CEO Carina Bauer discusses what the cancellation means — and does not mean — for the meetings industry more broadly.

Earlier this month, IMEX Group announced that for the second year in a row it would be cancelling its annual IMEX Frankfurt event, scheduled for May 2021. The news came as a reality check to many in the industry who hoped recent positive news around vaccine distribution would mean a quicker return to in-person meetings. But while the cancellation of one of the biggest events in the industry is a reminder that we are still a long way from a return to normalcy, it doesn't necessarily mean other event organizers will follow suit. 

That's one of the points emphasized by IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer, who discusses how her organization came to the decision. On this episode of Eventful: The Podcast for Meeting Professionals, Bauer not only discusses:

• Why there are still plenty of reasons for optimism for the industry's comeback (3:45)
• How the decision to cancel IMEX Frankfrurt may affect IMEX America in Las Vegas (6:45)
• Bauer's general thoughts about how the U.S. political climate could affect the industry more broadly (8:00)