Barcelona ranks among the world’s top three congress cities in the latest ICCA ranking

Barcelona has climbed to third place worldwide in the latest International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) ranking of the world’s leading congress cities, while also ranking first worldwide in scientific congresses, second in medical events, and among the top global destinations for technology congresses.

The results, announced during the IMEX trade fair in Frankfurt, place Barcelona third worldwide, behind only Lisbon and Paris. The Catalan capital has now remained in the ICCA global top five for 25 consecutive years, a distinction unmatched by any other destination worldwide.

The ICCA report also highlights Barcelona’s competitiveness in knowledge and innovation, the strength of the city’s scientific, academic, and business ecosystem, and its ability to attract high-value international events.

"Barcelona aims to increase the share of visitors from this sector to one-third of all visitors, not only because of its greater economic impact, but also because this visitor profile contributes to diversifying and energizing the city’s economy, encourages investment attraction, and boosts the development of strategic sectors such as technology and biomedicine," said Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance and Tourism at Barcelona City Council.

“Barcelona aims to increase the share of congress and business event visitors to one-third of all visitors, as they help diversify the economy, attract investment, and boost strategic sectors such as technology and biomedicine”

Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance and Tourism at Barcelona City Council

 

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Nearly 2,000 meetings and €1.24 billion in economic impact

Barcelona hosted 1,992 meetings in 2025, a 1.2% increase compared to 2024. These events brought together 683,783 delegates and generated an estimated direct economic impact of €1.24 billion for Barcelona and its surrounding area.

Barcelona’s strong position is linked not only to major international events such as the Mobile World Congress, Integrated Systems Europe, and Smart City Expo World Congress, but also to its capacity to host business meetings, commercial presentations, and sector-specific gatherings year-round.

A diversified meetings sector

The data also shows the diversification of Barcelona’s meetings sector. Around 78.5% of meetings hosted in the city involved fewer than 250 delegates, creating opportunities to spread events across the wider Barcelona area.

In 2025, corporate meetings and incentive events accounted for 70% of all meetings and generated an economic impact of €506.67 million. Association congresses, seminars, and courses accounted for the remaining 30%, up 7% from the previous year and generating €733.48 million.

The report also highlights the profile of Congress attendees. Around 94.4% of delegates hold university degrees, while most participants come from international markets, particularly the European Union.

Barcelona also received high ratings for visitor experience, including connectivity, hospitality, gastronomy, and cultural offerings, with most categories scoring between 8 and 9 out of 10.

Three out of four congress attendees extend their stay in the city, and one in ten takes the opportunity to visit other municipalities in the region.

Long-term growth backed by international events

Barcelona’s long-term attraction strategy continues to strengthen the city’s position in the sector. Over the past year, 34 future congresses have been confirmed for upcoming editions in Barcelona. Among the major events scheduled in the coming months are the UIA World Congress of Architecture, the FENS Forum, the ERS International Congress, and UEG Week.

Barcelona also continues to invest in congress infrastructure and venue expansion, including ongoing developments at Fira de Barcelona, helping reinforce the city’s competitiveness in the international meetings industry.

Source: Barcelona City Council and ICCA