Business tourism in Krakow 2023 - research, rankings, awards
Summing up the year 2023, we cannot forget about market research and reports as well as awards or contests, in which both the activities of the Krakow Convention Bureau and partners were appreciated and honoured. We encourage you to read on!
Krakow – rankings, awards
Krakow ranked highest among Polish cities in the latest, the 64th, International Meetings Statistics Report from the Union of International Associations (UIA). In 2022, 43 international meetings were organized in Krakow, which gave our city 32nd place in the international ranking. This is a significant improvement over the 2021 result, in which the Małopolska capital was ranked 43rd with 21 meetings.
Krakow maintains a stable position in the International Congress and Convention Association’s “ICCA Statistics Report 2022” ranking. The 42 association meetings recorded in Krakow in 2022 gave the city 39th place in the world and 31st in Europe. In comparison, in 2019, Krakow - with 54 meetings - was ranked 48th in the world ranking and 29th among European cities. Full report available here.
The campaign "Wide Open for business meetings" was the winner of the first edition of the MP Impact Awards in the Campaign category. The jury and the audience appreciated the comprehensive and professional promotion of business tourism in Krakow and Malopolska, as well as the wide range of activities of the "Malopolska - destination" project itself.
The MP Impact Awards is the first competition dedicated to initiatives, campaigns and events that have an impact on the functioning and development of the meetings and events industry. The aim of the MP Impact Awards competition is to recognise, reward and promote initiatives, campaigns and events that have or may have a significant impact on the development of the meetings industry, addressing its important challenges or solving problems, both on a local, national and international scale.
In the 11th edition of the MP Power Awards, a nationwide competition rewarding industry personalities, best projects, facilities, creative products and agencies, a Special Power award was given for the organization of the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow. The judges praised the organizing committee for its commitment and excellent organization of the event. MP Powers were also awarded to representatives of the Krakow meetings industry, the statuettes going to: Anna Jędrocha, Hotel Saski Curio Collection by Hilton, Dragon Digital, CKF 13 Fabryczna Conference Center and Event Factory. Also honored was the Stranger Things mapping “Krakow do you copy?” displayed on the Wawel Castle last year.
Last year, the Convention Bureau received a recommendation from the Poland Convention Bureau PTO for 2023-2024, confirming the professional operation of the bureau and cooperation with the Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourist Organization.
In addition, the facilities operating in Krakow have been awarded in several industry competitions. The Krakow Fair has been recognized in the Golden Arrow competition in the Experimental marketing – Event marketing – offline category, for its communication strategy for the 25th Krakow International Book Fair®. The Krakow Fair also received an award in the PR Wings competition in the category of business change, communication game changer for the 25th International Book Fair in Krakow®.
TAURON Arena Krakow has won an award at TheStadiumBusiness Awards in the category: Sustainability & Community, for the project “Children’s Haven & Ukraine refugee support” (Children’s Haven, refugee registration zone, UNHCR zone).
“The meetings industry in Krakow 2022”
The report focuses on a summary of the meetings industry in Krakow, covering analysis of events such as congresses, conferences, seminars, symposiums, training courses, workshops, and the other two key market segments, i.e., business fairs and exhibitions, as well as corporate events (including incentive trips).
In 2022, the number of events in Krakow for a minimum of 10 participants reached 2,629, thus increasing by a quarter over the previous year, although it was still more than three times lower than before the pandemic. It is worth noting a positive sign for the city, namely the increase in the number of international events by as much as 107.8%, while more than 92% of the total meetings were face to face. Krakow continues to be a congress city, as evidenced by the more than 51% share of conference/conference type events in the total number of meetings. From the city’s point of view, it is a very positive sign that 450 fairs/exhibitions were held in the city in 2022, an increase of 233% over the previous year and more than triple the number before the pandemic. Group business and scientific meetings held in Krakow in 2022 lasted an average of more than two days (2.16), and this was another year of increase in their duration.
The full content of the “Meetings Industry in Krakow 2022” report along with a summary infographic are available here.