ConferenceLeeds celebrates record number of meetings as the city climbs 149 places in rankings

ConferenceLeeds is celebrating continued success as the city has hosted a record number of international association meetings in 2016 according to the International Convention and Congress Association (ICCA) statistics report.

The annual report provides details of how countries and cities perform in attracting meetings and conferences, which take place on a regular basis, rotate between a minimum of three countries and have at least 50 participants.

The number of meetings and participants has doubled for Leeds and this figure bucks the trend comparing 2015 to 2016 that has shown a decline for other cities in the North of England. Leeds improved its position in the rankings by 149 places and is now in the top 10 cities in the UK, which sees Paris as the top destination in the world.

The recent launch of the Conference Ambassador programme will continue to build on the success of notable conference wins such as The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) annual general meeting which took place in Leeds on the 20th and 21st January 2017, having previously been held in Rome, Madrid and Berlin. This example demonstrates the strong collaborative relationship between ConferenceLeeds, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) and the University of Leeds which has had a direct impact on this year’s improvement in the ICCA ranking.

Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Leeds. Once again we’re proving that Leeds is a city with drive, determination and ambition. We know how much hard work goes in to developing business tourism and these results showcase this on a global scale. The transformation of Leeds in recent years has been incredibly impressive and this shows what we can achieve when all our partners work together. The confidence in the city is reflected in these brilliant results. Business tourism in Leeds continues to achieve year on year and this has a direct impact on the economic success of the city, making a difference to everyone who lives and works here.”