Ljubljana Achieves Outstanding Results in the ICCA Statistics Report: Country & City Rankings 2024

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.

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. The ECREA 2024 European Communication Conference, the largest of its kind, brought approximately 1,600 social science experts to the capital in late August. The 24th Congress of the European Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine attracted more than 1,000 participants in April, while the 14th International Congress on Autoimmunity (Autoimmunity 2024) welcomed over 1,000 attendees in May. The Ecsite 2024 Conference, the annual meeting of the European network of science centres and museums, was held in Slovenia for the first time this June and hosted about 1,000 professionals from science, education, and the creative industries in Ljubljana.

Visoka uvrstitev Ljubljane na lestvici ICCA je potrditev, da mesto uspešno gradi svoj ugled odgovorne, trajnostne in strokovno relevantne destinacije z odličnimi pogoji za mednarodna srečanja. K temu poleg kompaktnosti mesta prispeva učinkovit in medsebojno povezan ekosistem industrije srečanj. Znotraj njega Turizem Ljubljana tesno sodeluje s Slovensko turistično organizacijo in Kongresnim uradom Slovenije, v okviru Kongresnega urada Ljubljana (Konzorcij KUL) pa povezuje ključne lokalne partnerje, ki prepoznavajo pomen poslovnih dogodkov – od hotelov, agencij, prizorišč do letališča. Za uspešno pridobivanje zlasti večjih mednarodnih poslovnih dogodkov, ki običajno traja več let, je namreč potrebno usklajeno delovanje vseh deležnikov.

Uvrstitev Ljubljane med vodilne destinacije za mednarodne dogodke je več kot statistični uspeh – tovrstna prepoznavnost ima pomembne multiplikativne učinke na lokalno gospodarstvo in dolgoročni razvoj destinacije, obenem pa povečuje njen mednarodni ugled. Ljubljana se tako uveljavlja kot ena vodilnih destinacij za poslovna srečanja v regiji in širše v Evropi, kar je rezultat dolgoletnih strateških vlaganj v industrijo srečanj in njenega sistematičnega umeščanja med ključne razvojne prioritete Turizma Ljubljana. Svojo pozicijo prestolnica utrjuje z nadaljnjimi investicijami v hotelsko in kongresno infrastrukturo, tako da ostaja privlačna izbira za organizatorje, ki iščejo profesionalno, trajnostno in kakovostno destinacijo za poslovna in znanstveno-strokovna srečanja.

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. According to the Event Impact Calculator, an average event with 800 participants generated over €1.2 million in direct and indirect spending last year, along with an additional €500,000–700,000 in induced effects. Every euro spent in business tourism generates 1.7 to 2.5 times greater total economic value.

The meetings industry contributes significantly to achieving Ljubljana Tourism’s strategic goals, such as 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. The average length of stay for business guests was estimated at 2.9 days in 2024, compared to the general visitor average of 2.0 days (source: SURS). Most international events are held outside the peak summer months, with the highest concentrations in September (20.2%), May (18.2%), and June (15.2%). 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.

Founded in 1963, ICCA is the leading global association in the field of association congresses. It offers its members access to a comprehensive and reliable database of international association events, education opportunities, business development support, and effective communication channels.

Ljubljana Tourism is also a member of the ICCA Association Partner Programme (ARP) – a strategic initiative that enables ICCA members to build stronger ties with leading association representatives and increase their visibility within the global association community.