Sixth place in the national ICCA Ranking for Leiden

ICCA has published the annual Country - and City - Rankings for the year 2023. This yearly ranking functions as a comparison tool and a performance index for conferences destination, both cities and countries. In this ranking, the efforts of conference destinations are rewarded and recognised regarding several factors such as the number of registered meetings, the number of participants and winning the original bid.

The ICCA ranking lists 1,000 cities worldwide with scheduled international conferences in 2023, that took place either live or hybrid. ICCA uses strict criteria for registering a conference in their database: there must be at least 50 participants on-site, a conference must be organised in a regularly recurring manner, and it must rotate between at least three countries.

Leiden has had 16 international conferences in 2023 that met the requirements of ICCA. This had led to Leiden ranking 81th in Europe and 143th worldwide. The Netherlands is doing well worldwide at 8th place in the ranking, with 304 international conferences on an annual basis, and the USA still running first on the list

Miranda Geerlings, manager of Leiden Convention Bureau is happy with the result. "Our 6th position in the annual ranking is a remarkable achievement for the 22nd most populated city in the Netherlands. It's a reward for the efforts of Leiden Convention Bureau, our conference ambassadors and all our conference partners. The title of European City of Science 2022 has given the city of Leiden a place in the spotlight of science on a European scale. I believe that this title has been and will continue to be a great magnet for international conferences and associations to choose Leiden as their destination. In the years to come, the ambition for Leiden is to maintain the legacy that the title European City of Science has given Leiden, and to really make an impact for Leiden as a city where science flourishes."

Through the strong collaboration of our city partners, we can achieve more together for international scientific conferences. Even though Leiden lacks large-scale convention centers, collaboration in various conference zones makes it possible to host significant conferences. Connecting multiple venues in Leiden transforms the historic city center into the conference floor. Within these zones, conference attendees move from location to location, through narrow alleys and past historical monuments. Thanks to the implementation of these conference zones, Leiden offers an adequate and flexible solution for the largest conferences, allowing the city to maintain its ambitions as a top-10 conference destination in the Netherlands.

Leiden, City of Science, where rich cultural heritage meets innovation. Home to the Netherlands’ largest life science hub, Leiden Bio Science Park driving groundbreaking research and sustainability initiatives, the oldest university, and rich heritage with 3,000 monuments and 13 museums.