Every year during IMEX Frankfurt, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) publishes its widely cited GlobeWatch: Business Analytics – Country & City Rankings report, which tracks developments in the international association meetings market and ranks the world’s leading countries and cities. Considered one of the most authoritative data sources in the meetings industry, the report serves as a key strategic reference for convention bureaux and other organisations across the MICE sector.
The full report is available exclusively to ICCA members. However, at the beginning of July, ICCA traditionally releases a Public Abstract, summarising the year’s key findings, trends and insights. The overview below is based on this publicly available document and highlights what the 2025 ICCA GlobeWatch results mean for Brno, the Czech Republic and the future development of the meetings industry.
Czechia reinforces its position on the global meetings map
Once again, Czechia has secured its place among the world’s leading meeting destinations. Prague retained its position among the world’s top ten cities for international association meetings, reaffirming its status as one of Europe’s and the world’s premier congress destinations. Other Czech cities also performed well, with Brno ranking 132nd globally (72nd in Europe), while Mikulov entered the rankings for the first time, placing 318th in Europe.
For Brno, these results send an important signal. They demonstrate that international associations increasingly see Czechia as more than a single-city destination. A strong national reputation creates opportunities for other destinations as well, making it easier to raise their international profile. From our own experience, we know that awareness of Czechia is already very high among international event organisers. Our challenge is to show them why Brno is the right place to host their next event.
Regional cities are gaining momentum
The report confirms a growing trend towards greater geographical diversity in the international meetings market. Alongside established capital cities, regional destinations are increasingly attracting international association events by offering high-quality infrastructure, strong academic and professional communities, and a distinctive sense of place.
This is precisely where Brno has a long-term competitive advantage. Rather than competing with Prague or Vienna on size, the city can build on the qualities that organisers value most: a compact, walkable destination where hotels, conference venues and social events are all within easy reach, a welcoming atmosphere, and excellent value for money. These are the strengths we consistently highlight when presenting Brno to international event organisers.
International association meetings continue to grow
According to ICCA, 12,438 international association meetings took place in 2025, confirming the continued growth of the sector following the pandemic years. This year’s report also expands its analysis to include regional distribution, meeting size, and sector-specific insights, providing a more comprehensive picture of the global association meetings market.
For Brno, this is encouraging news. A growing market creates more opportunities, but it also brings greater competition between destinations. Increasingly, success depends not only on the quality of conference facilities, but also on a destination’s ability to tell a compelling story about the city and showcase the strength of its academic, scientific and business ecosystem.
Meetings are an investment in a city’s future
The report highlights that international association meetings generate far more than economic benefits for the visitor economy. They act as catalysts for knowledge exchange, international collaboration, and the long-term development of destinations.
This perspective closely aligns with Brno’s approach. At Brno Convention Bureau, we work closely with local ambassadors from universities, hospitals and research institutions to attract international association congresses. Every successful bid represents far more than thousands of overnight stays. It is an opportunity to bring leading experts to the city, foster new scientific and professional partnerships, and strengthen Brno’s international reputation as a centre of innovation and excellence.
Building on Brno’s areas of expertise
This year’s ICCA GlobeWatch Report also introduces a new analysis by meeting discipline. The largest share of international association meetings continues to be concentrated in Medical Sciences, Technology and Science – sectors that have consistently dominated the global meetings landscape.
These are precisely the fields where Brno excels. The city has established itself as a leading centre for medicine, life sciences and technology. Institutions such as Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, Mendel University, CEITEC, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Brno University Hospital, together with a thriving ecosystem of technology companies and start-ups, provide the strong academic and professional foundation that aligns with the disciplines driving the international association meetings market.
Our own bidding experience confirms this as well. The strongest opportunities arise when we build on local expertise. Congresses are not won simply because a city has attractive conference venues—they come to destinations with a strong professional community that is willing to champion an event and actively bring it to the city.
ICCA GlobeWatch is far more than an annual ranking of destinations. It provides valuable insight into how the international association meetings market is evolving and highlights the qualities that will define successful congress destinations in the years ahead.
For Brno, this year’s results reinforce that the city’s future does not lie in competing with Europe’s largest capitals. Instead, its competitive advantage is built on a strong knowledge base, close collaboration with universities, hospitals and research institutions, a compact and easy-to-navigate urban environment, and the ability to offer organisers an authentic destination experience alongside high-quality meeting infrastructure.
It is this combination of world-class research, innovation and international collaboration that will continue to strengthen Brno’s position on the global meetings map. The 2025 ICCA GlobeWatch findings clearly show that this is a strategy aligned with the direction in which the international meetings industry is heading.