Conference heavyweight Vienna has has partnered with an association of event planners as it looks to bolster its position as one of the world's leading meeting destinations.
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) has announced a two-year Destination Partnership with Meeting Destination Vienna, represented by the Vienna Convention Bureau. The partnership will commence at the beginning of next year.
The agreement brings Vienna into IAPCO’s Destination Partner programme, a network of international convention bureaux that work in close collaboration with IAPCO and its accredited professional congress organisers (PCOs).
The initiative is designed to strengthen cooperation between destinations and professional conference organisers, supporting the delivery of high-quality meetings and events worldwide.
IAPCO said the partnership reflects the importance of strong, strategic alignment between convention bureaux and PCOs. By working together from the early stages of event planning and bidding, destinations and organisers can adopt coordinated, city-wide approaches that benefit clients, delegates and local communities.
As part of the partnership, Vienna will contribute to several IAPCO initiatives. These include participation on the judging panel for the IAPCO Partner’s Emerging Leader Award, which recognises emerging talent within the global meetings industry. Vienna will also host an upcoming IAPCO Advisory Board Meeting, providing an opportunity for direct engagement with IAPCO leadership and its international membership, while showcasing the city’s conference infrastructure and professional capabilities.
Vienna joins a group of established international destinations that collaborate with IAPCO to promote best practice, knowledge exchange and professional standards across the sector. The partnership also provides Vienna with strategic access to IAPCO’s global network of accredited PCOs, who collectively deliver more than 21,000 meetings and conferences each year. In 2024, IAPCO estimated that these events generated €17.87 billion in economic impact worldwide.
Sissi Lignou, president of IAPCO, said the partnership would strengthen connections between Vienna and IAPCO’s global membership, supporting shared objectives to deliver high-quality professional meetings and events. She also noted that experience from other destinations shows early involvement of an IAPCO-accredited PCO can increase the likelihood of a successful bid.
Anita Paic, director B2B Management and Vienna Convention Bureau at the Vienna Tourist Board, said the partnership reflects Vienna’s long-standing relationships with professional conference organisers and reinforces the city’s position as a leading international meetings destination.
Established in 2013, the IAPCO Destination Partnership Programme now includes 11 convention bureaux from all over the world.
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,
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