The latest ICCA GlobeWatch: Business Analytics – Country & City Rankings 2024 offers valuable insight into Poland’s standing within the global association meetings market. Poland secured the 19th position in the world, once again placing the country firmly within the global Top 20.
These results reflect the collaborative efforts of Poland Convention Bureau – Polish Tourism Organisation, local convention bureaux, venues, and industry stakeholders. Their ongoing work in reporting to ICCA and positioning Poland as a serious player on the international stage continues to yield strong outcomes.
This year’s result follows Poland’s 17th place in 2023 and 23rd place in 2022, highlighting a consistent upward trend and reinforcing Poland’s growing reputation as a competitive and attractive destination for international association meetings.
In the European ranking, Poland ranked 12th, with a total of 191 qualifying meetings held in 2024 across various destinations.
Key Polish Cities in the ICCA City Rankings:
- Warsaw hosted 62 international association meetings, ranking 21st in Europe and 31st globally.
- Kraków organized 49 meetings, securing 26th place in Europe and joint 42nd globally, alongside Edinburgh.
- Wrocław made its appearance in the rankings with 18 meetings, placing 81st in Europe (alongside Nantes and Bruges) and 135th worldwide.
- Gdańsk hosted 14 qualifying meetings, achieving 98th place in Europe (on par with Leipzig, Malmö, Cologne, Dubrovnik, and Stavanger) and 167th globally.
- Poznań rounds out Poland’s Top 5, with 10 meetings, placing 125th in Europe (equal to Cambridge, Galway, Bonn, and Bari) and 232nd in the global ranking.
Other Polish Cities Featured in the ICCA 2024 Rankings
In addition to the top five cities, several other Polish destinations hosted international association meetings in 2024 and were included in the ICCA report:
- Katowice and Łódź: Each hosted 6 meetings, ranking 167th in Europe and 323rd globally, alongside cities such as Girona, Hannover, Limerick, Liège, Siena, and Nancy.
- Lublin: With 5 meetings, it ranked 190th in Europe and 367th globally, together with destinations including Davos, Bled, Bristol, Olomouc, and Salamanca.
- Kielce, Kościelisko, and Pruszków: Each hosted 3 meetings.
- Zamość, Białystok, Bydgoszcz, and Zakopane: Each hosted 2 meetings.
- Krzyżowa, Krynica, Opole, Serock, Szczecin, and Zamość (noted twice in the dataset): Each hosted 1 meeting.
Poland’s position within the global Top 20 and the Top 15 in Europe underscores the country’s solid presence in the international association meetings market. While Warsaw and Kraków remain leading hubs, the inclusion of multiple regional cities in the rankings signals significant potential for decentralised growth across the country.
Understanding that the majority of international association meetings are medium-sized events (150–999 participants) offers strategic insights for tailoring venue offerings, service portfolios, and marketing approaches. Just like other global destinations, Polish cities and regions can leverage these meetings not only for immediate economic benefit but also to foster long-term legacy, support local innovation, and attract future investment.
Discover more: The City of Poznań and Poznan Event Hub to Host the ICCA Central European Chapter Meeting 2025.
ICCA Ranking Criteria: What Qualifies an Association Meeting?
The ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) rankings are based exclusively on international association meetings that meet three specific criteria:
- The meeting must be recurrent, held on a regular basis (e.g., annual, biennial).
- It must attract a minimum of 50 participants.
- It must rotate between at least three countries.
These strict requirements mean that once a conference has been held in a particular country – such as Poland – it is unlikely to return shortly, and the pool of associations selecting new destinations evolves year by year.
About ICCA
ICCA is one of the oldest and most respected organizations in the global meetings industry. With a presence in nearly 100 countries and a membership of over 1,100 companies and organizations involved in the organization, transportation, and accommodation of international business events, ICCA has been collecting, analyzing, and sharing data for more than 50 years.
ICCA serves as a global knowledge hub and connector for the association meetings community, facilitating data-driven strategies and fostering international collaboration.
City of Poznań and Poznan Congress Center to Host ICCA Central European Chapter Meeting 2025
Poland’s Role in ICCA
The Polish Tourism Organisation has been a member of ICCA since 2002, coinciding with the establishment of the Poland Convention Bureau. As part of its mandate, the Poland Convention Bureau is responsible for annually reporting qualifying international association meetings held in Poland. This contribution helps ensure that Poland remains accurately represented in global rankings and benchmarking efforts.
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