In a landmark achievement, Poland has secured its highest position ever in the ICCA Annual Country and City Rankings Report for 2023. Announced during the ICCA Plenary on Monday, May 13, in Frankfurt, the report highlights Poland’s growing prominence in the global meetings industry.
The ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Report, compiled with contributions from ICCA members, including the Poland Convention Bureau and Polish MICE partners, analyzed data from nearly 10,000 meetings held worldwide in 2023.
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.”
Top 20 Countries by Number of Meetings in 2023:
- U.S.A. – 690
- Italy – 553
- Spain – 505
- France – 472
- Germany – 463
- United Kingdom – 425
- Japan – 363
- Netherlands – 304
- Portugal – 303
- Canada – 259
- Republic of Korea – 252
- Sweden – 227
- Australia – 219
- Austria – 203
- Belgium – 202
- Greece – 190
- Poland – 179
- China-P.R. – 170
- Czech Republic – 157
- Brazil – 156
Poland in ICCA Ranking
Poland has achieved its best-ever result in the ICCA Country and City Rankings for 2023, securing the 17th position. This marks a significant improvement, as Poland has climbed six spots from its 23rd-place ranking in the previous report.
The ICCA ranking, considered alongside the Union of International Associations (UIA) ranking, is one of the most significant assessments of global business tourism centres. It serves as a benchmarking tool for the congress and conference potential of business destinations, enabling the identification of competitive advantages and gaps when bidding to host specific events. I am immensely proud of the positions Poland has achieved in this ranking. For the first time, as a country, we have made a significant leap, moving from 23rd place (where we were in the previous ranking) to an impressive 17th! This is a collective success of all Polish cities that contributed data to the report. Special recognition is due to Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan, and Lodz. I congratulate them on this achievement and wish them continued success in attracting meetings and events to Poland. – said Rafał Szmytke, President of the Polish Tourism Organisation.
179 association international meetings reflect the country’s strategic efforts and investments in the MICE sector. This achievement not only marks another for Poland but also highlights the country’s potential as a key player in the global meetings industry. Despite the difficulties and challenges, the country faces in the current geopolitical situation, this significant achievement for Poland, highlighting its growing influence and capability to host international association events.
For the first time, our country has achieved such a significant advancement in the global ranking. We have not only re-entered the top twenty countries for organising association events but have secured the seventeenth position worldwide. Prior to the pandemic, Poland was ranked eighteenth. Special congratulations are due to the City of Gdańsk, which improved its position by an impressive 80 places, and to the City of Wrocław, which climbed 36 spots in the ranking. This high position underscores the growing importance of so-called second-tier cities. – said Aneta Książek, Head of the Meetings and Events Office at the Polish Tourist Organisation.
With 179 meetings that meet ICCA criteria, Poland has also become the 12th most popular destination for association meetings in Europe, just after Greece and before the Czech Republic. This year, Poland also established itself as a leader among the new EU member countries.
Top 20 Countries in Europe for In-Person Meetings in 2023
- Italy – 553 meetings
- Spain – 505 meetings
- France – 472 meetings
- Germany – 463 meetings
- United Kingdom – 425 meetings
- Netherlands – 304 meetings
- Portugal – 303 meetings
- Sweden – 227 meetings
- Austria – 203 meetings
- Belgium – 202 meetings
- Greece – 190 meetings
- Poland – 179 meetings
- Czech Republic – 157 meetings
- Switzerland – 152 meetings
- Norway – 151 meetings
- Finland – 149 meetings
- Ireland – 135 meetings
- Denmark – 133 meetings
- Turkey – 119 meetings
- Croatia – 86 meetings
Polish Cities in ICCA Ranking
Polish cities made their mark in the global ranking of association meetings:
- Warsaw secured the 30th position with 53 meetings, on par with Lyon-St. Etienne.
- Krakow attained the 47th position with 43 meetings, alongside Bologne and Rotterdam.
- Gdansk claimed the 84th position with 27 meetings, matching Auckland, Toulouse, Venice, and Washington.
- Wroclaw reached the 150th position with 15 meetings, similar to cities like Dresden, Brno, and Graz.
- Poznan landed in the 184th position with 12 meetings, achieving results comparable to cities like Oxford, Bratislava, Kobe, and Tbilisi.
- Lodz secured the 248th position with 8 meetings, alongside Las Vegas, Mainz, Leeds, and Baku.
It’s noteworthy that cities included in the ranking must host at least 5 association meetings according to ICCA criteria. Results achieved in the previous report: Warsaw (ranked #30 with 52 meetings),Kraków (ranked #39 with 42 meetings), Gdańsk (ranked #164 with 12 meetings), Wrocław (ranked #186 with 10 meetings).
For comparison, here are the top 20 cities in Europe based on in-person meetings in 2023:
- Paris, France – 156 meetings
- Lisbon, Portugal – 151 meetings
- Vienna, Austria – 141 meetings
- Barcelona, Spain – 139 meetings
- Prague, Czech Republic – 134 meetings
- Rome, Italy – 119 meetings
- Madrid, Spain – 109 meetings
- Dublin, Ireland – 104 meetings
- London, United Kingdom – 99 meetings
- Berlin, Germany – 97 meetings
- Athens, Greece – 88 meetings
- Copenhagen, Denmark – 87 meetings
- Amsterdam, Netherlands – 84 meetings
- Brussels, Belgium – 76 meetings
- Stockholm, Sweden – 74 meetings
- Helsinki, Finland and Istanbul, Turkey – 72 meetings
- Porto, Portugal – 68 meetings
- Budapest, Hungary – 63 meetings
- Oslo, Norway – 62 meetings
Polish cities secured these positions in European ranking: 22nd for Warsaw, 30th for Krakow, 52nd for Gdansk, 85th for Wroclaw, 105th for Poznan, and 135th for Lodz.
What criteria does ICCA adopt?
The ICCA statistical report is prepared based on data concerning ICCA meetings collected from convention bureaux, conference facilities, hotels and associations themselves. To be considered, the meetings must meet three conditions:
- Rotate and take place in at least three countries/territories
- Attract at least 50 participants.
- Occur with a specified frequency (annually, biennially, triennially, etc.).
About ICCA
ICCA keeps promoting the positive impacts international meetings and events can bring to all corners of the globe and looks forward to continuing its role as a vehicle for change and an advocate for good in the industry and in the world as a whole. ICCA website.
Read also: ICCA Business Analytics 2022 Country and City Rankings
ICCA Central European Chapter Meeting in Poznan 2025
source: ICCA, analysis by Jaroslaw Marciuk
