The latest edition of ICCA’s flagship GlobeWatch research report was revealed to media on the first day of IMEX Frankfurt on May 19, 2026.
The report reveals a global meetings industry that continues to evolve through regional growth, emerging destinations, and increased investment in local event infrastructure.
Produced by the ICCA Research team, the GlobeWatch 2025 ICCA Country and City Rankings Report analyzed more than 12,438 international association meetings worldwide, providing one of the industry’s most comprehensive benchmarks for global meetings and events activity.
According to Dr. Senthil Gopinath, ICCA CEO, “the GlobeWatch 2025 ICCA Country and City Rankings Report stands as a testament to our industry’s resilience. It reflects not only where we have been, but where we are headed.”
The report includes analysis by region, meeting size, sector, and — for the first time — venue types, giving destinations and industry stakeholders more detailed strategic insights into the changing meetings landscape.
“This year’s edition introduces enhancements designed to provide a more strategic and contextual view of international meeting activity,” Dr. Gopinath said. “Our aim is to ensure that the intelligence contained in these pages is actionable, helping members make smarter decisions, pursue stronger business opportunities, and build compelling cases for government advocacy and private investment.”
Europe maintained the largest share of international association meetings globally at 53%, followed by Asia-Pacific at 22% and North America at 10%. Meanwhile, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East continued to expand their presence in the sector.
The United States retained its position as the leading country for international meetings in 2025. At city level, Lisbon, Paris, and Barcelona topped the global rankings, followed by Vienna, Singapore, Prague, Copenhagen, London, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Speaking during a media briefing accompanying the report launch, Dr. Gopinath said ICCA is seeing growing momentum in second-tier and emerging cities as meetings increasingly move closer to regional markets and sector-specific industries.
“We see second-tier and third-tier cities growing strongly, especially in larger countries,” he said. “Association meetings are becoming key drivers for local economies, healthcare, technology, agriculture, and many other sectors.”
He noted that mid-size meetings now represent the largest segment in many markets, allowing destinations beyond major capitals to compete more effectively for international events.
“These meetings do not require huge convention centers and can be hosted almost anywhere,” Gopinath added.
ICCA CEO also pointed to shifting global conditions that are accelerating regionalization across the meetings sector. Rising airfare costs, visa challenges, geopolitical uncertainty, and operational expenses are prompting organizers to rethink event strategies.
“We will definitely see more regional meetings because of travel costs and operational realities,” Dr. Gopinath said. “But at the same time, many governments and cities are investing heavily in event districts and local infrastructure to retain meetings business over the long term.”
He emphasized that governments increasingly recognize the wider economic and social value of association meetings beyond tourism spending alone.
“The international association meetings sector continues to deliver impact that extends well beyond short-term tourism spend, from scientific advancement and policy development to social legacy and cross-border collaboration,” Gopinath added.
ICCA is also preparing to release a new global government meetings report in June, examining the growing contribution of government-related meetings to local economies worldwide.
“In many parts of the world, government meetings are a fundamental business segment for convention centers, bureaus, and destinations,” Dr. Gopinath explained. “The data clearly shows the enormous contribution governments make to local economies.”
The 2025 GlobeWatch report covers 162 countries and territories and 1,603 cities, reflecting what ICCA describes as an increasingly ambitious and globally connected meetings industry.
“As you explore the rankings and analysis, I hope you will find not only data, but direction,” Gopinath concluded.
