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For the ninth consecutive year, Montréal has been crowned the best destination in North America for hosting international association events, according to the prestigious annual rankings of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), which classified more than 11,000 international gatherings held around the world in 2024.
Thanks to its expertise and sustained commitment to innovation and excellence in business tourism, Montréal once again outranked major North American metropolises like Toronto, Washington, DC, Vancouver and Chicago. The city also maintained its second position in the Americas, behind Buenos Aires, and preserved its enviable position in the global Top 30 (28th in the world), surpassing cities like Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai and Munich.
This renewed leadership is the fruit of an effective collaboration between the Palais des congrès de Montréal and Tourisme Montréal, and the exceptional synergy of the sector’s key players—hotels, restaurants, universities and event partners. Together, these dynamic forces have contributed to positioning and maintaining Montréal as a first-rate destination for major international gatherings.
Among the key events in 2024 was the 3rd Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology, with 2,138 participants, the One Young World Summit 2024, which drew 1,900 young leaders from around the world, and the 32nd Conference on Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB), with its 1,600 delegates. In all, 70 international events were held in Montréal, enabling it to maintain first place on the podium in 2024. Above all, these events were wonderful opportunities to share knowledge and build collaborations with experts the world over: a precious contribution to Montréal research in key sectors such as life sciences, health and information technologies.
This ninth triumph for Montréal in the ICCA rankings is not simply a record of achievement, it’s a tangible reflection of Montréal’s dynamic business tourism and its capacity to attract large-scale international events. An ecosystem whose strategic vision and collective creativity showcase our metropolis on the international scene.
Montréal’s ranking as the top destination in North America for nine years in a row is the fruit of a strategic collaboration between the Palais des congrès, Tourisme Montréal, and leading researchers in Montréal, whose expertise and commitment make all the difference. By choosing our metropolis, international associations are not simply selecting a place, they’re allying with an ecosystem that enriches their event and amplifies their participants’ experience.
– Emmanuelle Legault, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal
Each year, our teams work hard to process hundreds of files, organize site inspections and confirm thousands of overnight stays. Business tourism constitutes a major lever for the metropolis, both economically and in terms of promoting academic excellence and research. The ICCA’s multiple recognitions are an honour, and I commend the exceptional work of our teams, who contribute tirelessly to making Montréal shine on the international stage.
– Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal