Over the past eight years, events hosted at ExCeL London have been responsible for driving 50 percent of all ICCA-rated delegates who come to London and 20 percent of all ICCA-rated delegates who come to the UK.
The recent ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) rankings revealed that, in 2018, London was the seventh-most popular city in the world for hosting international association meetings; while the UK was the fifth-most popular country.
The ICCA rankings represent a benchmark for city performance as part of what is now considered a global, £1 trillion annual industry that drives economic growth and societal change, underpinning the development strategies of regions and destinations.
ExCeL continues to host a wide variety of international association meetings and, in addition, has been able to attract globally recognized corporate brands, including Adobe, Salesforce, Google and Microsoft. Each year, the venue welcomes over 400 events, which generate £4.5 billion for London, support 37,500 jobs and deliver 25 percent of London’s inbound business tourists.
Furthermore, ExCeL has been successful in securing repeat ICCA-rated events in 2020 and 2021, including European Association for the Study of the Liver, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, European Wound Management Association and European Society of Cardiology, which between them will bring approximately 60,000 delegates to London.
“The world-leading events staged in London are a catalyst for economic growth, driving billions of pounds of import and export activity,” says Jeremy Rees, chief executive officer of ExCeL London. “It is our ambition for London to go from strength to strength in this industry and we are ensuring that we play our part by attracting world-renowned events such as Sibos, the world’s premier financial services event, which we will host for the first time this September.”
Rees adds, “Whilst there is much to be positive about, we must not forget that in 2017 London was ranked fifth in the ICCA rankings. The capital needs to cement its position as a world-leading destination, ensuring that we continue to attract the very best international events, which, if we succeed, will result in investment, jobs and economic growth—importantly at no cost to the public purse. We start from a position of strength, but we cannot afford to take our eye off the ball. We must redouble our efforts, working with key partners and stakeholders, to leverage the fantastic opportunity our industry provides.”
ExCeL London opened in November 2000, in an area of huge regeneration in London’s historic Royal Docks. Today, the venue hosts 300 events per year, welcoming 4 million visitors from every corner of the globe. Events hosted at ExCeL London generate £4.5bn in economic impact for London and support 37,600 jobs. Under the ownership of ADNEC, ExCeL London has seen significant investment in new facilities, including the opening of London’s International Convention Centre (ICC) and onsite hotel developments. For more info, visit https://www.excel.london/
