Situated in the heart of Europe, Poland boasts numerous advantages that position it as a top-tier event destination, and these extend beyond its rich history, culture, and natural beauty. The meetings industry in Poland is one of the fastest-growing in Europe, with an expected value of over $4,5 billion in 2023. Experts currently estimate its potential at up to 3-4%. GDP. Despite the difficulties which we all know about, the sector is growing, as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of participants in the business events hosted in the country.
Kraków is entering the premier league of the meetings industry
Warsaw, Gdańsk, Wrocław and Poznań all have the facilities, infrastructure and qualified staff to host conferences and meetings of varying sizes and formats. Cities co-hosted, alongside Ukraine, the well-received European Football Championship in 2012, the NATO Summit in 2016 and the COP 24 climate summit in 2018 was held in Katowice. This is confirmed by the country’s significant stride in UIA ranking – climbing to the 20th spot globally in 2023. The three-position rise is a testament to its growing influence in the international meetings and events industry.
The city owes its success in the UIA ranking primarily to the greatly received ICCA Congress 2022 hosted by Kraków. It attracted over 900 participants from 80 countries, with over 100 speakers sharing their knowledge and expertise. The 61st ICCA Congress, organized in Poland for the first time, with its theme “Together We Can,” was focused on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), sustainability, and legacy. By bringing the entire meetings industry community together to shape its future, organizers demonstrated a willingness to meet the highest standards.
61st ICCA Congress boosts Kraków as a meetings industry top destination
“This is the greatest reward and a summary of the last 20 years of transformation of our entire sector,” said Aneta Książek, Head of Poland Convention Bureau POT and a member of the local organizing committee for the 61st ICCA Congress. The opening ceremony was hosted by the famous Emcee Łukasz Cioch, and the delegates witnessed a spectacular performance by Art Color Ballet and the first appearance of an expert on stage as a hologram, emphasizing the merging of offline and online worlds.
“We made sure that delegates not only admired Kraków but also left fulfilled in terms of education and business. I also hope they have become the best ambassadors of Poland in the circles they represent,” Książek added. Meanwhile, Małgorzata Przygórska-Skowron, Head of the Krakow Convention Bureau and a member of the local organizing committee on behalf of the host city, said that “this is an event that the world’s largest cities fight for. Thanks to the ICCA Congress, Kraków is entering the premier league of the meetings industry,“ she pointed out.
Educational sessions and workshops were dedicated to the concept of legacy and its significance when meetings and events are held in a particular destination. Poland speakers could share their experience in that matter discussing the case study of the UEFA EURO 2012 significant success, referred to as “the Polish effect.” That example, showing how sporting events could be used as a place marketing tool, can safely be regarded as one of the first steps on the Polish development path.
New, sustainable reality
The Congress also featured inspiring educational sessions and workshops focused on sustainability, a key issue in ICCA’s activities. Trends in the meetings industry over the past few years clearly indicate that both event organizers and beneficiaries place increasing importance on ecological and sustainable development issues. They are taking actions to reduce CO2 emissions, minimize waste, and achieve independent certifications. The 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow is a prime example of this.
The city even, just before THE Congress – as the first in Poland – joined the unique Global Destination Sustainability – GDS-Index initiative. It compares cities based on their sustainability development results, and the ranking is based on seventy criteria. The GDS Index is authored by the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDSM), which brings together sustainable development pioneers in the business and leisure tourism world. The GDSM, together with the ICCA, had also summarized the Congress in terms of sustainability and counted its carbon footprint.
As the demand for sustainable events is growing, not only Kraków, but the whole of Poland is becoming a more and more desirable destination for meetings or congress organizers who are looking to reduce their environmental impact. More and more events, not only of the highest rank, are measuring their carbon footprint and making it public, proving to society that ESG principles are not used for greenwashing, but are realistically treated to reinforce a new, sustainable reality.
Good budget management and reasonable prices are other features that make Poland an attractive meetings industry destination. According to the CVENT Travel Manager Report 2023, rising costs are the primary concern for travel managers, with 65% of decision-makers citing cost escalation as their top consideration. As they are looking for creative strategies to optimize budgets without compromising on quality, Kraków and Poland are becoming a top choice.
Find more information on Poland as a conference destination on Meetings Poland Travel’s website.
