Madrid has climbed to second place Amex GBT’s EMEA ranking, unseating Barcelona. London holds its place as number one.
The Amex GBT Top Destinations Study 2025 forecasts the top business events destinations in 2025 from a survey of 172 respondents.
For the first time, Berlin has entered the EMEA top five. The German capital offers excellent venues for more affordable rates than other established cities like Amsterdam, as well as a vibrant local culture.
In Spain, value is also drawing organisers north to Madrid. Competitive hotel rates and strong connections to Latin America have caused Barcelona to lose second place on the ranking.
In Asia Pacific, Hong Kong has surpassed Sydney. The city has finally recovered from Covid and is seeing improvements in stability.
Highlights from across the globe:
- New York overtakes Las Vegas as a convenient location, particularly for smaller, internal meetings
- Miami and Dallas replace Los Angeles and Toronto in top five
- Cancún ascends to top spot in Latin America due to demand for leisure-oriented venues
Amex GBT Top Destinations Study 2025
Major factors
The main factors influencing changes in the rankings are accessibility, corporate demand and cost. Gerardo Tejado, Senior Vice President of Professional Services at Amex GBT, commented: “Companies are increasingly prioritising accessibility, affordability, and flexible venue offerings as they seek to optimise their meetings and events strategies. These insights can guide organisations in making purposeful decisions when planning their global events in the year ahead.”
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