The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has ranked Cape Town as the world’s thirty-fifth most popular convention location for international associations, in its latest annual survey, 'GlobeWatch 2024 Business Analytics Report'. This was the result of the city holding 58 international association meetings last year, and represented a climb of 15 places in the ICCA’s rankings over its position in 2023, when Cape Town hosted 42 such meetings.

When it came to the average number of delegates attending an international conference, Cape Town ranked in the top ten cities, worldwide. The Mother City’s average attendance figure was 717 delegates for such meetings.

Nor was this success limited to Cape Town. Stellenbosch hosted seven such meetings last year and was the site for 100 of them over the period from 2013 to 2024. And George, Grabouw, Knysna and Paarl all hosted at least one such meeting last year, indicating that these towns were becoming attractive venues for meetings for smaller international associations.

“This ranking shows that Cape Town and the Western Cape stand shoulder to shoulder with global conference hubs such as Dubai, Barcelona, and Melbourne,” highlighted Western Cape trade, tourism and investment promotion agency Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander. “We are particularly pleased that smaller towns across the province are experiencing the benefits of business events. In the 2024/25 financial year, the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau, powered by Wesgro, secured 36 new conference bids, with a projected economic impact of R745-million and over 27 000 delegates expected through to 2028. Bid submissions for events as far ahead as 2032 are already underway, ensuring a healthy pipeline of future opportunities.”

Future international conferences already secured by Cape Town or other Western Cape towns include the 2026 International Communication Association Congress, the 2027 eleventh World Congress on ADHD (attention deficit hyper-activity disorder), and the 2028 World Congress of Entomology. “Hosting international conferences is about much more than just the numbers – it’s about the people, the ideas shared, and the connections made,” she affirmed. “Business events bring real value to our economy and open doors for collaboration across borders, industries, and institutions. That’s what makes this growth so exciting.”

“These outstanding results reflect the Western Cape’s global competitiveness and the tangible economic impact of business events,” pointed out Western Cape Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism Minister Dr Ivan Meyer. “Every international meeting we host fuels job creation, investment, and innovation – while positioning our region as a hub of knowledge and expertise.”

South Africa, as a country, ranked first in Africa for hosting international conferences. In 2021, the country hosted 84 such meetings, increasing to 98 in 2023 and 98 again last year. Such conferences have injected more than R2-billion into the national economy.