The World's Top 20 MICE Destinations, One Global DMC

ICCA's 2025 rankings reveal where international association meetings are concentrated worldwide, and what the data signals for buyers planning 2027 and 2028.

FRANKFURT, GERMANY, May 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has published its 2025 Country and City Rankings, presented at IMEX Frankfurt. Drawn from ICCA's Business Intelligence platform, the rankings confirm where rotating international association congresses were staged in 2025 and provide a forward-looking signal for buyers and planners building programmes for 2027 and 2028.

The 2025 global top three places Lisbon at first position with 188 rotating international association congresses, followed by Paris with 174 and Barcelona with 166. Vienna (159), Singapore (156), Prague (133), Copenhagen (131), London (124), Seoul (121) and Tokyo (119) complete the global top 10. Bangkok, Berlin, Madrid, Brussels, Hong Kong, Rome, Athens, Dublin, Amsterdam and Buenos Aires round out the top 20.

Three patterns emerge from the 2025 data. Europe continues to dominate the global ranking, accounting for 14 of the 20 cities and every city in the top 10 outside of Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo. Asia Pacific confirms its multi-year rise with five cities in the top 20, led by Singapore moving into the global top five. The Americas remain underrepresented, with Buenos Aires the only city to feature outside North America. Spain is the only country to place two cities in the top 20, with Barcelona in third position and Madrid in thirteenth. Barcelona also marks 25 consecutive years in the global top five, a milestone no other city has reached.

For the business events industry, the rankings serve as more than a scoreboard. Association meeting cycles run two to five years ahead of delivery, which means the 2025 data is a working planning signal for programmes already in the bid phase for 2027 and the destination shortlisting phase for 2028 and 2029. Competition for prime dates, venues and supplier capacity in the top-ranked cities is expected to tighten over the coming years, particularly in the scientific, medical and technology verticals where Lisbon, Paris, Barcelona, Vienna and Singapore have established positions.

Ovation Global DMC, a global destination management company associated with ICCA, welcomes the publication of the 2025 rankings as a reference point for the business events industry. The company operates across all 20 of the destinations represented in the global top 20, through a combination of owned offices and strategic partners spanning Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.

“ICCA's rankings are one of the most consistent sources of verified intelligence for the international association meetings community. The 2025 data confirms where activity is concentrated and where association calendars are most active. For destinations, planners and the wider industry, that clarity supports better-informed decisions on the multi-year horizon that association meetings require.” Rutger Hoorn, Vice President Global Sales and Strategic Partnerships, Ovation Global DMC

The ICCA Country and City Rankings are drawn from ICCA's Business Intelligence platform, which catalogues meeting editions, meeting series and international associations worldwide. The 2025 edition, published as part of the ICCA GlobeWatch series, analyses rotating international association congresses and provides additional insight by region, meeting size and sector.

A full analysis of the 2025 ICCA rankings, including pattern observations and implications for buyers planning programmes for 2027 and 2028, is available at ovationdmc.com.

About Ovation Global DMC

Ovation Global DMC is the only true Global Destination Management Company with more than 60 wholly owned offices worldwide and over 60 key Strategic Partnership destinations. For over 30 years, we have partnered with corporations, associations and agencies to design and execute exceptional events in our 150+ destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

Our dedicated teams provide unparalleled local expertise, creative solutions, and seamless program delivery for major events – from complex logistics to exclusive high-end experiences. Unlike networks, licensees, franchises or affiliates, our integrated global structure guarantees unparalleled service and accountability for your corporate events. Ovation Global DMC is a true global partner. We make it happen!

German Inostroza
Ovation Global DMC
+34 664 22 99 92
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.