ICCA’s 2019 statistics captured 13,254 rotating association meetings, the highest ever recorded annual figure in its yearly statistics, with an increase of 317 from last year’s record-breaking figures.
Year on year, ICCA has seen a promising consistent growth pattern in the association meetings market. The ICCA Association Database now includes 21,000 regularly occurring meeting series, 260,000 meeting editions and 12,000 international associations.
The most respected global comparison of destinations’ performance in attracting international meetings, ICCA’s annual country and city rankings are highly anticipated by the meetings industry.
ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath said: "ICCA’s annual statistics report is one of few that compares destinations’ meetings-related performance on a global scale and therefore provides great insight into global trends in the meetings industry. Given the current circumstances, it is great to once again highlight the consistent growth in association meetings globally. These figures show the need and importance of face-to-face events, and consequently that the industry will be instrumental in the global recovery when the time is right."
2019 city rankings: Paris holds on to the coveted title and remains in first position
In the number one spot in the ranking by number of association meetings in 2019, we have Paris for the second year in a row, followed by Lisbon, the city with the highest increase in number of events (+38) moving up 4 places from being 6th last year. Regular contenders of the top 5, Berlin (3rd), Barcelona (4th) and Madrid (5th), have made it once again, but Berlin and Madrid have swapped places from last years’ rankings.
Impressive newcomers to the Top 50 by number of meetings are Valencia (44 places higher) and Istanbul (40 places higher), respectively holding 48th and 44th position.
2019 country rankings: U.S.A. in the top spot
Titleholder for the last two decades, the U.S.A., remains in the top country spot. The Top20 remains relatively unchanged with some countries moving up or down one place. France moves up to take third position from Spain, who find themselves one position lower. Similar rank swapping of one position takes place between China-P.R and Japan, Portugal and Canada, Australia and Republic of Korea, and Belgium and Sweden.
Only those meetings that meet ICCA’s stringent assessment criteria – rotating between at least three countries, have a proven attendance of at least 50 participants, and are held on a regular basis – are recorded within the global association’s annual statistics.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
