The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has released its 2024 rankings of top countries and cities for international association meetings, highlighting both stability and shifts in the post-pandemic landscape.
Key Findings: Country & City Rankings
The U.S. retained its top spot in country rankings, a position held since at least 1995, with Western European nations, Japan, and Canada rounding out the top 10. France dropped from fourth to sixth, likely due to capacity constraints during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In city rankings, Vienna reclaimed the top position (last held two years prior), narrowly edging out Lisbon by one meeting. Singapore fell to third, while Paris plummeted from first to sixth—also due to the Olympics. Notable movers included Seoul (up three spots) and Rome (up two), with Bangkok and Athens entering the top 10, replacing Madrid and Dublin.
Post-Pandemic Recovery Challenges
ICCA counted 11,099 international association meetings in 2024, a 9% increase from 2023 but still 17.8% below the 2019 peak of 13,269. The economic impact remained substantial, generating $11.6 billion in direct spend.
Methodology & Alternative Perspectives
ICCA’s data focuses on rotating meetings (50+ participants, at least three countries), excluding non-rotating events like CES and domestic U.S. meetings. For example, Vienna’s ICCA count (154 meetings) contrasts with its own statistics (781 international congresses).
The Union of International Associations (UIA) offers a broader view: In its 2023 rankings, Belgium led with 708 meetings, followed by the U.S. and Japan, while Brussels topped cities (620 meetings), ahead of Vienna (298) and Tokyo (226).
Economic Impact Rankings
ICCA’s alternative ranking by direct economic impact showed Barcelona as the top earner ($360 million), followed by London ($289 million) and Singapore ($290 million), underscoring the varied metrics that shape destination success in the association meetings market.
As the industry continues to recover, these rankings reflect both the resilience of traditional hubs and the evolving dynamics of global event planning.
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