Australia has jumped from number 24 in 2022 to 13th in the world in the 2023 rankings, which also show an increase of over 1,000 meetings between 2022 and 2023. Overall Australia hosted 219 meetings out of a global total of 10,187.
New Zealand also improved its rank from 56th in 2022 to 43 in 2023. New Zealand hosted 56 meetings in 2023 compared to exactly half that in 2022.
Overall, the USA topped ICCA’s country rankings again, hosting 690 meetings – the same number as last year – with Italy and Spain switching places to take out the second and third spots respectively. Italy held 553 meetings in 2023 while Spain held 505.
Europe and the UK dominated the top ten, taking seven spots, with just Japan representing the Asia Pacific region. Canada came in 10th.
In the city rankings, Paris topped the list, taking the number one rank from Vienna, which held it last year. Meanwhile Singapore leapt 11 spots from 13th in 2022 to be ranked second for 2023. Paris hosted 156 meetings, while Singapore hosted 152, with Lisbon in Portugal just behind with 151.
As with the country rankings, Europe dominated the top 10, taking out eight spots, with South Korea’s capital Seoul, coming in 10th for the APAC region.
Last year’s top city, Vienna, was ranked fourth, hosting 141 meetings.
Both Sydney and Melbourne moved up the rankings considerably compared to 2022, with Sydney ranked 25th in 2023 compared to 55th in 2022 and Melbourne coming in at 35 in 2023 compared to 60th in 2022.
Brisbane came in at 76, Adelaide at 150, the Gold Coast at 184, Cairns at 212, Perth at 228, Hobart at 248 and Darwin at 270. All Australian cities apart from Perth improved their rankings compared to 2022.
In New Zealand, despite not having a convention centre, Auckland was the highest ranked New Zealand city at 84, up from 173 last year, followed by Christchurch at 196, up from 256, and Wellington at 270, up from 292.
“We’re heartened to see that the world of meetings and events has continued to grow and thrive in the face of ongoing challenges and a rapidly changing landscape, including digital and real-life threats, international conflicts and unfolding geopolitical upheaval,” said ICCA CEO, Senthil Gopinath, in his foreword in the rankings report.
