Europe’s Top 25 congress cities and congress countries according to ICCA ranking 2024
Amsterdam retains strong position in ICCA 2024 rankings
The Netherlands remains a major player in the global congress market. For the third year in a row, our country ranks 8th in the international ranking of the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association). This stable position confirms the Netherlands as one of Europe’s leading congress destinations. The ICCA ranking is based on international meetings of associations with at least 50 participants, which take place periodically and rotate between at least three countries. In addition to these meetings, national and regional congresses and other meetings are also organised. These are not included in the ICCA rankings.
Netherlands holds its own in international top 10
The ICCA 2024 ranking shows interesting shifts in Europe’s congress landscape. The Netherlands maintains its 8th position worldwide with 295 international meetings in 2024. In the European ranking, the Netherlands is in 6th place. The number of congresses is still below the pre-corona level of 2019, but shows recovery compared to the pandemic years.
Top 25 congress countries in Europe according to ICCA 2024:
| Position | Country | Number of congresses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy | 635 |
| 2 | Spain | 536 |
| 3 | Germany | 491 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 481 |
| 5 | France | 432 |
| 6 | Netherlands (worldwide position #8) | 295 |
| 7 | Portugal | 290 |
| 8 | Belgium | 238 |
| 9 | Sweden | 235 |
| 10 | Austria | 233 |
| 11 | Greece | 211 |
| 12 | Poland | 191 |
| 13 | Finland | 186 |
| 14 | Czech Republic | 175 |
| 15 | Denmark | 164 |
| 16 | Norway | 161 |
| 17 | Switzerland | 160 |
| 18 | Ireland | 123 |
| 19 | Turkey | 122 |
| 20 | Hungary | 107 |
| 21 | Slovenia | 81 |
| 22 | Croatia | 72 |
| 23 | Romania | 72 |
| 24 | Estonia | 69 |
| 25 | Lithuania | 54 |
Source: ICCA 2024
Amsterdam climbs to 17th place globally
Amsterdam shows a positive development in the ranking of popular convention cities. The capital rose from 18th to 17th place worldwide and ranks 13th in Europe. With 94 international congresses in 2024, Amsterdam shows steady growth from 73 congresses in 2022.
Top 25 European congress cities according to ICCA 2024:
| Position | City (Country) | Number of congresses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vienna | 154 |
| 2 | Lisbon | 153 |
| 3 | Barcelona | 142 |
| 4 | Prague | 131 |
| 5 | Paris | 124 |
| 6 | Rome | 114 |
| 7 | Athens | 111 |
| 8 | London | 105 |
| 9 | Madrid | 105 |
| 10 | Copenhagen | 101 |
| 11 | Brussels | 100 |
| 12 | Milan | 100 |
| 13 | Amsterdam (global position #17) | 94 |
| 14 | Budapest | 87 |
| 15 | Dublin | 86 |
| 16 | Istanbul | 86 |
| 17 | Berlin | 85 |
| 18 | Stockholm | 85 |
| 19 | Helsinki | 80 |
| 20 | Oslo | 69 |
| 21 | Warsaw | 62 |
| 22 | Porto | 59 |
| 23 | Ljubljana | 51 |
| 24 | Valencia | 51 |
| 25 | Munich | 50 |
Source: ICCA 2024
Dutch cities in the world rankings
The Netherlands has several cities in the international top rankings:
- Amsterdam: 17th place worldwide, 13th in Europe
- Rotterdam: 39th place worldwide
- Utrecht: 117th place worldwide
- Delft, The Hague, Maastricht: 148th place worldwide
- Leiden: 183rd place
Impact of conferences grows
Amsterdam scores well not only on number of congresses, but also on economic impact. The city ranks 7th worldwide in economic revenue with an estimated impact of € 230 million in 2024. Almost 58,000 participants attended the 94 international meetings in Amsterdam. Congresses bring more than just economic benefits. They:
- Attract international talent
- Stimulate knowledge sharing between sectors
- Promote innovation in technology, climate and health
- Contribute to social progress
- Strengthen the Netherlands’ position as a knowledge economy
With a stable 8th position worldwide and Amsterdam’s rise to 17th place worldwide, the Netherlands is proving that it remains a reliable and attractive destination for international congresses and conventions. With Rotterdam, Utrecht, Delft, The Hague, Maastricht, Leiden, Groningen and -runner-up- Apeldoorn as attractive convention cities, the convention sector in the Netherlands could potentially grow further in 2025.
Recovery after corona: not fully back yet
Although the figures are positive, ICCA data shows that the congress sector has not yet fully recovered from the corona pandemic. In 2024, ICCA registered 11,099 international meetings worldwide – still below pre-2020 levels.
Development of number of congresses worldwide:
| Year | Number of congresses worldwide |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 14.500 |
| 2020 | 1.000 |
| 2021 | 2.500 |
| 2022 | 9.500 |
| 2023 | 10.500 |
| 2024 | 11.099 |
Source: ICCA 2024
Sources:
The entire ICCA report can be downloaded and read on the CLC-Vecta website (PDF). The summary of the ICCA 2024 report can be read on the website (PDF) of the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions (NBTC). Also read the news release from amsterdam&partners.
Did you know that Event Connectors – the organisation behind congresagenda.nl – has for many years been providing the Venue Finders of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Apeldoorn with up-to-date and relevant information in 2 languages on congress locations in these congress cities? Many congress organisers are orientating on a suitable venue for their congress or conference. Via lead forms, requests are sent directly to congress locations, putting them in touch with congress organisers. Read e.g. the case of Utrecht Venue Finder
