Following the rise of London to 8th in the 2025 ICCA City Rankings Saf Ismail, CEO, The QEII Centre has been sharing her thoughts on the accolade
“London’s rise to 8th in the 2025 ICCA City Rankings, up from 11th, is a result the industry has earned. It places London firmly in the global top ten, ahead of Seoul and Tokyo, and confirms the city’s standing as one of the world’s foremost destinations for international association meetings.
“The ICCA report is clear: international business event delegates spend at a ratio of 4:1 compared to domestic counterparts, with non-European visitors to the UK averaging £1,824 per trip. These are not leisure tourists passing through. They are scientists, policymakers, clinicians and innovators, and the events that bring them together generate economic and intellectual legacies that compound for years.
“Healthcare and media events alone account for over a third of our bookings at The QEII Centre, sectors where London has genuine global depth and a professional ecosystem that associations want to be part of. The UK’s 5th place in the global country rankings reflects both the strength of that offer and a coordinated effort across the sector to compete at the highest level.
“We feel this momentum directly. Revenue is nearly £1 million ahead of this point last year, a third consecutive year of record growth, with 65 per cent of bookings from clients who return and confirmed events running through to 2029. That kind of pipeline reflects what London offers at its best: intellectual credibility, world-class infrastructure and the experience that keeps international organisers coming back.
“There is more to do. The ICCA data shows competitors investing heavily in national strategy and long-term legacy frameworks. London’s response must be equally ambitious. But this ranking is a signal worth celebrating and a foundation worth building on.”
