Asian MICE Forum 2026 explores the future of business events

A forum opened in Taiwan to explore how business events can create lasting experiences for participants, foster ongoing connections and extend their impact well beyond the event itself.

The 2026 Asian MICE Forum opened Friday in Taipei under the theme "Tomorrow is Here, Future is Now." Organized by Taiwan's International Trade Administration (TITA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and hosted by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the forum brought together MICE industry professionals and cross-sector experts from home and abroad to assess a rapidly shifting market landscape and examine the core value and role of in-person events.

Now in its 21st edition since launching in 2006, the AMF has drawn more than 8,000 MICE — meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions — professionals from around the world. Building on last year's launch of "AMF 2.0" to mark its 20th anniversary, the forum is evolving into an international platform that connects global perspectives with Taiwan's business events industry and drives MICE innovation through dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration.

The forum opened with a keynote address by Ole Scheeren, a German architect of international renown, on "Why People Gather." Scheeren examined how space and design shape human interaction and outlined approaches to spatial planning that go beyond simply drawing crowds to consider the deeper purpose of gathering itself.

A session titled "Too Much Content, Too Little Impact" then took up the challenge of securing an event's value in an environment saturated with information. Participants noted that AI struggles to replicate the trust-building and emotional exchange that come from face-to-face encounters, and discussed the need to move away from information-heavy formats toward programming that heightens participants' direct, felt experience.

The "Designing from Feeling to Remembering" session explored how multisensory elements and technology can be combined to create events that stay with participants long after they end, presenting ways to shift the planning focus from straightforward content delivery to experience-centered design. The underlying aim is to move from transmitting content to crafting memories.

One of Taiwan's leading MICE events, the AMF is strengthening its role as a platform that sets industry standards not only through content programming but through the way it runs its events. This year's forum incorporated measures including reduced single-use items, expanded reusable resources, optimized attendee movement flows and improved food and beverage supply practices — and organizers said the changes cut carbon emissions by about 38 percent. Some say the result demonstrates how event planning can translate sustainability thinking into visible action. Taiwan aims to build on these green practices and innovations to sharpen the global competitiveness of its MICE industry.

A TITA official said the organization plans to further strengthen international partnerships through the AMF and MEET TAIWAN, linking Taiwan's MICE industry with global trends and resources. "We will continue to create new opportunities for Taiwan to establish itself as a leading business events destination in Asia," the official said.