Prague, 14th May 2014 – Prague is further strengthening its position on European as well as world congress market. Current statistics of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) for 2013 have shown that Prague climbed one rung and improved its position in the European ranking last year, thus becoming the 9th most popular congress destination within the region. On a global scale, with a total of 121 events, i.e. 9 events more than in 2012, the city kept its position of the 11th world congress destination.
Prague is therefore just one step away from accomplishing its ambitious goal – to get among the TOP 10 world congress destinations by 2015 and among the TOP 5 by 2020.
In spite of the fact that the general congress statistics on Prague, regularly published by the Czech Statistical Office, experienced a noticeable decline last year, according to the ICCA 2013 statistics Prague, on the contrary, was successful in the field of association congresses and conferences. Although its position in the ranking of the world congress destinations remained the same as in the previous year, the popularity of Prague as a congress destination is still growing. This is demonstrated by the increased number of association congresses and conferences organized in Prague last year due to which Prague improved its ranking in Europe and maintained its position in the world congress destinations ranking.
“I consider it a huge success that the number of international association conferences Prague hosted in 2013 slightly increased, especially when the statistics on congress industry for the last year published by CSO were not very positive. Moreover, Prague not only maintained its position of the 11th congress destination in the world, but also moved up in the ranking of European congress destinations,” said Lenka Žlebková, Managing Director of Prague Convention Bureau, whose activities also include collection of statistical data on Prague congress industry. “I attribute last year’s results to our team cooperation with the members of Prague Convention Bureau and other entities active on the congress market. Thanks to this cooperation, we have improved our collection of statistical data on congresses and conferences held in Prague. I am also convinced that the positive results of our strategic steps in attracting important congresses to Prague has begun to show. The increase in the number of association events held in Prague from 112 to 121 indicates that Prague is becoming more and more competitive in the international congress market. I strongly believe that our strategy focused on attracting congresses especially from the field of science and research, new technologies and innovations will not only result in accomplishing our goal – to get Prague among the10 best world congress destinations by 2015 and to the top of the ranking by 2020– but will also help to increase the competitiveness of the whole country.”
The list of significant congresses and conferences held in Prague last year includes e. g. the Conference of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA 2013), 12th European Congress of Internal Medicine, 31st World Veterinary Congress, 13th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care, or the Conference of the International Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE 2013).
