World-leading medical research, international
investigative journalism and technical expertise – these were the topics for
some of the major conferences held in Gothenburg this year.
Thousands of conference participants have poured into the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre Gothia Towers adding to the city's sum of knowledge and boosting the local economy.
The Gothenburg
Convention Bureau has secured or supported around 60 major meetings, attracting 35,000 delegates from all over the world, marking a return to
pre-pandemic levels.
Annika Hallman, director at Gothenburg Convention Bureau, said: "The conference
industry has recovered quickly, a testament to Gothenburg's strength as a
conference city and the organizers' high confidence in us. The success is the
result of close cooperation with business, academia and its prominent
researchers. Meetings are held throughout the week, all year round and not is
dependent on weekends or public holidays, which is positive for the entire
city."
Since 2019, hotel capacity in Gothenburg had increased by almost 20
per cent, she added, which has allowed the city to host larger meetings.
Meetings
contribute significantly to Gothenburg's development as a city of knowledge.
When top medical researchers gather, it increases knowledge and competence in
healthcare in region of Västra Götaland. One example is AD/PD, which in March
brought together 3,300 researchers in neurodegenerative diseases from 61
countries.
"It was a fantastic
experience to see the world's leading Alzheimer's and Parkinson's researchers
on the streets of Gothenburg and the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre
Gothia Towers. I have met many people afterwards who describe the meeting as
the best they have ever been to. This is largely due to exciting research
progress in neurodegenerative diseases in recent years, but also because
Gothenburg is an incredibly good conference city", said Henrik
Zetterberg, Professor of neurochemistry at the University of
Gothenburg and one of the local organizers of AD/PD 2023 in Gothenburg.
Malin Erlandsson, director congress and events at the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre Gothia Towers, added: "It has been an
incredibly strong conference year, a real record year in volume. Our calendar
has never been so full of international congresses."
A selection of meetings held in Gothenburg in 2023:
- International Conference on
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases - AD/PD
- European Social Science History
Conference – ESSHC
- Regional European Congress of
the International Society of Blood Transfusion –ISBT
- Global Investigative Journalism
Conference – GIJC
- Electrochemical
Society Fall meeting 2023 – ECS
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
