The awarding of the honorary award of the Multimedia Award “The Golden City Gate” to Ray Bloom, the founder of IMEX, took place during a small ceremony. Ray Bloom has been honored with the Diamond Award for his life’s work. The honorary prize was presented by the President of the Golden City Gate, Wolfgang Jo Huschert, Johann Thoma, Vice President Guest Events of Messe Frankfurt, who also held the eulogy and Petra Cruz, European Director of the Dominican Republic Tourism Board, as a long-time participant of IMEX and companion as well as Joachim Fischer VPCommunication at the competition.
MICE films from all over the world have been participating in the tourism competition for years. In the categories MICE and Event, the incomes have increased by more than 100 percent.

In the 18th year of its existence, the international jury has now decided to honor the founder of the two most important trade fairs for the MICE industry IMEX and EIBTM and internationally recognized MICE specialist, Ray Bloom, with the honorary prize for his life’s work.
Joachim Fischer, who accompanied Ray Bloom since the first EIBTM in Geneva, emphasized the importance of today’s IMEX in welcoming the guests and benevolently referred to Ray Bloom as an internationally recognized “guru” in the MICE business.

Johann Thoma, VP Guestevents at Messe Frankjurt: in his eulogy:
IMEX has made Frankfurt the epicentre of a sector that is dedicated to putting events and their locations centre stage in a way that is rather unique among industries. IMEX is an event that has gone from strength to strength since making its debut in Frankfurt in 2002 (and, since 2009, in Las Vegas with IMEX USA as well). More exhibitors, more exhibition space, but above all a constant stream of new ideas and approaches that take this sector further and further. All those involved look forward with great anticipation to this unique event every year and come from all over the world to attend. It is simply fantastic and we at Messe Frankfurt are very proud to play host to IMEX, to be a partner to the event and to be part of this wonderfully vibrant community.

This spirit is one of a kind! And is due in no small part to this very special community. And above all to one person who has contributed his willpower and creative energy for decades and who has been – and still is – instrumental in shaping the MICE sector.

Dear Ray, it is a great honour for me to represent Messe Frankfurt here today to pay tribute to you and your life’s work. A tribute that you richly deserve: both as a businessman and above all as someone who brings people together. It is no mean feat to preserve traditional values and, at the same time, give free rein to innovation, to try out new things, to call the occasional idea into question again and, in some cases, to go back to the drawing board to make a fresh new start.

This calls for discipline, courage and vision. After all, the future is not a reflection of things to come but rather is driven by ambition!

Dear Ray, in your role as entrepreneur, you succeeded in bringing all of these aspects together and, above all, in putting them into practice. You do so with your intellect but especially with your heart. With this combination, you have been an inspiration for the sector and for those around you – your family most of all, no doubt – for decades, providing guidance and trust. It is therefore no coincidence that Carina has been at your side professionally for many years, helping you to

shape the outcome of your life’s work. We at Messe Frankfurt also draw strength from you and our valued working relationship in many regards and – after and in spite of Brexit – recently established a subsidiary in the UK. And last but not least, it is surely no coincidence that your heart belongs to a sport that thrives not only on strategy and power but also on passion.

Dear Ray, people say that there is no time quite like the present. And I can think of no better time than right now to present you with this award for your life’s work to date. In this way, we wish to pay tribute to you and your outstanding contribution to the MICE sector and all of us, including and in particular Messe Frankfurt, look forward to continuing this inspirational working relationship with you in the future.

The president of the “Golden City Gate” Wolfgang Jo Huschert says: “I think that such excellent people as Ray Bloom, who have done so much for the MICE industry, should be awarded at a certain age, during his lifetime You can look forward to the award and receive further incentive.
Already in 2016, Huschert predicted that in the multimedia competition the category MICE would have to be considered more and more

Above all, Petra Cruz thanked Ray Bloom and said that she and her colleagues always find it amazing and fascinating when the big boss of the exhibition is at the end of the afternoon of the last day and says goodbye to all participants personally and finds some nice words for everyone.

Ray Bloom himself had come with his daughter Carina Bauer and guests. He also had a few wet eyes with all the words of praise. He thanked for the award that will

receive a place of honor in his office in England. He underlined the rapidly recognized need for a MICE trade show and founded first the EIBTM in Geneva and later the IMEX in Frankfurt. He is still on the road around the world in terms of MICE and IMEX.
Energetically supported by his daughter, who took over the “MICE fair gene” from her father very early on.

Wolfgang Jo Huschert used this reception to officialy started the next edition of the multimediaward ” The Golden City Gate” for the year 2018/2019.