The 66th International Meetings Statistics Report by the Union of International Associations provides a comprehensive global overview of international association meetings. Its findings are based on data from the UIA database, which underpins the International Congress Calendar and the Yearbook of International Organisations. Focusing on events held worldwide in 2024, the Report delivers detailed insights into that year’s activity while also highlighting key trends across a twenty-year period, from 2005 to 2024. This resource is particularly relevant for B2B professionals operating in the MICE sector, providing a valuable perspective on the evolution and dynamics of international association meetings.
66th International Meetings Statistics Report
Between 2001 and 2019, the international association meetings market experienced steady growth and consistently high levels of activity. The number of meetings increased year-on-year, peaking around 2018–2019 with close to 15,000 events annually. This upward trend reflected the dynamic expansion of the global meetings industry and the growing importance of association events as platforms for knowledge exchange and international collaboration.
The year 2020 marked a sharp disruption. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with international travel restrictions and public gathering bans, led to a dramatic decline in the number of meetings held. Data from 2021 confirmed the prolonged impact of the crisis, with meeting activity remaining at historically low levels. Many events were either cancelled or moved online, reshaping the way associations interacted with their audiences.
From 2022 onwards, a gradual recovery has been observed. Both 2023 and 2024 show a clear upward trend, although the number of meetings has yet to return to pre-pandemic figures, stabilising in the range of 9,000 to 10,000 events per year. This suggests a cautious but steady rebound, alongside a lasting shift in event formats. Hybrid models and regionally focused meetings have gained prominence, indicating a structural evolution in how international associations deliver value and engage their global communities.
For B2B professionals in the MICE sector, these trends underscore the need to adapt to evolving expectations, invest in flexible event solutions, and actively position destinations to capture future growth in a reshaped meetings landscape.
The Report is currently under embargo and reserved exclusively for UIA Associate Members until its public release in September 2025.
About UIA (Union of International Associations)
Established in 1907 in Brussels, the UIA (Union of International Associations) is the world’s oldest and most extensive resource on global civil society. It gathers, curates, and disseminates accurate, up-to-date information on international associations, including their missions, activities, areas of interest, and meetings, making it the most comprehensive reference in the field.
Poland as a UIA Associate Member
Poland has been an Associate Member of the Union of International Associations (UIA) since 2011, with the Poland Convention Bureau (a unit of the Polish Tourism Organisation) serving as its official national partner. This affiliation grants Poland privileged access to the UIA’s extensive database and research on international association meetings, enabling strategic planning and active contribution to global MICE trends.
In the 2023 edition of the UIA’s International Meetings Statistics Report, Poland ranked 21st worldwide by hosting 122 international association meetings, with both Warsaw and Kraków each supporting 32 events.
