For the third consecutive year, Italy has solidified its position at the top of the global meetings industry rankings, holding 1st place in Europe and 2nd worldwide according to the latest ICCA report. While these rankings are a major milestone, for the Italian meetings industry they represent something deeper: the validation of a deliberate strategy driven by Convention Bureau Italia to transform the nation into a global hub of knowledge.
As the national body leading this vision, CBI goes beyond traditional destination promotion. CBI acts as a connector, facilitator, and enabler of knowledge exchange—ensuring that every congress hosted in Italy generates a lasting legacy for science and society alongside its economic impact.
"Convention Bureau Italia is the voice of the Italian meetings industry, and this result confirms that our voice is being heard on the global stage," said Carlotta Ferrari, President of Convention Bureau Italia. "This is not about isolated success stories—it's about a coordinated, national vision built on knowledge, partnership, and long-term engagement with our scientific community."
At the heart of this vision is Italian Knowledge Leaders, a CBI project explicitly recognized by ICCA as a global benchmark for good practice. IKL builds a direct bridge between the meetings industry and the academic and scientific community, empowering professors, researchers, and academic professionals to act as strategic ambassadors for Italy on the international stage. This has been key to a polycentric model, where the success of hosting major events is distributed across the entire national territory rather than concentrated in a single hub.
Crucially, IKL is not designed to simply reward its ambassadors—it is designed to keep them engaged over time. "We cultivate this intellectual capital continuously, so that knowledge keeps circulating and new opportunities keep emerging: a true multiplier effect." Among the initiatives that bring this philosophy to life are the IKL PhD program, which supports young researchers in building international networks and career pathways from the very start of their academic journey, and the Dialogue format, a new series of interdisciplinary scientific events designed to break traditional silos, foster cross-sector contamination, and turn scientific exchange into future congresses and strategic collaborations.
This philosophy will be at the core of the presentation by Maddalena Chiellini (Association Segment Developer at CBI) at the upcoming ICCA Congress in Panama, where she will discuss why engagement matters and how creating real spaces for connection within the scientific community turns ambassadors into long-term partners.
As members of the ICCA Mediterranean Chapter, we believe this "Model Italy" offers valuable insights for our region. Our experience demonstrates that by focusing on intellectual legacy, sustainability, and coordinated governance, destinations can achieve long-term growth that transcends seasonal tourism.
Our goal remains clear: to ensure Italy—and by extension, the vibrant network of our Mediterranean partners—remains the place where the world meets to advance science, innovation, and culture. We invite our colleagues across the Chapter to explore how we can continue to elevate the Mediterranean as a leader in global knowledge exchange.