Conferences Held in Geneva are in Full Swing

The Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation* presented a decidedly positive assessment of its 2023 conference activities, reflecting a return to stable growth since the pandemic.

Thanks to their work, 22 congresses took place in Geneva in 2023, bringing together some 12,000 participants and generating an economic impact of around 25 million Swiss francs. The outlook for the coming years looks favourable, with conventions confirmed up to the year 2027. To celebrate these achievements, the Convention Bureau invited partners to its traditional Ambassador Dinner, held at the CERN Science Gateway on 15 February. For the occasion, three honorary prizes were awarded to figures from association and conventions sector. 

“The congresses have shown very encouraging results, demonstrating that, in an increasingly digitised world, physical meetings remain essential in our field, given the importance of the human factor,” notes Adrien Genier, CEO of the Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation. “Our canton offers many assets as a destination of choice for conferences, in turn leading to positive local benefits for all tourism and trade partners.”

Alain Pittet, Director of the Geneva Convention Bureau, says: “Based on these favourable results, we are preparing to strengthen our team and intensify our acquisition efforts when it comes to association congresses, as a key part of our strategy to develop new markets, products and services.”

The year 2024 promises to be a decisive one, with the creation of the Geneva Congress Board which met for the first time in January. The entity brings together city and cantonal authorities, along with all players in the field of conventions, aiming to unite stakeholders and keep allowing activity to grow in line with the needs and opportunities that arise.

Award Ceremony

At the Ambassador Dinner on 15 February 2024, the Geneva Convention Bureau awarded three prizes: 

• The Recognition Award was presented to Professor Nago Humbert for organising the 10th international conference for the French-speaking paediatric palliative care network: the only international congress dedicated to the field, bringing together internationally renowned professionals from around the world every two years. Professor Humbert, who has led the conference in Geneva for the past 10 years, was supported by Professor Ansari of HUG.
   
• The Impact Award was presented to Doctor Erika Castro, Professor Philip Bruggmann, and the entire INHSU team for the INHSU 2023 Conference: “International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users”. The conference brought 640 people together at the CICG from 17 to 20 October 2023.
   
• The Honorary Award was presented to Vincent Subilia for the World Chambers Congress, which welcomed nearly 1,400 participants at the Palexpo centre from 21 to 23 June 2023. Over the course of the three days, more than 160 speakers across 52 sessions held debates and discussions with economic stakeholders, business leaders and decision-makers from around the world on the topic of multilateralism in service of peace and prosperity.

Geneva, Capital of Trust 

Geneva hosts numerous congresses and events, particularly for science and medical associations and benefits from significant advantages. Vincent Subilia, Director General of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services and member of the Council of the World Chambers Federation of Commerce, highlights the reasons for the city’s success: “Geneva is the smallest of large cities, the centre of global governance; it is also the capital of trust. This is of utmost importance in the particularly troubled world we are facing today. Offering a platform for open, transparent, constructive dialogue, our canton holds a prime location for congresses. To this end, we are fortunate to rely on an extremely efficient Convention Bureau.”

*The Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation is a private, officially recognised foundation whose mission is to promote and sell Geneva as a leisure and business tourism destination. Responsible for welcoming visitors and providing assistance and information, the Foundation also supports and promotes tourism events. The Convention Bureau is responsible for the promotion and acquisition of international congresses in Geneva. The Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation is mainly financed by tourist tax and tourism promotion tax.