Published by Neil Thompson, 12th June 2025
Birmingham and the West Midlands’ business events specialists are toasting the results of two leading international industry rankings, which strengthen the region’s reputation as a world-class capital for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).
Birmingham has been ranked the top UK regional destination for meetings by global events and hospitality technology provider, Cvent. The annual rankings, which are based on more than $18 billion of MICE business through Cvent’s digital platforms, list Birmingham in 21st place, up from 24th in 2024, ahead of European cities such as Hamburg, Stockholm and Zurich.
The city has also made a significant leap of 87 places to 125th in the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Country and City Rankings Report for 2024, the annual benchmark of destinations based on the number of global events hosted. Having welcomed 20 association meetings – which aligned with ICCA’s criteria of taking place regularly; rotating between a minimum of three countries/territories; and having at least 50 participants – Birmingham is at its highest position in the international standings since 2017.
More than half of the meetings hosted in Birmingham came from European organisations. Nearly 50% of the events taking place in the city were linked to science or medical sciences, which are long-established and world-leading sectors for the West Midlands’ inward investment strategy.
Cllr John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:
“It is tremendous to see Birmingham continue to receive national and international recognition for something our region has excelled at for many years – hosting and delivering top quality conferences and events for organisers across the world.
“Birmingham is an events city – we have varied venues and passionate people, who consistently put on a great show for delegates and leave a lasting impression.”
The West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) – the organisation responsible for attracting conferences and events into the region via the Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau – recently attended IMEX Frankfurt (19-22 May, Messe Frankfurt).
Together with MeetEngland and stand partner Eastside Rooms, the WMGC team held 10% more pre-booked appointments than the previous edition, adding to a healthy pipeline of business events enquiries.
“The West Midlands’ conference and events sector is big business for the region, generating nearly £2 billion of direct spend for our visitor economy. Attending international exhibitions such as IMEX remains the most effective way of sparking new partnerships and creating exciting, fresh opportunities to bring more high-profile meetings here.
“Birmingham and the West Midlands is making an impression internationally. It was heartening for our team in Frankfurt – headed up by our new Business Tourism and Events Strategic Lead Linda Best – to speak to organisers from Australia, Indonesia, Spain and USA, who were particularly interested in our business events and cultural offer.”
Katie Trout, Director of Destination, Marketing & Insight, West Midlands Growth Company
Members of the Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau will continue to highlight the region’s business events offer at The Meetings Show (25-26 June, ExCeL London) and IBTM World (18-20 November, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona).
Major business events taking place in the region before the end of 2025 include the International Conference on Data Science and Advanced Analytics (DSAA) (9-13 October, University of Birmingham); the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Annual Meeting (12-15 November, ICC Birmingham); and the first World Screen Tourism Summit (21 November, ICC Birmingham).
Andy Gibb, Managing Director, NEC Group Conventions, said:
"Birmingham continues to prove itself as a powerhouse for events, and these latest international rankings are a testament to the city’s growing global appeal.
“As a well-connected destination at the heart of the UK, we offer unrivalled accessibility and a vibrant cultural scene. Our world-class venues, ICC Birmingham and Vox Conference Venue, are best in class and consistently deliver exceptional experiences for delegates and organisers alike.
“These results reflect the dedication of our region’s business events specialists and reinforce Birmingham and the West Midlands as a premier destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions."
For more information about the region’s business events offer or to get in touch with the Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau team, log on to meetbirmingham.com.
