Vienna: Still Among the World's Leading Conference Cities

With a total of 239 international association congresses, Vienna has defended its position from last year and is surpassed in the UIA list only by Brussels (388 conferences). Vienna is followed by Seoul (180), Barcelona (159), and Tokyo (148). Vienna thus accounts for an impressive 4.3 percent of all congresses in the 100 cities included in the UIA ranking.

Enormous added value and jobs

The congress industry is immensely important for Vienna. City Councilor Barbara Novak emphasizes: "With its second place in the international ranking, Vienna has further consolidated its position as a leading global conference metropolis. We position ourselves as a cosmopolitan, internationally oriented metropolis that creates both economic benefits and quality of life for the people living here through tourism."

The meeting industry in Vienna generated an added value of 1.3 billion euros in 2024 and created 23,500 full-time jobs. According to further information, 6,619 congresses and corporate events were held in the same year, resulting in 1.99 million overnight stays and 671,000 participants. Congresses alone contributed 73% to the economic impact and 67% to overnight stays, even though they accounted for only 12% of the total number of events. The long-term goal is to generate 10% of overnight stays from the conference sector, as these visitors tend to stay longer and spend more. The further development of Vienna as a conference destination is a central component of Vienna's Economic and Innovation Strategy 2030 and the Visitor Economy Strategy. The Vienna Convention Bureau, founded in 1969 and supported by Vienna Tourism, plays a key role in attracting congresses, corporate meetings, and incentives worldwide, while supporting this strategy.

Norbert Kettner, Director of Vienna Tourism, is delighted with the renewed top ranking: “Second place in the current UIA ranking underscores the strength and quality of Vienna as a meeting destination. This latest success is the result of excellent cooperation between all players in the Vienna meeting industry.”

Austria is in 7th place worldwide

Austria also performs well at the country level: with 312 conferences, the country ranks 7th worldwide in the UIA statistics. The country ranking is led by the USA (657), followed by Belgium (523) and Italy (452). Vienna's enduring appeal as a conference destination is based on several factors. These include an outstanding meeting infrastructure, high service quality in the conference sector, the city's rich cultural appeal, and an excellent public transport network. Vienna also attaches great importance to sustainability and has more than 40 eco-certified venues. (Source: 2022 Meeting Statistics - Successful Restart for Vienna as a Meeting Destination, About the Vienna Convention Bureau)

The city is pursuing a “Visitor Economy Strategy” that aims for “good growth” under the motto “Optimum Tourism.” The focus is on high-quality visitors who maximize both the satisfaction of residents and the economic contribution of tourism. The “VIENNA 2030 – Economy & Innovation” strategy anchors Vienna as a meeting destination and a “place of international encounter” and aims to establish Vienna as a global pioneer in various areas. (Source: Vienna puts conference goers at heart of ‘better tourism’ strategy, Visitor Economy Strategy: Vienna Sets Course for “Good Growth” in Tourism, Strategy “VIENNA 2030 - Economy & Innovation” - City of Vienna) The “Vienna Meeting Fund” also plays an important role in attracting future international meetings until 2038.

City of Vienna

Union of International Associations