The 2024 ICCA ranking includes data on over 11,000 international association congresses worldwide. Despite strong competition from larger cities with more extensive international air connectivity, Ljubljana succeeded in positioning itself among the top global destinations, primarily due to strong local stakeholder collaboration, a targeted offer, and effective promotion.
On the European list, Ljubljana secured 23rd place, ahead of cities such as Munich, Zurich, Bologna, Florence, Zagreb, and Belgrade.
The Ljubljana Convention Bureau Consortium at Ljubljana Tourism recorded 99 international events in 2024, reflecting a 23.8% increase compared to 2023. The majority of these events (84.8%) had fewer than 500 participants, further confirming Ljubljana’s competitiveness in the global market. Smaller-scale events, which do not require large-scale congress infrastructure, enable broader competition with cities across the world.
In the past year, Ljubljana also hosted several large-scale international meetings, such as the ECREA 2024 European Communication Conference, the 24th Congress of the European Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, the 14th International Congress on Autoimmunity (Autoimmunity 2024) and the Ecsite 2024 Conference.
In addition to direct benefits for hotels, restaurants, and transport providers, international events drive demand for conference and special venues, technical support, local suppliers, and ancillary services. The economic impact of a major event can exceed €2 million.
The meetings industry contributes significantly to achieving Ljubljana Tourism’s strategic goals of increasing destination spending, extending the average length of stay, and reducing seasonality. The average daily expenditure of a business guest is €500, 3.5 times that of a leisure visitor, and they tend to stay longer, averaging 2.9 days. Most international events are held outside the peak summer months, with the highest concentrations in September, May, and June. The meetings industry, therefore, contributes to year-round tourism stability and enables long-term employment in service sectors.
Beyond economic benefits, international scientific and professional events also promote scientific progress, job creation, talent development, and infrastructure improvements. For example, the 2017 UNESCO World Congress on Open Educational Resources led to the establishment of the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) under the auspices of UNESCO, headquartered in Ljubljana.
