The Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation has reported a strong surge in congress acquisitions for 2024, marking a 24% increase from the previous year.
The Geneva Convention Bureau confirmed 31 association conferences, expected to attract around 27,000 participants – a 57% rise from 2023 – alongside a 65% increase in projected overnight stays, exceeding 76,000.
To celebrate this milestone, the Convention Bureau hosted its annual Ambassador Dinner on 6 February, recognising key contributors to the city’s conference success. Three prestigious awards were presented:
• Recognition Award: Dr Michel Bader, Professor Nader Perroud, and Professor Kerstin von Plessen for their role in the 8th International French-language Colloquium on ADHD.
• Impact Award: Cary Adams, Céline Francina, and Professor Olivier Michielin for the World Cancer Congress 2024, which welcomed over 2,000 attendees from 122 countries.
• Honorary Award: Gilles Andrier, CEO of Givaudan, for his support of the World Perfumery Congress 2024, which gathered more than 1,600 participants.
Geneva’s Convention Bureau has strengthened its team to enhance marketing and acquisition efforts, expanding beyond its medical congress stronghold to fields such as law, finance, and engineering.
New initiatives include the Geneva Congress Board, fostering collaboration between authorities and industry stakeholders, and the Geneva Association Days, a newly launched event convening association and NGO leaders.
“While 2023 has marked a return to stable growth since the pandemic, 2024 saw the trend intensify, with a significant increase in the confirmed number of association conferences, with record levels of projected attendance and overnight stays,” noted Philippe Schwarm, President of the Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation.