There are many valuable trade shows and conferences for the meetings and events industry. But which are the key events that you should have on your calendar?
Attending a trade show or conference provides endless opportunities to achieve your goals, whether you're looking to build your network, connect with clients, or learn about the latest developments in the industry.
Additionally, many in-person events feature exhibitor suppliers and have education programmes that provide opportunities to learn from experts, ask questions, and network with industry peers.
Check out this list of the key events and conferences to attend in Europe this year to help you plan your trade show and conference diary for 2025.
February 2025
Event: C&IT Agency Forum
Date: 6-7 February
Location: Park Hyatt London River Thames, 7 Nine Elms Lane, Nine Elms, London SW8 5PH
Website: https://www.citagencyforum.com/
Why attend: Spanning two days, this forum for agency planners features one-to-one meetings with suppliers who are matched to your needs. Delegates also get hosted dinners, evening entertainment, a one-night stay at the brand new Park Hyatt London River Thames, networking opportunities and themed content on fostering a sense of community.
Event: AEO Forums
Date: 7 February
Location: Business Design Centre, 2 Upper Street, London N1 0QH
Website: https://www.aeoforums.org.uk
Why attend: AEO Forums is attended by junior to middle-management marketing, ops, and sales professionals, as well as event managers. It's a three-stream event covering ops, marketing, and sales and offers a fantastic opportunity to network with industry peers. This year, Cvent’s European Marketing Director, Felicia Asiedu, will speak about Leveraging MarTech and AI along with Adam Parry, Co-founder of Event Tech Live.
Event: European Meetings & Events Conference (EMEC)
Date: 22-25 February
Location: Istanbul Lutfi Kirdar International Convention & Exhibition Center, Harbiye, Darülbedai Caddesi No:4, Taşkışla Cd., 34367 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye
Website: https://www.mpi.org
Why attend: This year, EMEC 2025 will bring members of MPI (Meeting Professionals International) together with qualified hosted buyers in Istanbul to develop valuable business connections through one-to-one meetings and networking.
Event: International Confex
Date: 26-27 February
Location: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16
Website: https://www.international-confex.com
Why attend: With seven education stages and 200+ exhibitors, International Confex is a must-attend exhibition, with over 40 years of experience showcasing what's new in the industry and offering support to anyone looking to find the 'one-stop-shop' for event planning and organisation.
Event: MAD//UpNorth
Date: 26-27 February
Location: Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ
Website: https://www.madfestlondon.com/upnorth/attend/
Why attend: The show that brings the who’s who in marketing together to share ideas and inspiration is venturing up north for the first time this year, bringing its bold, no-nonsense approach to Manchester. The programme features 150 speakers across three stages. Expect quickfire keynotes, £20k innovation pitches, and masterclasses led by top CMOs, entrepreneurs, and challengers from some of the world’s top brands.
March 2025
Event: ITB Berlin
Date: 4-6 March
Location: Berlin ExpoCenter City, Messedamm 22, 14055 Berlin, Germany
Website: https://www.itb.com/en/
Why attend: ITB Berlin has been an annual fixture in the world of business travel since 1966. It’s possibly the largest trade show for the travel industry and yet it’s surprisingly easy to navigate, with halls divided up by market tracks such as MICE, Business Travel, Travel Technology, Responsible Tourism, Luxury Tourism and more. Over 180 destinations are represented and an adjoining conference (again organised into easy-to-navigate tracks) makes it a must-visit for all incentive and travel planners.
Event: Global Marketer Week
Date: 18-21 March
Location: Brussels (various locations)
Website: https://gmw.wfanet.org
Why attend: As the World Federation of Advertisers’ flagship event, Global Marketer Week is where peer-to-peer insights are shared and industry trends are discussed, making it essential for anyone wanting to stay ahead in marketing. The 2025 agenda includes leadership meetings, WFA Forums, and exclusive networking opportunities. WFA members can attend the conference for free, thanks to a partnership with UBA, the Belgian national advertiser association.
Event: British Tourism and Travel Show
Date: 19-20 March
Location: The NEC, Perimeter Road, Birmingham B40 1NT
Website: https://www.tourismshow.co.uk/
Why attend: Seeking travel inspiration for group tours across the British Isles? This show is bursting with ideas and exciting experiences for groups. Discover over 200 destinations and hidden treasures and attend free keynote presentations from leading brands and industry professionals.
Event: C&IT International Forum 2025
Date: 24-26 March
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Website: https://www.citinternationalforum.com
Why attend: You’ll join other senior event professionals on a three-day river cruise from Budapest to Bratislava, where you’ll network, collaborate, and uncover new opportunities in international event planning while taking in some of Europe's most breathtakingly beautiful waterways.
April 2025
Event: The BNC Show
Date: 1 April
Location: Central Hall Westminster, Storey's Gate, London SW1H 9NH
Website: https://bnceventshows.com/
Why attend: The BNC Show takes place twice a year so if you can’t make the April event, there’s a second chance in October, held at Mansion House. At the Central Hall Westminster in April, you’ll have the chance to chat with hundreds of venues and suppliers while enjoying complimentary catering and fun experiences such as pamper treats. Every visitor also gets a glamorous gift to take home and is entered into a luxury prize draw.
