The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has confirmed 19 international association conferences for 2026 - a pipeline of events expected to attract more than 22,600 delegates and generate an estimated RM60m (€12m) in delegate expenditure for Malaysia.
The announcement comes as Malaysia improves its position in the latest International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) GlobeWatch Country & City Rankings 2025, with the country ranked 32nd globally among 142 destinations for international association meetings. Kuala Lumpur placed 29th worldwide after hosting 73 ICCA-qualified meetings.
The ICCA rankings are widely regarded as a benchmark for destinations that consistently attract recurring international association congresses, making them an indicator of competitiveness in the international meetings industry.
Among the conferences scheduled for 2026 are the International Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control (APSIC), the Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS), the SPE/ICoTA Asia Pacific Well Intervention and P&A Conference and Exhibition, and the 16th Asian & Oceania Epilepsy Congress.
The convention centre hosted 16 ICCA-qualified international association conferences in 2025. During the year it welcomed 756,721 delegates, including 59,013 international visitors, with organisers estimating the events contributed RM1.5 billion in economic impact.
Robert Hatton-Jones, deputy general manager of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, said: "Every congress brings together global experts, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration and economic growth."
The venue has also expanded its exhibition calendar with several first-time events in Malaysia, including Malaysia Brand Day 2026, the Remarkable Shandong Agricultural Trade (Malaysia) Expo 2026 and the Malaysia International Textile & Tourism Expo 2026. Looking ahead, the convention centre has already secured more than 15 international association conferences for 2027.
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.
