The latest ICCA - International Congress and Convention Association ranking confirms Portugal's status among the top destinations for international events and congresses.
- Portugal is in 9th place in the world ranking of countries, as it was in 2023, with a total of 290 congresses held, and maintains 7th place in the European ranking;
- Lisbon regains 2nd place in the world, only trailing Vienna by a single event, and also retains 2nd place in Europe - a position it has held since 2019;
- Porto has also strengthened its international presence, ranking 34th in the world and 22nd in Europe, and is preparing to host the prestigious 64th ICCA Congress from November 9 to 12, 2025;
- Globally, the US leads the way, followed by Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK.
Finally, the ICCA has set aside space to address some prominent global trends:
- Latin America and the Middle East continue to grow as emerging regions, showing consistent growth between 2022 and 2024;
- The Asia-Pacific region is increasingly competitive, with 13 countries among the world's top 50 destinations;
- In Africa, there is growing interest in strengthening infrastructure and capacity to host events.
The importance of measuring the economic impact on GDP of destinations hosting international events
Destinations that invest in international congresses and events show significant and sustainable economic gains. Here are some examples:
Barcelona: Catalonia recorded a GDP growth of 3.6% (above Spain, 3.2%, and the EU average, 0.8%), with 142 events and more than 125,000 participants, resulting in a return of 360 million.
Singapore: GDP growth was 4.4%, driven by 144 events and 93,000 participants, generating a return of 290 million.
Measuring impact is essential for cities that want to stand out in the international market for congresses and major international events. Concrete data helps to inform decision-making and makes it possible to objectively assess results. They also show that the impact goes far beyond numbers, with the generation and sharing of knowledge, the promotion of scientific advances, the emergence of new economic sectors and, above all, the strengthening of local communities.
