Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, has reaffirmed its position among the top 10 meeting destinations in the world, despite the growing competition of Asian cities. This year’s ranking is dominated by Vienna, followed by Lisbon, Singapore and Barcelona with Prague in the fifth place.

An analysis by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), which publishes the annual rankings, placed Prague on the fifth position based on the number of international association meetings held. Among European destinations, Prague is fourth and has improved by one position compared to last year. In total, more than 5,100 events took place in the Czech capital in 2024, which is five percent more in year-on-year comparison.

“Prague achieved its position in the top five despite the growing competition from Asian cities, whose reappearance to the ranks of the most popular meeting destinations was slower than, for example, European cities,” said Roman Muška, director of the Prague Convention Bureau, the organization that officially represents the Prague meetings industry. “The improvement in Prague’s ranking for association congresses and conferences is a clear sign of the city’s dynamic recovery and growing appeal on the international stage. While the overall number of events globally has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels – as confirmed by ICCA data – Prague continues to outperform expectations and strengthen its position as one of Europe’s top meeting destinations,” he added.

According to the latest ICCA rankings, Czechia as a whole ranks among the world’s leading congress destinations – placing 21st globally. In addition to Prague, other cities are increasingly attracting the attention of organizers of professional and incentive events. For example, Brno improved its position by more than 30 places year-on-year, moving up to 112th place. This development confirms the growing interest in destinations outside the capital and supports the trend of a more balanced distribution of tourism across regions.

“Prague rightly maintains its position as a top congress destination in Europe and globally. What’s especially encouraging is the growing interest in other cities and regions throughout Czechia. From the perspective of sustainable tourism, this is a key trend. Through MICE events, we can motivate visitors to explore lesser-known locations and help spread tourism more evenly. Congresses also bring economic benefits, enhance the prestige of the host destination, and contribute valuable know-how that can benefit both the public and private sectors. Ultimately, this strengthens the stability of tourism and reinforces the perception of Czechia as an attractive, professional, and innovative congress destination,” says František Reismüller, director of the Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism.