Amsterdam, Inspiration for Good
A city of innovation and creativity, Amsterdam’s excellent connectivity, sustainability initiatives and superb infrastructure for events make it the ideal destination to host international association events looking to improve the future.
Earning an enviable reputation for its initiatives in sustainable transport, the city tops international rankings in smart mobility, placing #6 for Urban Mobility Readiness and #2 for Sustainable Mobility. The city’s growing network of high-speed trains makes it easy for conference goers to opt for sustainable travel within Europe, while a cycling-friendly centre and fleet of green-energy powered public transport ensures sustainable connections are always on hand for ease of travel around the city.
When it comes to venues, event organisers are spoilt for choice. Offering more than 500 venues ranging from high-tech heritage sites to world-class convention centres committed to advancing sustainability, there is an abundance of options for event organisers to choose from to stage impactful experiences.
Amsterdam’s event hospitality also extends to 37,000+ rooms, of which more than 90 hotels are green-certified and ready to welcome conference attendees in the thousands. Plus, the city’s world-class museums, festivals, theatre, live music, bars and restaurants ensure the city remains high in the rankings of event destinations worldwide. With over 750 years of history and innovation and UNESCO-recognised canals, there’s much for eventgoers to discover and explore during downtime.
Sharing knowledge
Amsterdam’s collaborative business and knowledge network connects meeting planners with a high concentration of prestigious universities and research centres to boost events’ impact across sectors in life sciences and health, smart mobility, circular construction and food.
Coupled with more than 4,000 international companies and a dynamic start-up scene, Amsterdam stands #3 for the highest impact on scientific research worldwide (Elsevier report) compared to 20 global cities.
Recent events showcase Amsterdam’s promise
With its dynamic business environment and political commitment to the energy transition, Amsterdam was the ideal host for WasteBuild Zero 2023. Designed to challenge the traditional construction industry and tackle climate change, founder of the event Frazer Stokes said: “One of the reasons we’re in Amsterdam is because of the leadership that Dutch architects and the Dutch built environment is demonstrating when it comes to the circular economy roadmap. There are so many pilot schemes and so many projects here in Amsterdam.”
Zach Butler, Events Director of The Next Web (TNW) conference, highlighted the close collaboration with ACB with connections, infrastructure, signage, transport and venue arrangements: “There’s a real appetite from the city, the municipality, from the [Amsterdam] Convention Bureau to use these pillars to help support the growth of the next phase of Amsterdam,” he said.
The annual TNW conference took place in Amsterdam in June for the 17th time. Attracting more than 10,000 attendees from 6,000 companies, the theme, Reclaim the Future, focused on the power of innovation and gathered experts to explore how technology can be used to address climate concerns and improve lives – a perfect fit for the city.
Amsterdam ranks among Europe’s top 3 tech ecosystems, according to the 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER), and offers an impressive business and knowledge infrastructure to help events generate a far-reaching legacy.
Ranking number two in Europe for AgTech and food startups and with plans in place to encourage a move to eat 50 per cent plant-based by 2030 - the Netherlands already has the highest consumption of plant-based foods per capita – Amsterdam proved the perfect platform for Plant Forward 2023. Founder Marcel van der Heijden praised the city for its extensive event offering and support from the Amsterdam Convention Bureau (ACB) to help bring the first edition to life and establish a firm ground for future events.
Expert assistance
ACB has long experience in meeting the requirements of international association events making it easy to plan and host events in the city. It offers a raft of support services and an extensive network of local partners and service providers.
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