Home NEWS The 64th ICCA Congress 2025 wraps up a groundbreaking event

The 64th ICCA Congress 2025 wraps up a groundbreaking event

The 64th ICCA Congress concluded after a dynamic four-day event in Porto

Nov 19, 2025

The 64th ICCA Congress concluded on Wednesday after a dynamic four-day event in Porto that brought together 1,514 delegates from 81 countries. Drawing on the theme “Charting the Course,” this year’s Congress featured an ambitious new multivenue format, intentional design for participation, and a focus on sustainability, innovation and legacy.

Setting the record for the largest Congress ever to be held in continental Europe, the dynamic, immersive experience serves as a blueprint for future multivenue congresses and further solidifies ICCA’s place as the global leader in global business events.

Held across 9 iconic locations, including the historic Alfândega Congress Centre and stunning venues in the heart of Porto’s cultural districts, the Congress offered delegates the opportunity to explore five distinct content tracks, including Impact & Sustainability, Future Leadership & Resilience, Purposeful Business Models & Start-Ups, Innovation & Technology and The Creative Edge.

One Congress, Hundreds of Unique Experiences

The immersive Congress programme allowed participants to chart their own course and design their own experience, with five content tracks that allowed for individual exploration of key topics and interactive sessions with bold-name leaders across the business events space. Highlights of the event included:

Multi-venue engagement model: Delegates moved among diverse spaces throughout the city, transforming the congress into an immersive, city-wide experience.
Interactive and participatory design: The agenda emphasised peer learning, networking, and storytelling rather than passive presentations, reflecting evolving expectations in the meetings industry.
Sustainability and legacy built in: Sessions on future-focussed models, inclusive design and industry impact underscored ICCA’s commitment to responsible business events.
Global networking in action: With delegates from all corners of the globe, the event reinforced ICCA’s position as a premier platform for association and business-events professionals.

Dr. Senthil Gopinath

ICCA CEO

ICCA CEO Dr. Senthil Gopinath said: “Porto has enabled us to take a bold step forward in how global meetings are designed and experienced. We asked our community to chart the course, and you responded with energy, insight and connection. This is not simply an event — it is a movement toward greater relevance, innovation and impact in our industry.”

“This ICCA Congress will go down in history as the first ever to take place across multiple venues — nine in total, spread throughout Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Matosinhos.”

Luís Pedro Martins, President of Porto and North of Portugal – Convention & Visitors Bureau: “We have a strong sense of mission accomplished. It has been four challenging and intense days of work, but I believe we can all be proud of what we have achieved together. This ICCA Congress will go down in history as the first ever to take place across multiple venues — nine in total, spread throughout Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Matosinhos. We have proven that this innovative format is not only possible but highly successful, thanks to the extraordinary effort and collaboration of so many people. Our sincere thanks go to ICCA for placing their trust in Porto and the North of Portugal to host such a prestigious event, to Visit Portugal for joining us on this ambitious journey, and, above all, to all our partners and our dedicated team, whose hard work and commitment made this achievement possible.”

The Congress has come to a close, and preparations have begun for the next global gathering in Panama City, Panama, from 8-11 November 2026. ICCA looks forward to another exciting Congress that includes members from all around the world in a collaborative and innovative event celebrating the impact and legacy of international business events.

Learn more about ICCA and its events here.