ICCA
A glimpse into the future of global business meetings and events
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS AND CONVENTION ASSOCIATION( ICCA) CEO SENTHIL GOPINATH REFLECTS ON THE 2025 ICCA GLOBEWATCH RANKING REPORT
L ast month, ICCA released
the latest version of its 2025 GlobeWatch Ranking Report. This resource, which has served as an industry benchmark in years past, is more than just a new edition of a longstanding ICCA publication. This year’ s version represents a revitalised sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of the global business events landscape, providing a more defined snapshot of the state of the industry today.
The 2025 report is the first of its kind to be produced using our new GlobeWatch methodology, which provides an evolved, insights-driven view of the industry. This reflects the dynamic transformation of the global meetings space over the past few years. GlobeWatch represents ICCA’ s transition to capturing insights that go beyond simple metrics of event counts and locations, to capture richer, more relevant data on impact, innovation, inclusion and legacy.
Global insights reveal positive outlook What we are seeing in the 2025 data is an encouraging sign that our industry is not only surviving but thriving. There is a notable resurgence in crossborder collaboration, a consistent return to in-person meetings, and a steadily increasing commitment to sustainable and socially impactful meetings and events. Destinations in regions across the globe are not only rebuilding but reimagining their roles in the global meetings ecosystem.
There were several notable key trends that stood out this year, namely the rise of mid-sized cities as desirable destinations. These locations have demonstrated creativity, flexibility, and engagement with local stakeholders, all factors that are highly valued by associations. In addition, the ongoing growth of hybrid events and events focussed on knowledge-transfer – which boost legacy and increase accessibility – have seen an increase in visibility.
Above: Senthil Gopinath
“ Destinations in regions across the globe are not only rebuilding but reimagining their roles in the global meetings ecosystem”
Lastly, GlobeWatch reported a stronger involvement of universities, research institutions, and community stakeholders into the global landscape of international meetings.
The GlobeWatch Rankings Report also reinforced the great importance of collaboration within our community. The destinations that succeed in today’ s environment are the ones that bring together business, academia, policy, and governmental advocacy under one united vision. This concept aligns with ICCA’ s strategic direction, which continues to focus on championing the power of meetings as catalysts for societal transformation.
This report is more than just a snapshot of statistics. GlobeWatch is truly a roadmap for meetings and events professionals, enabling destinations, venues, and associations to benchmark not just their activity, but their impact. It challenges us to think differently, placing legacy-building at the heart of what we do.
The power of data sharing Our members and partners’ data sharing and collaboration is, ultimately, the foundation of the GlobeWatch Report, a powerful tool that captures the state of strategy, policy, and innovation across the international business events space.
Without the input and participation of associations, the critical resources we all share and depend on for insights and industry knowledge would not hold the same value; we understand the importance of collaboration and collective data sharing to enhance the benefit to everyone in our community.
As we move into the second half of 2025, it remains important to reflect on what the industry rankings tell us. The insights are not just about performance, but about purpose. The power and strength of our industry is not measured just in numbers, but in the connections we build, the knowledge we exchange, and the legacies we make. n
ISSUE 137 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 9