Italy hosted 635 international congresses last year—an increase of 82 compared to 2023—marking the highest growth among Europe’s top competitors. The surge is the most notable among all countries, confirming the effectiveness of strategies aimed at improving international positioning.
Italy’s growth is not just quantitative, but also qualitative. The country ranks third globally in the number of congresses in both the technology and medical-scientific sectors—two critical fields for knowledge development and long-term economic impact.
“Italy is confirmed as the leading European and second global destination for conference tourism, according to the ICCA 2024 report, closing in on the U.S. and widening the gap from Spain. This is an extraordinary result that rewards the teamwork between institutions and professionals, further strengthening our international appeal,” stated Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè.
The ICCA ranking is the leading global benchmark for the conference tourism sector. It analyses recurring international congresses that rotate among at least three countries, excluding one-time or local events. These gatherings serve as proof of a destination’s ability to attract, organise, and integrate within a global network of relationships, infrastructure, and expertise. It is a reference point for destinations worldwide, with inclusion confirming a location’s competitiveness.
In an increasingly competitive context—Europe accounts for 56% of global congress content—all countries are investing heavily to attract strategic events. Italy is not only keeping up but outpacing the rest, demonstrating strong structural maturity and competitive capability.
This is further reflected in the performance of individual cities: Rome remains in the global top 10, ranking 9th with 114 international congresses, while Milan has made a significant leap from 29th to 14th with 100 congresses and stands out as the third-ranked city globally in terms of average attendees per congress. With Bologna, Naples, Florence, and Turin, Italy has six cities in the global top 100 and 20 cities in the ICCA Top 300, the highest number in the world.
“The numbers are clear: Italy is not just competitive, but rapidly accelerating. We’re growing faster than our European competitors and confirming our global leadership. Rome and Milan have made significant progress, but the entire system is showing maturity, adaptability, and vision. Italy is firmly embedded in global congress flows and stands out not only in quantity but in the quality and impact of its content,” said Carlotta Ferrari, President of Convention Bureau Italia.
Convention Bureau Italia continues its mission to position Italy at the forefront of global conference tourism, with a focus on innovation, reputation, and quality in a global context that increasingly rewards integrated systems.
