Poland has once again been ranked among the top 20 countries in the world in terms of the number of international association meetings In the latest report, “Globe Watch Business Analytics – 2024 Country & City Rankings,” published by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), our country ranked 19th in the world and 12th in Europe, confirming its strong position on the global map of the meetings industry.
The ranking, based on data from over 11,000 events from around the world, is one of the most important benchmarking tools in the international meetings industry.
In 2024, Poland hosted 191 international association meetings that met the ICCA criteria – they were held regularly, gathered a minimum of 50 participants, and rotated between at least three countries.
Polish cities increasingly present in the ICCA ranking
Not only the leaders stand out – Warsaw (31st place in the world, 21st in Europe) and Krakow (42nd place globally, 26th in Europe) – but also other conference centers that are dynamically developing their potential:
Wrocław – thanks to the organization of 18 events, it ranked 135th in the world.
Gdańsk – with 14 events, ranked 167th globally.
Poznań – ranked 232nd, hosting 10 meetings.
The ICCA list also includes Katowice, Łódź, Lublin, Kielce, Kościelisko, Pruszków, Zamość, Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Zakopane, Opole, Serock, and Szczecin.
Poland’s consistent presence in the ICCA’s global TOP 20 ranking is a joint success for the entire industry – from municipal and regional convention bureaux, through congress facilities, Polish Congress Ambassadors, to conference organisers and academic institutions.
“Poland’s presence at the top of the ICCA’s global ranking is proof of the effectiveness of our joint efforts to promote Poland. This success is the result of many years of cooperation with local partners and commitment to accurate reporting of data to the ICCA. We are pleased that more and more Polish cities are appearing in the ranking – this confirms that the meetings industry is also developing dynamically outside the main centers,” comments Aneta Książek, manager of the Poland Convention Bureau, Polish Tourist Organization.
The international meetings market in transition
This year’s ICCA report also shows dynamic changes in the scale and nature of events. Fifty-three percent of meetings were medium-sized (150-999 participants), and only 8 percent were congresses with more than 1,000 people. These data confirm that the potential lies in medium-sized events, especially if they are strategically linked to the priorities of a given destination.
In 2024, there were over 11,000 eligible international association meetings across all continents. Europe continues to hold the leading position, hosting 56% of all events, followed by Asia-Pacific (18%) and North America (10%). Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East also contribute significantly to the global knowledge exchange ecosystem, with Latin America and the Middle East showing steady year-on-year growth in meetings from 2022 to 2024.
The leading countries in Europe are Italy (635 meetings), Spain (536), Germany (491), the United Kingdom (481), and France (432). The leaders among European (and global) cities are Vienna (154 meetings), Lisbon (153), Barcelona (142), Prague (131), and Paris (124).
Source and photo: ICCA
