At IMEX in Frankfurt, ICCA once again published its rankings of cities and countries. This year, the Globewatch Business Analytics – 2024 Country & City Rankings report takes a broader approach than in previous years.
But first—how are ‘we’ doing? The Netherlands maintains its respectable 8th position, just as in 2023. In addition, Amsterdam is highlighted as one of the cities with an outstanding economic return from meetings. The 94 meetings counted by ICCA in Amsterdam brought in nearly 60,000 delegates and generated an economic return of no less than 230 million USD!
In addition to rankings, this comprehensive 2024 edition offers a wealth of insights, categorized by region, meeting size, and sector. By combining detailed data, geographic evaluations, and forward-looking analyses, it positions meetings as powerful tools for policy, knowledge exchange, and long-term value creation.
One of the key recommendations is a holistic approach to strategic meetings and measuring the economic return of internationalization and urban development. The 2024 data supports this:
Destinations that prioritize alignment over volume achieve higher returns per meeting.
Well-selected meetings create sustainable growth that goes beyond immediate tourism revenues.
The economic contribution of international meetings is comparable to other sectors, but requires fewer resources.
These findings highlight the need for deliberate, impact-oriented meeting strategies.
Want to read the press report? Download it here!