Pluralism in the Association Meetings Industry

The year 2023 showed increased diversity in the Top 20 country rankings. Aside from 13 European, three Asian, and two North American countries, Latin America  (Brazil) and Oceania (Australia) were also represented, in a change from 2022. In total, 155 countries were included in the 2023 country rankings, an increase of four countries compared with last year. Additionally, the total number of Top 20 events represented 62 percent of the total number of events, whereas in 2022, this number was 64 percent, meaning that countries outside the Top 20 claimed a bigger market share this year — 38 percent versus 36 percent.

With the United States topping the charts, as expected, with 690 events, the Top Three spots were rounded out by Italy in second place and Spain in third place, with the two European countries trading places since last year. France and Germany claimed fourth and fifth places, respectively, and they also exchanged positions compared with 2022. Japan, the only new entry in the Top 10, jumped from 12^th to seventh place (+5). The Top 20 included four newcomers, with Australia making the biggest leap from 24^th to 13^Th place (+11), followed by China (18^th spot, +8), Poland (17^th spot, +6) and Brazil (20^th spot, +5).

Further variety was seen at the city level as well, as 1,502 cities were represented in the 2023 city ranking compared with 1,439 in 2022, an increase of 63 cities. Paris claimed the number-one spot in this year’s city ranking with 156 events compared with last year’s third-place ranking. Singapore jumped from 13^th to second place (+11), and Lisbon ended up claiming the third spot. Rome, Dublin, and Seoul entered the Top10 at seventh, ninth, and 10^th places, respectively. Two Asian cities, Tokyo and Bangkok, showed the biggest increase in the rankings, occupying 13^th (+28) and 15^th (+17) places, respectively.