In the latest rankings for countries and cities hosting qualifying rotating association meetings, the USA and Paris topped the lists in their respective categories. The annual ICCA Rankings are a joint effort with ICCA members and ICCA’s Research Team and based on data compiled from 10,000 meetings that took place over the course of 2023 throughout the world. This year’s report stands out for the increased continental diversity in the Top 20 country rank as, besides European, Asian and North American countries, Latin America and Oceania were also represented compared to 2022. Additionally, the findings included the addition of an Asian destination into the year’s top five spots. This result demonstrates the region’s positive development in adapting to such a competitive environment. ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath said: “We’re pleased to share ICCA’s Country and City Rankings for 2023. Our research team has performed exceptionally in compiling this comprehensive data. It’s a cornerstone for our association, providing invaluable insights that empower our members and enhance our community’s strategic positioning.” Paris is the world’s number one city meetings destination, according to the ICCA City Rankings 2023 having hosted 156 meetings. The French capital was closely followed by Singapore (152), in second place, with Lisbon (151), hot on its heels in third. Over the past 10 years, Paris has always ranked in one of the top three places in the ICCA rankings, and in 1st place seven times. Corinne Menegaux, managing director of Paris je t’aime – Office de tourisme: “We’re delighted with this result, but above all proud to see that our efforts to support congresses in our areas of excellence are bearing fruit. The launch of our Hospitality Manifesto, a collective commitment developed with tourism professionals, optimises and strengthens the hosting of major events in our region.” With more than 1,600 signatories, the Paris je t’aime Hospitality Manifesto proposes avenues for reflection and concrete commitments in 2024, broken down by sector of activitý around 3 structuring axes common to all: supporting the destination’s ecological transition, optimising the visitor experience, encouraging the local ecosystem. To support the deployment of this Manifesto, particularly during the Olympic Games, Paris je t’aime is setting up a network of information relays with Parisian kiosks and a webapp: my.parisjetaime.com. Matthieu Buronfosse, executive director of the VIPARIS Sales and Marketing Division, said: “VIPARIS is extremely proud to contribute to Paris’s reputation and to host dozens of international congresses at its venues every year, particularly at the Palais des Congrès de Paris, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. VIPARIS is also making a concrete commitment alongside Paris je t’aime, as a signatory of the Hospitality Manifesto, to ensure the best possible welcome for all international visitors.” Paris now offers a new carbon footprint calculator free to event organisers. It calculates in concrete terms the carbon footprint (e.g. energy and transport), the economic spin-offs (direct and indirect) and the legacy left by the event to its host region (infrastructure or social contributions). Alongside the ICCA rankings, Paris je t’aime also conducts its own annual survey of convention activity in Paris, aimed at gaining a better understanding of the scale, dynamism and impact of convention hosting in the region. In 2023, Paris je t’aime recorded:
- 800 conventions (compared with 714 in 2022) for around 1 million attendees.
- 47% of conventions were international (compared with 46% in 2022)
- Some 40 congresses held their first event in Paris
The city is also focusing strongly on its perceived sectors of excellence: design and creativity, technology, health, culture, sport and gastronomy – all powerful levers for attracting conferences and professional events. Vienna (141) and Barcelona (139) made up the rest of the ICCA City Rankings top five, in a Top 10 dominated by European cities. Seoul, which occupies 10th spot, was the only other Asian city apart from Singapore in the top 10, which included Prague, Rome, Madrid and Dublin. The USA topped the country rankings with 690 rotating meetings. ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath said: “We’re pleased to share ICCA’s Country and City Rankings for 2023. Our research team has performed exceptionally in compiling this comprehensive data. It’s a cornerstone for our association, providing invaluable insights that empower our members and enhance our community’s strategic positioning.” Download the ICCA Rankings report here
