The Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) will return to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9 to 11 February 2026, bringing together thousands of global business meetings and incentives professionals in Melbourne.
Led by Event Director Silke Calder, this year’s event builds on AIME’s reputation as a place where industry insight meets real-world application.
Its opening Knowledge Monday program, curated by BEAMexperience Founder El Kwang, will again set the tone for three days of business, connection and collaboration. This year the program explores the theme ‘Expertise Matters’.
The Knowledge Monday Advisory Committee, comprising eight leaders from across the Asia Pacific business events sector, has shaped a program designed to give professionals practical guidance in a landscape that is shifting faster than ever.
Across the committee, a clear view of 2026 is emerging. While AI, automation and digital tools continue to accelerate, the most influential driver remains distinctly human expertise.
For MCI Australia Account Director Maggie Diasinos, the year ahead will be defined by purpose.
“Audiences are looking for more than just content, they want events that feel meaningful and create genuine, lasting connections” she says.
“With so much technology at our fingertips, it is easy to forget that events are, at their core, about people. The ability to curate experiences that are purpose-driven, inclusive and spark different ways of thinking will really set us apart.”
Business Events Strategist at Think Event by Think Tank Productions Ronald Lim expects the next year to bring growing demand for strategic guidance. Clients will increasingly seek event practitioners who can translate complexity into confidence.
“True expertise goes beyond creativity. It is about foresight, the ability to anticipate challenges before they surface, and design solutions that are both strategic and sustainable” Lim explains.
Max Boontawee Jantasuwan, founder of Events Travel Asia Group, says cultural intelligence and commercial insight will be central to next year’s focus as clients scrutinise business outcomes more closely and seek professionals who can seamlessly combine creativity with strategy.
“It matters now more than ever because clients need partners who can help them navigate complexity, manage risk and still deliver creativity and impact” Jantasuwan says.
The Knowledge Monday committee’s consensus is that emerging forms of agentic AI will change the pace of planning, but not the essence of it. Technology may speed up workflows and ideation, but the people behind the tools ultimately determine the impact.
Founder and Chief Amazement Officer of Sight Agency, Anna Patterson, adds, “only human imagination can truly create emotive moments in experiences”.
Committee members are aligned on how AI should be used. AI tools hold the most value when they complement human expertise, freeing professionals to focus on creativity, collaboration and relationship-building.
“These tools are only as good as the prompts we feed them or the data we provide,” Diasinos says. “AI should free us up to collaborate, build relationships and use that extra time to spark creative ideas that help us innovate and elevate our events.”
“AI can enhance decision-making through insights and predictive analytics, but the final judgment of what resonates with an audience or aligns with a brand will always depend on human understanding,” Jantasuwan adds.
This human-led approach extends to the purpose of AIME itself. The event remains a meeting point for ideas, a catalyst for collaboration and a space where the industry collectively sets its direction for the year ahead.
Knowledge Monday continues to anchor AIME as a platform for learning and exploration, giving attendees an opportunity to dive into the complexities shaping the future of global business events.
Knowledge Monday and the wider AIME program will showcase how expertise matters in an industry led by human connection. Lived experience, judgement, empathy and foresight will define how events are designed, how connections are fostered and how business outcomes are achieved over the next decade.
The AIME 2026 Knowledge Monday program brings together AIME Hosted Buyers and Exhibitors, while Visitor Buyers can upgrade their tickets to attend. For more information, visit aime.com.au.