Event: Advertising Week Europe
Date: 1-3 April
Location: 180 Studios, 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA
Website: https://advertisingweek.com/event/advertising-week-europe-2025/
Why attend: This is one for marketers, eager to hear from some of the leading brands, media agencies, publishers and technology suppliers. However, if you’re an event planner who has ever wondered how a conference with 15 different tracks and more than 200 sessions would work across a multi-storey cinema complex in central London, Advertising Week Europe is well worth experiencing from a logistics point-of-view as well.
Event: ABPCO’s Festival of Learning
Date: 28-29 April
Location: The Eastside Rooms, Woodcock St, Birmingham B7 4BL
Website: https://www.abpco.org/events/218/abpco_festival_of_learning_2025/
Why attend: The Festival of Learning brings the UK's association events industry together and provides opportunities for sharing, learning and collaboration. It’s attended by 100 PCOs and a range of industry partners.
Event: CMO Leadership Summit
Date: 28-30 April
Location: Allianz Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham, TW2 7BA
Website: https://quartznetwork.com/event/connect-cmo-uk-spring
Why attend: This three-day free-to-attend event is for senior-level marketers to connect, network and learn from their peers. You’ll enjoy exclusive networking events and a lineup of 30+ speakers who are shaping today’s marketing landscape.
Event: ITM Inspire Conference
Date: 29-30 April
Location: Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales, NP18 1HQ
Website: https://www.itm.org.uk/inspire
Why attend: If you’re a Business Member of the Institute of Travel Management (ITM), this is a great opportunity to join over 500 colleagues from the UK and Ireland’s business travel community and empower your travel programme, career, wellbeing, ESG focus and individuality. A black-tie gala dinner celebrates member impact with two awards for individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry over the past year.
Event: FinTech B2B Marketing Conference
Date: 30 April
Location: London (venue TBC)
Website: https://fintechb2bmarketingconf2025.fintechb2bmarketing.com/
Why attend: This one-day event covers the latest themes in B2B Marketing impacting financial services and technology marketers. This year’s event will focus on the future of the financial services and technology B2B marketing landscape in 2025 and beyond.
May 2025
Event: SITE Night Europe
Date: 19 May
Location: Depot 1899, Textorstraße 33, 60594 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Website: https://siteglobal.com/event/site-nite-europe
Why attend: If you’re in Frankfurt for IMEX why not take the opportunity to meet with around 500 incentive professionals from all over the world at SITE’s annual networking event, held the evening before the trade show opens?
Event: IMEX Frankfurt
Date: 20-22 May
Location: Messe Frankfurt Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1 60327 Frankfurt, Germany
Website: https://imex-frankfurt.com/
Why attend: IMEX’s hosted buyer programme features no matchmaking, just a basic commitment to meet with between six to eight exhibitors daily. By being part of the hosted buyer programme, you get free flights from Europe and free four/five-star accommodation. In between meetings, explore more than 150 education sessions across six tracks ranging from Event Marketing and Experience Design to Technology, Trends and Research.
June 2025
Event: Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Date: 16-20 June
Location: Cannes, France
Website: https://www.canneslions.com
Why attend: A week in the South of France in June – why wouldn’t you? Cannes Lions is the ultimate event for anyone in creative communications drawing high-profile speakers from around the world. The fringe events alone make it a must-attend experience.
Event: The Meetings Show / Business Travel Show Europe
Date: 25-26 June
Location: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16
Website: https://www.themeetingsshow.com/
Why attend: You get three exhibitions for the price of a London tube ticket when you visit The Meetings Show, as it is co-located with both the Business Travel Show Europe and the Travel Tech Show. By joining The Meetings Show’s hosted buyer programme, you’ll receive a pass to the pre-show conference and welcome reception, two-night accommodation, one-to-one dedicated appointments, and travel from within the UK and Europe.
Event: Associations World Congress
Date: 29 June - 1 July
Location: Congress Center Hamburg, Congressplatz 1, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://www.associationexecutives.org/events/associations-world-congress.html
Why attend: Open to leaders and event specialists employed directly by international or European associations, societies and federations, this three-day event in Hamburg offers 16 half-day sessions across four streams - Association Strategy, Conference & Events Strategy, Membership & Community Strategy and Markets & Marketing Strategy.
July 2025
Event: MAD//Fest
Date: 1-3 July
Location: Truman Brewery Estate, London, E1 6QR
Website: https://www.madfestlondon.com
Why attend: Now in its eighth year, MAD//Fest has become the go-to event for brand and agency marketers looking for fresh ideas, inspiration, and new connections. It takes its festival vibe seriously, blending creativity, innovation and fun into every corner of the experience. The 2025 line-up features big-name speakers, live £20k brand challenges, street food, bar takeovers, DJs, and evening entertainment.
