Annual Member Survey 2023 Results - IAPCO: The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers | IAPCO: The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers

IAPCO News

As we advocate for the value of our industry on Global Meetings Industry Day* this 11th April 2024, we are pleased to share the 2023 statistics of our Annual Member Survey, based on annual return data provided by IAPCO members.

Our Annual Member Survey compiles data from the IAPCO membership to gain valuable insight into our community over the previous year and get an outlook for the coming years. This data enables IAPCO to understand its members’ impact on our industry through their performance and focus on future activities.

IAPCO and its members continue to report growth year-on-year with the latest 2023 figures now available. Our annual reporting figures, based on data collected from all IAPCO members around the globe, show an increase in majority of areas including number of events delivered, number of meeting professionals employed and, importantly, the Economic Impact of the events delivered throughout the year.

Specifically, Economic Impact of our Members’ client events has risen from €13.48 billion in 2022 to €14.2 billion in 2023. The number of events has similarly seen an increase from 16,359 in 2022 to 17,044 in 2023 and number of meeting professional employed from 8,457 in 2022 to 9,248 in 2023.

Although these results are just a snapshot of the past year, the growth trend is very encouraging for IAPCO, our members and our global meetings industry as a whole. When assessed, together with all other indicators, the impact that IAPCO members continue to bring to both our industry and cities within which their events are delivered is extremely positive and attractive and proof of the value of business events around the globe.

It is extremely interesting as we look to the future with both the confirmed business and potential business pipelines of our Members. Doing so provides us with a glimpse into the further growth and opportunities that exist for suppliers, venues and destinations that work with IAPCO PCOs.

With a total number of confirmed and pending events reported to be 8,902 over the next 3 years and 2,060 of them without either a venue or even a destination, the wide door is open for business development opportunities with suppliers across the sector.

*Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) is an international day of advocacy showcasing the undeniable value that business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and conventions bring to people, businesses and communities.

The #GMID2024 theme is #MeetingsMatter. Following years of cancelled in-person meetings, the industry will come together on 11th April, 2024 to celebrate Global Meetings Industry Day and showcase why #MeetingsMatter to attendees, organizations, communities, businesses and our economy.