas and destination resources, which I have already shared with our entire Events team, and I also appreciated the chance to further develop our existing relationships too. Looking forward to AIME 2025!”
Jackie Firmstone
ATPI
“A quick note to thank you for an incredible experience at AIME 2024. The team did a remarkable job, the best AIME to date. The general feedback from our team and the venues we spoke to is that AIME 2024 was engaging and energetic like never before. We have already sent multiple event briefs to various new venues simply because we met them at AIME. We look forward to hopefully attending AIME next year!”
Jake Dimarco
VenueNow
“Thank you for a seriously wonderful AIME. We are such a hard audience – There will always be something that we aren’t happy with but, you guys did an amazing job. I think that was my 14th or 15th AIME and to be honest it took me back to some of the early shows where everyone was really happy to be there. I loved every minute of it, I loved seeing new and really interesting product, it was great to catch up with suppliers I hadn’t seen since pre-covid but above all … it was so well staged. I loved it! All of it! Thank you so much for allowing me to be a buyer, thanks for giving me a few days that will take me a very long time to forget.”
Julie McGraw
GEMS Event Management Australia
“A short note to say congrats to you and your team on a fantastic AIME. This was the best AIME I've been in in 10 years. There was a fantastic buzz and great energy around the space especially when I only arrived late on day 2. normally things are starting to wind down but there still so many people and a great energy. Lots of buyers and exhibitors I spoke to said the same. There was also a much greater range of exhibitors.”
Nathan Kayser
Monash Business School
“Just wanted to say, thank you so much for giving Black Book the opportunity to attend AIME, I can honestly say it was one of the most beneficial trade shows for me – so many meaningful connections & of course fun along the way! I look forward to continuing our working relationship with all I met. I will spread the word across my peers back in the UK & of course will connect you with anyone else who may find it as beneficial as me next year.”
Colleen Gray
Blackbook UK

APPLY HERE TO BE A HOSTED BUYER

Hosted Buyer

AIME 2026 Hosted Buyer Program

Looking to expand your network, discover new destinations, venues, and activations, and connect with event suppliers – all in one place? AIME 2026 is where it happens.

Win a 4-Night Getaway to Club Med Phuket Beach Resort!

Apply by 28 November, be accepted, and attend AIME 2026 to go into the draw

Connect and grow your network

AIME Trade Show

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