Connect Marketplace by Informa will return Aug. 24-26 to the Tampa Convention Center, bringing together meeting planners and event suppliers for three days of curated meeting, education sessions and networking events.
The marketplace for the meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition (MICE) industry features a reverse trade show format, with hosted buyers seated at tables while suppliers move between eight-minute appointments. Organizers expect more than 3,000 attendees across both buyer and supplier categories. The hosted buyer is sold out, but the waitlist can be joined here.
Bike, run, and discover the Tampa Riverwalk, linking downtown’s favorite attractions like gems on a string along the stunning Hillsborough River. Photo: Visit Tampa Bay
The Pirate Water Taxi operates on the Hillsborough River & Tampa Bay. Photo: Visit Tampa Bay
First-timers registration opens at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, with an orientation, with guest speaker The Connection Spark’s Taylor Buonocore-Guthrie, to follow at 1 p.m. Registration opens at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, with Connect’s signature Regiception, hosted by Meetings Michigan, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Also on Monday, Connect’s welcome reception is scheduled for 6 p.m. on the Tampa Riverwalk outside the convention center. The reception is sponsored by Tampa Bay tourism partners.
Appointments run Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and afternoons, with breaks scheduled for education sessions and trade show floor networking. The event offers up to 14 hours of CMP continuing education credit across multiple sessions.
Connect is using a new appointment portal system this year, giving attendees two weeks to submit requests before the matching algorithm runs. The portal closed Aug. 14 at midnight, with confirmed schedules will be distributed Aug. 19.
“We really ask that you attend those one-on-one appointments and make the most of those eight minutes,” said Rachel Piper, vice president of hosted buyer experience at Connect, during a pre-event Know Before You Go webinar (If you missed it, you can watch it here).
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On Wed., Aug. 26, the Connect Marketplace closing night concert will feature Two Friends, a DJ duo that’s booked to perform at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in November. Photo: Two Friends
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The concert begins at 8 p.m. Wednesday in ballrooms A through D on the convention center’s first floor. Photo: Two Friends
The event includes several hosted meals by invitation, a 5K run Wednesday morning along the Tampa waterfront, and a closing night concert featuring Two Friends, a DJ duo that’s booked to perform at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in November. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Wednesday in ballrooms A through D on the convention center’s first floor. Sign up for the 5K, sponsored by Visit Detroit, here.
Connect will offer a hosted buyer gifting suite on the trade show floor, sponsored by Visit Anaheim and using a virtual queue system through the NextMe app. The suite operates noon to 4 p.m. Monday, noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
The event uses the Connect Me mobile app for appointment schedules, attendee networking, venue maps and session information. The app includes badge scanning and a single sign-on feature. Download the app here.
Sports-focused appointments and education sessions will take place on the convention center’s first floor, while general appointments and the main trade show floor occupy the second and third floors. An event map can be found here.
All official event hotels are within a five-minute walk of the convention center. Organizers recommend Uber or Lyft from Tampa International Airport, approximately 20 minutes from downtown.
Looking ahead: Connect Winter Marketplace will take place Nov. 18-20, 2026, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Connect Spring Marketplace will take place April 21-23, 2027, at the Wynn Las Vegas.
The Tampa Bay region is home to 3 million people. Photo: Visit Tampa Bay
TSNN at Connect
TSNN Strategic Director Kim Collie and VP of Group Content Danica Tormohlen will be on site in Tampa. Here’s where you can find them:
Media Hub. TSNN’s editorial team will be hosting a news desk, where we will be interviewing the industry’s movers and shakers. When & where: 1-4 p.m., Mon., Aug. 24, and 2-3 p.m., Tues., Aug. 25, and Wed., Aug. 26 at Booth 1137.
6 Trade Show Trends. Join us for deep dive into the six transformational trends that are redefining how we design, market and execute trade shows. When & where: 2:30 pm Monday, Aug. 24 at The Exchange by MatchPoint x Connect, Booth 109
ExHie Awards. TSNN is launching the ExHie Awards, recognizing exhibitor excellence, at Connect Marketplace. After a rigorous judging process on Day 1, the winners will be announced on Day 2. When & where: 12 p.m., Tuesday, August 25, on the trade show floor.
Event Industry 50 Over 50 Recognition. TSNN will recognize the honorees on the main stage. When & where: 2:55 p.m., Tues., Aug 25, at the Speaker Showcase, sponsored by Visit Milwaukee, Booth 615.
Q&A with 50 Over 50 Honoree Bill Lemmon. In this fireside chat, Altour’s VP of Global Sales will share the pivotal moments, hard-won lessons, and bold decisions that shaped his remarkable career journey. When & where: 1 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 25 at The Exchange by MatchPoint x Connect, Booth 109.
TSNN’s 50 Over 50 Reception. The invitation-only event, sponsored by MCI, will celebrate veteran leaders and their impact. When & where: 5 p.m. at The Landing at TCC
Ask the Editor. Get unfiltered access to two of the event industry’s most influential editorial voices in this dynamic session featuring Danica Tormohlen of TSNN and Sarah Kloepple of BizBash. When & where: 1 p.m., Wed., Aug. 26, at The Exchange by MatchPoint x Connect, Booth 109.