These rankings cover meetings organised by international associations which take place on a regular basis and which rotate between a minimum of three countries.

The data represents a "snapshot" of qualifying events in the ICCA database as sampled on 28 April 2006. ICCA's Association Database is designed as a sales and marketing resource for its members to target future international association meetings, which is why it does not include one-off events or those which do not move between locations.

This year the ICCA Data researchers have identified 5,315 events which took place in 2005, a rise of 511 over 2004.

Partly this reflects the strength of the market, partly it is thanks to a record number of 209 ICCA members sending in their calendar information to help identify new events and partly it is thanks to increasing research staff capacity.

The top 3 countries measured by number of international meetings organised in 2005 is exactly the same as in 2004. The United Kingdom and France switched places and are now relatively 4^th and 5^th. The Netherlands and Italy also switched places: the Netherlands takes number 6 in 2005 and Italy takes number 7. Australia remains 8^th, Austria jumps one place to number 9 and Switzerland, 12^th in 2004, is a newcomer in the top 10.

As in 2003, Vienna tops the charts as the most popular city in 2005. Singapore remains 2^nd and Barcelona, last year’s number 1, maintains its position in the top 3. Berlin, Hong Kong and Paris take up positions 4, 5 and 6 in the same order as last year and Amsterdam rises from 12^th to 7^th place. Seoul is also a newcomer in the top 10 and shares its 8^th place with Budapest. Stockholm is 10^th, like it was in 2004.

ICCA is now working on the details behind these headline results, so that the full ICCA statistics report for 2005 can be released on 26 May. The statistics report covering 1996-2005 will be published on 20 June. These reports are your guide for any future decisions and a must-have if you are a supplier or client in the meetings industry.

The reports will be freely available online to ICCA members and will be on sale to non-members.