Vilnius makes its move

The notion that Europe is ‘weary of history ‘— what the Germans call geschichtsmüde — has crept into the mainstream in recent years, due to what some regard as the continent’s sluggish response to emergent crises. The narrative of a Europe in need of renewal has taken hold.

If this theory were true, you might expect Vilnius — Lithuania’s elegant capital — to be in a state of inertia, gazing into the past, a sign above the city gates reading, ‘Do not disturb!’

After all, Vilnius has seen it all. A potted history goes something like this.

Formerly part of the Russian Empire, Lithuania was occupied by the Germans in World War 1, before gaining independence in 1918. Conflict with Poland saw it briefly occupied in 1919, before it regained independence the same year. In 1940 it was annexed by Soviet Russia before Nazi Germany invaded and gained control a year later. Towards the end of the Second World War the Soviet Army returned, bringing it back under Soviet control until independence in 1990.

Yet, far from being weighed down by history, Vilnius appears to have a spring in its step.

While Lithuania - in common with many former eastern bloc countries - has seen a significant population decline in the last 30 years, Vilnius is bucking the national trend, its population having grown by 13 per cent over the last decade to 607,000, overtaking Riga, in Latvia.

Today, it is not only the largest city in the Baltic States, but also the wealthiest.

GDP per capita is five per cent above the EU average, driven by a thriving startup scene that has flourished in the last decade with four unicorns (those valued at more than $1bn) - including Vinted and Nord Security - emerging in the past five years. Nasdaq, Moody’s and Thermo Fisher Scientific have established a strong presence in the region, which is now home to 1,100 tech companies employing some 40,000 people. Other sectors like FinTech, biotech, and AI are accelerating the city’s rise as an international business and innovation hub.

And meetings mean business

By some metrics, Vilnius is now the Baltics’ leading meetings destination.

According to the ICCA Country & City Rankings 2024, the city hosted 44 internationally rotating association congresses last year, ahead of Tallinn (40) and Riga (32).

More impressively perhaps, it was 29th place in Europe out of over 500 cities.

In total, Vilnius welcomed 561 international conferences and corporate meetings in 2024, attracting 73,000 delegates and generating €75m — a 38 per cent increase year-on-year.

New players are responding to Vilnius’ rising profile in the meetings landscape.

C-IN, a Czech professional congress organiser, has opened a representative office in Vilnius, already securing major congresses and offering end-to-end event support. Meanwhile DMC Nordic, a pan-Baltic destination management company, has launched operations in Lithuania, aiming to deliver authentic and immersive experiences for international clients.

This success is no accident. The city’s Go Vilnius Convention Bureau works closely with organisers to deliver conferences with meaningful legacies — beyond smooth logistics, focusing on social impact, knowledge exchange, and long-term partnerships.