IAPCO Members Deliver 23,500+ Events in 2025, Generating €17.36 Billion in Global Impact

The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers has released the results of its 2025 Annual Member Survey on Global Meetings Industry Day, highlighting continued growth in activity alongside evolving market dynamics across the global meetings sector.

According to the report, IAPCO-accredited Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) delivered 23,512 meetings and events worldwide in 2025 — a 20.77% increase compared to 2024. These events brought together more than 7.7 million participants across 187 office locations and generated an estimated €17.36 billion in economic impact.

Beyond scale, the data points to the sustained role of professionally organised meetings in supporting knowledge exchange, economic development and international collaboration.

Martin Boyle, CEO of IAPCO, said the results reflect both the scale of delivery and the broader value created by the sector: “On Global Meetings Industry Day, this report gives us an important opportunity to recognise the extraordinary work of IAPCO Accredited PCOs across the world. The scale of what they deliver is significant, but what matters most is the impact behind those numbers. These meetings create opportunity for sectors to advance, for communities to connect, and for destinations to benefit professionally, socially and economically.”

Smaller Events, Higher Output

While overall activity has increased, the report highlights a shift in event formats. Average attendance per event declined from 408 to 328 participants, and the economic impact per event also decreased. At the same time, productivity has risen, with the number of meetings delivered per staff member increasing from 2.02 to 2.89.

Boyle said this reflects a more adaptive and efficient operating environment: “What we are seeing is not a weaker market, but a more adaptive one. Our members are delivering more meetings, often with smaller formats and leaner teams, while maintaining the quality, professionalism and trust that IAPCO Accreditation represents. That speaks to the resilience of our community and its ability to respond to change without losing sight of excellence.”
 

Strong Pipeline and Future Opportunities

Looking ahead, IAPCO members report a pipeline of 6,841 confirmed and pending events between 2027 and 2029. A notable share of this future business remains without confirmed destinations or venues, presenting early-stage opportunities for convention bureaux, venues and destination stakeholders.

IAPCO President Sissi Lignou highlighted the significance of this forward outlook: “One of the most important signals in this year’s data is that the future pipeline remains strong. There is real opportunity ahead for our industry, particularly for destinations and policymakers who want to unlock opportunity for their cities. The IAPCO Dear Destinations and Policymakers campaign, which officially launched today, highlights these opportunities.

“It is a timely reminder that this sector continues to plan ahead and realise value, even against a backdrop of ongoing complexity.”

Case Studies Highlight Broader Impact

The report also includes a series of case studies spanning healthcare, science, education, accessibility and global policy, illustrating the wider role of meetings beyond immediate economic return.

“From Liverpool to Ljubljana, Cape Town to Sydney, Florence to Dublin, our case studies show how IAPCO members deliver far more than well-run meetings. They create platforms for progress, engines for economic impact and legacies that extend far beyond the closing session.

“The case studies in this report are impressive, but they are only the tip of the iceberg,” Boyle added.

“Every year, across every region, IAPCO members deliver work of extraordinary range and value. They are connecting experts, advancing research, supporting communities, strengthening destinations and continuing to raise the standard of professional conference organising worldwide.”

Concluding the report, Boyle emphasised the continued relevance of accredited PCOs within the global meetings landscape: “IAPCO Accredited PCOs remain the global benchmark for quality, trust and excellence in conference delivery,” Boyle said. “This report reinforces not only what our community achieves at scale, but why that work matters.”
 

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