Brussels has once again been crowned the leading congress city for 2023, according to the latest UIA rankings.
The capital of Belgium continues to be the world’s top destination for international meetings organized by international organizations, as reported in the UIA’s 65th International Meetings Statistics Report. The recent addition of The Association Place, a dedicated hub for international associations, has further solidified Brussels’ dominant position.
Every year, the meetings industry eagerly anticipates the UIA rankings for convention cities, which serve as a crucial benchmark. As in previous editions, Brussels has maintained its top spot, hosting the largest number of international meetings by international non-profit organizations. In 2023 alone, there were 8,486 international meetings held globally, with Brussels hosting 620 of them. This achievement places Brussels well ahead of Vienna, which hosted 298 conferences, and Tokyo, in third place.
Over the past two decades, Brussels has consistently been at the forefront, hosting more international association congresses than any other city. From 2004 to 2023, Brussels has been the top city globally for such events, followed by Singapore, Vienna, Paris, and Seoul. In the European ranking, Brussels’ leadership is even more pronounced, with nearly twice as many international association meetings as Paris and almost three times as many as London.
Patrick Bontinck, CEO of visit.brussels, attributes this success to the city’s active support for international associations. “Some 2,470 international associations have their headquarters in our capital. No city has more. These organizations can count on the active support of visit.brussels’ Convention and Association Bureau,” said Bontinck. The inauguration of The Association Place last year underscores Brussels’ commitment to this sector.
Elisabeth Van Ingelgem, Director of the Convention and Association Bureau, added, “Brussels makes a special effort to assist international associations. With The Association Place, we now have a genuine hotspot for international associations. The aim is to make it the primary gateway to international association life in Brussels and provide the sector with a space for meeting, debate, and knowledge exchange.”
Located at 63 avenue d’Auderghem in the Brussels commune of Etterbeek, The Association Place serves as a central venue for fostering collaboration and innovation among international associations.
Brussels’ sustained success as the leading congress city for 2023 highlights its pivotal role in the global meetings industry, offering unmatched support and infrastructure for international organizations.
Find out more about the International Meetings Statistics Report at https://uia.org/publications/meetings-stats
