The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) published its annual country and city rankings of the most popular destinations for international meetings.

For the second year in a row, Paris has taken the top spot, pulling further ahead of other European cities.

The figures need to be viewed in context (besides Covid-19). 

The ICCA publishes its rankings based on three eligibility criteria: meetings must rotate between at least three countries; occur regularly; and attract a minimum of 50 participants.  London only comes eighth under this criteria, behind Lisbon, Berlin and Barcelona.  In 2019 London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, City and Southend) moved 160m passengers, way ahead of the next busiest European city, the combined Charles de Gaulle and Orly Paris gateways at 106m.

Amongst the highlights for Paris in 2019 was the World Congress of Cardiology attracting 33,000 participants from 20 different countries at the Paris Convention Centre which also hosted the 37th Congress of the European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (8,200 attendees). 

Paris Expo Porte de Versailles was the venue for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo Europe, number one leisure industry event in Europe, with 8,500 attendees. 

Other big numbers included the Palais des Congrès de Paris successfully hosting three conventions, that each drew more than 4,000 participants: EURETINA 2019 by the European Society of Retina Specialists, the 47th annual World Chemistry Congress and the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases.  One of the year's highlights for the Palais des Congrès d’Issy was the Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, while attendees of the World Hydropower Congress gathered at Espace Grande Arche.

www.iccaworld.org