European Geosciences Union conference extends its stay in Vienna until 2030

The European Geosciences Union (EGU), which has been meeting at the Austria Center Vienna since 2005, has extended its stay at the venue for another five years – to 2030. Over 10,000 international geoscientists are in the Austrian capital for the organisation’s annual General Assembly (23-28 April) this year, and many will be returning now that a contract has been signed to extend the current deal from 2026 to 2030. “We are delighted that the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union will continue to be held at the Austria Center Vienna until 2030. It is our second-largest event and a special highlight each year, because no other scientific congress has such a young and dynamic participant demographic as the EGU,” said Austria Center Vienna director Susanne Baumann-Söllner. “The extension of the contract between the EGU and the Austria Center Vienna is a strong signal for Meeting Destination Vienna. The city once again stands out in international competition and strengthens its position as an important research and science location,” added Christian Woronka, director Vienna Convention Bureau (VCB) and B2B Management at the Vienna Tourist Board. Congress participants spend around twice as much money as the average visitor to Vienna, and the negative impact of their absence made itself felt on the hotel, F&B and tourism industries during the coronavirus pandemic. The Austria Center Vienna director said that the partnership between it and the Vienna Tourist Board and its Vienna Convention Bureau has enabled the venue to close in on booking levels seen in 2019. In 2023, the Austria Center Vienna will host around 20 congresses – six of them with more than 4,000 participants each. The EGU is an interdisciplinary society for scientists working and researching in the geosciences and related fields. The first General Assembly took place in Nice in 2004, and the annual gathering has been held continuously at the Austria Center Vienna since 2005.