Five BestCities Global Alliance destinations ranked among the world’s top cities for international association meetings in the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) Globewatch Business Analytics 2025: City & Country Rankings report.
The ICCA rankings 2025 reveal a decisive shift in how associations choose host cities for major international congresses. Research capability, innovation ecosystems, and access to leading academics and industry experts are now critical selection criteria, giving destinations with strong intellectual capital and sector expertise a clear competitive edge.
The ranked BestCities destinations are:
- Singapore (#5) – A global biomedical powerhouse, home to 30+ multinational pharmaceutical and biotech companies, over 400 MedTech firms, and world-leading healthcare clusters.
- Copenhagen (#7) – Internationally recognised for legacy initiatives, sustainability, and green innovation, with ambitious plans to become one of the world’s first carbon-neutral capitals.
- Tokyo (#10) – A global leader in robotics, automation, and precision engineering, leveraging these strengths to advance a more sustainable society.
- Madrid (#13) – A rapidly growing European hub for technology and cybersecurity, with more than 10,000 startups and scaleups and 200+ incubators and accelerators.
- Dublin (#18) – A global life sciences centre, hosting 18 of the world’s top 25 medtech firms while Ireland’s biopharmaceutical sector remains the country’s largest export.
As international associations place greater emphasis on measurable impact and legacy, destinations with established knowledge economies are increasingly outperforming those competing on infrastructure and connectivity alone.
“These rankings recognise more than destination appeal. They reflect the depth of expertise, innovation, and collaboration across the BestCities network,” said Loren Christie, Managing Director, BestCities Global Alliance. “Cities with strong knowledge economies are uniquely positioned to create meaningful and lasting impact through international business events. Congratulations to Singapore, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Madrid, and Dublin for continuing to raise the global benchmark.”
