Kazakhstan is one of the leading countries in hosting international events in Central Asia and the Caucasus, according to the Country and City Rankings 2022 report by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), reported the association’s press service.
Kazakhstan ranks third among five regional countries after Georgia and Azerbaijan.
According to the ICCA requirements, a country’s rating is based on annual international events, which are held in rotation in at least three countries and attract more than 50 international delegates. From 2013 to 2022, Kazakhstan hosted such events primarily between August and October, drawing between 50 and 500 participants.
A delegation of journalists and organizers of international events, including the Regional Manager for Europe of ICCA Efi Koudeli and a representative of the IMEX Frankfurt international exhibition Liz Brand recently visited Almaty and Astana to discuss cooperation in holding international events with the Kazakh partners.
“This is my first business trip as a Regional Manager for Europe, and I am glad to meet representatives of the tourism community and see the infrastructure of the business meetings industry in Astana and Almaty, one of the leaders in hosting international events in Central Asia,” said Koudeli.
The international meetings industry generated $1 trillion and created 10 million jobs with the participation of nearly 1.5 billion attendees in 2019, demonstrating that business tourism is three times more profitable than regular tourism.
With stable financing for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) support program, Kazakhstan can become a leader in promoting business tourism in the region.
Founded in 1963, ICCA specializes in hosting international association meetings, offering vital information, education, communication channels, and opportunities for business development and networking.
ICCA is considered one of the most prominent organizations in the world in the field of international meetings, advocating for this industry, Astana Times reports.