Event: ICE Conference
Date: 10 July
Location: London (Venue TBC)
Website: https://ice-hub.biz/ice-conference-2025-uk/
Why attend: The ICE Conference offers an opportunity to hear from keynote speakers and engage in interactive campfire sessions exploring the evolving event landscape. It also celebrates the creativity of in-house event creators, with the ICE Awards capping off the evening.
October 2025
Event: Forrester B2B Summit EMEA
Date: 6-8 October
Location: London (TBC)
Website: https://www.forrester.com/event/b2b-summit-emea/
Why attend: The five tracks presented at the B2B Summit EMEA are designed to help B2B marketers make smarter decisions and improve outcomes by aligning, advancing, and accelerating their organisations’ priorities. Insightful breakouts, hands-on case studies, lasting peer connections, and inspiring keynotes all contribute to empowering the strategies of marketing, sales, and product leaders to foster results that surpass goals.
Event: Convening EMEA
Date: 14-16 October
Location: Postillion Hotel & Convention Centre WTC, Beursplein 37, Meent 110, 3011 AA Rotterdam, Netherlands
Website: https://www.pcma.org/convening-emea/
Why attend: Convening EMEA is the PCMA ’s annual EMEA flagship event. It brings together the global business events industry for an immersive three-day programme, and this year, it’s heading to Rotterdam. The event attracts 500+ business event leaders from over 40 countries to challenge each other and develop ways to move forward together. It is a platform to share knowledge, make meaningful connections, learn, do business, be inspired and grow as an individual and organisation.
Event: Cvent CONNECT Europe
Date: 15-16 October
Location: InterContinental London, The O2, 1 Waterview Drive, London SE10 0TW (and virtual)
Website: https://www.cvent.com/en/cvent-connect-europe-2025-pre-register
Why attend: Discover the latest innovations in event tech. This hybrid conference showcases Cvent's extensive suite of innovative technology – but that's not all. Alongside demonstrations and product updates, Cvent CONNECT Europe offers a wealth of thought leadership sessions and discussions on the latest trends impacting the industry — with input from leading industry voices.
Check out highlights from our Cvent CONNECT Europe event below.
November 2025
Event: AI Expo Europe
Date: 1-2 November
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, Bucharest, Romania
Website: http://www.aiexpoeurope.com/
Why attend: Have an interest in AI? This event is dedicated to the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and its applications across various industries. It brings together thought leaders, innovators, and industry experts to discuss trends, challenges, and future directions in AI technology. It includes networking opportunities and expert insights from seasoned practitioners.
Event: World Travel Market (WTM)
Date: 4-6 November
Location: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16
Website: https://www.wtm.com/london/en-gb.html
Why attend: WTM inspires and educates hundreds of thousands of travel professionals every year. Its conference programme covers every sector that matters in travel and features key insights and takeaways so that you can start applying these to your business straight away. This is an established show that has been bringing the global travel industry together since its launch in 1980.
Event: GBTA & VDR Conference Copenhagen, in partnership with The Nordic Business Travel Associations
Date: 10-12 November
Location: Congress Center Hamburg, Congressplatz 1, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://europeconference.gbta.org/
Why attend: GBTA’s European annual conference is for business travel and meetings management professionals. It features curated topics, insightful speakers and a raft of opportunities to network and participate in training and professional development.
Event: Martech Summit
Date: 12-13 November
Location: London (venue TBC)
Website: https://themartechsummit.com/london/
Why attend: With an attendance of over 85% senior leadership positions, this two-day summit is the place to meet and network with other CMOs. It offers a programme filled with case studies, panel discussions, fireside chats, keynotes & Q&As on the latest MarTech trends and topics.
Event: Event Tech Live
Date: 12-13 November
Location: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16
Website: https://eventtechlive.com/london/
Why attend: This show is dedicated solely to event technology. As well as two in-person days featuring more than 100 education sessions, delegates also receive content available on-demand and the opportunity to make video appointments with exhibitors across the full working week.
Event: IBTM World
Date: 18-20 November
Location: Fira Barcelona Gran Via Location,Av. Joan Carles I,08908 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat,Barcelona
Website: https://www.ibtmworld.com/
Why attend: Not only will you feel the warmth of the Barcelona winter sun, but you’ll also have an opportunity to speak with over 3,000 global destinations along with a raft of venues and suppliers. As a hosted buyer you’ll receive an online personalised diary to manage your appointments, complimentary four/five-star accommodation, access to exclusive networking opportunities and the chance to apply for a post-event tour to a global meetings destination.
Event: B2B Marketing Expo
Date: 19-20 November
Location: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16
Website: https://www.b2bmarketingexpo.co.uk/
Why attend: This dedicated exhibition for B2B marketers is co-located with the Marketing Technology Expo and offers a glimpse into the future of marketing. Alongside 200 exhibitors, the event features sessions on everything from Programmatic Advertising to Automation and from Social Media Trends to Content Marketing along with chances to experience some truly cutting-edge technology first-hand.
For a taste of what to expect later this year at Cvent CONNECT Europe, watch select 2024 sessions on-demand here.
