ICCA Top Ten Cities and Countries


When it comes to planning a meeting or event, whenever possible we all want the top of everything. Top venue, top accommodations, top service companies and yes top city and country. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) released its Top Rankings for cities and countries around the globe. Along with the top rankings the ICCA is reporting some meetings industry positive update. News that the associations market is growing in strength for another year.

Basing the rankings on events that took place. Events planned by international associations that alternate between a minimum of three countries and takes place on a regular basis. The ICCA research panel and members recognized that 11,685 association events took place between a minimum of three countries in. That shows a rise in meetings by 535 over the year before.

Who is the ICCA?

ICCA is a member based organization that supports and advocates for over 900 member service companies in over 90 countries internationally. ICCA members are professionals that specialize in accommodating, moving, and planning meetings and events. And the ICCA is dedicated to the international association meetings segment providing first rate business improvement prospects, the ultimate in information exchange and communication second to none.

ICCA Top Cities

When it comes to the city rankings, some of the results were surprising while others not so much. This year Vienna is out and Paris is in. For the first time since 2005 Vienna has slipped from number one to number three. Paris, number two last year has landed in the top spot. And Madrid went from fourth spot to number two this year. Here are the top 10 cities in order of their rankings.

Paris – 204 meetings
Madrid – 186 meetings
Vienna – 182 meetings
Barcelona – 179 meetings
Berlin – 178 meetings
Singapore – 175 meetings
London – 166 meetings
Istanbul – 146 meetings
Lisbon – 125 meetings
Seoul – 125 meetings

Note: No cities in the USA ranked in ICCA’s top ten cities.

ICCA Top Countries

This time all the countries included in the top ten country rankings round-up are exactly the same as the year before. Only this time they aren’t exactly in the same order. First, second and third place remain the same, USA, Germany and Spain. A switcheroo happened in the next couple of rankings. France is now in spot number four with the United Kingdom following in the five spot. Here are the top 10 countries in order of their rankings.

USA – 829 meetings
Germany – 722 meetings
Spain – 562 meetings
France – 527 meetings
United Kingdom – 525 meetings
Italy – 447 meetings
Japan – 342 meetings
China – 340 meetings
Brazil – 315 meetings
Netherlands – 302 meetings

The ICCA makes it crystal clear. Their results are intended to be used as a means to aid associations in pinpointing possible new meeting destinations. For more about the ICCA and all the information and rankings, please click here.

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