The 64th ICCA Congress ended last Wednesday, having brought together 1,514 delegates from 81 countries for four days in Porto, Portugal.

Drawing on the theme “Charting the Course,” the Congress featured a new multivenue format, intentional design for participation, and a focus on sustainability, innovation and legacy. It also set the record for the largest ICCA Congress ever to be held in continental Europe.

Held across nine locations, including the historic Alfândega Congress Centre and venues in the heart of Porto’s cultural districts, the Congress offered delegates the opportunity to explore five distinct content tracks: Impact & Sustainability, Future Leadership & Resilience, Purposeful Business Models & Start-Ups, Innovation & Technology and The Creative Edge.

Highlights of the 64th ICCA Congress included:

• Multi-venue engagement model: Delegates moved among diverse spaces throughout the city, transforming the congress into an immersive, city-wide experience.
• Interactive and participatory design: The agenda emphasized peer learning, networking, and storytelling rather than passive presentations, reflecting evolving expectations in the meetings industry.
• Sustainability and legacy built in: Sessions on future-focused models, inclusive design and industry impact underscored ICCA’s commitment to responsible business events.
• Global networking in action: With delegates from all corners of the globe, the event reinforced ICCA’s position as a premier platform for association and business-events professionals.

CCA CEO Dr. Senthil Gopinath said: “Porto has enabled us to take a bold step forward in how global meetings are designed and experienced. We asked our community to chart the course, and you responded with energy, insight and connection. This is not simply an event — it is a movement toward greater relevance, innovation and impact in our industry.”

Luís Pedro Martins, president of Porto and North of Portugal – Convention & Visitors Bureau, commented: “We have a strong sense of mission accomplished. It has been four challenging and intense days of work, but I believe we can all be proud of what we have achieved together. This ICCA Congress will go down in history as the first ever to take place across multiple venues — nine in total, spread throughout Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Matosinhos. We have proven that this innovative format is not only possible but highly successful, thanks to the extraordinary effort and collaboration of so many people. Our sincere thanks go to ICCA for placing their trust in Porto and the North of Portugal to host such a prestigious event, to Visit Portugal for joining us on this ambitious journey, and, above all, to all our partners and our dedicated team, whose hard work and commitment made this achievement possible.”

The 65th ICCA Congress will be held November 8-11, 2026, in Panama City, Panama.