In its eleventh edition, the Osservatorio Italiano dei Congressi e degli Eventi (OICE) — promoted by Federcongressi&eventi and conducted by ASERI, Università Cattolica — documents consistent year‑on‑year increases in Italy’s business events segment. Conference and event counts rose to 367,981 in 2024, delegates reached 29,264,953, and total attendances 47,213,261, marking growth rates of 8.2 %, 7.8 % and 12.9 % respectively compared to 2023.

Economic Impact and Investment Priorities

The sector generated a direct contribution of € 11.746 billion to Italy’s economy, according to ENIT‑ASERI research. Geographically, 57.7 % of events were held in Northern Italy, 25.3 % in the Centre, 10.8 % in the South and 6.2 % on the Islands. Conference hotels hosted 76.8 % of events, while non‑hotel venues (historic residences, theatres, auditoria, arenas) accounted for 20.5 %. Trade fair and conference centres saw the largest delegate growth (+26.2%). In response to evolving market demands, venue operators prioritised staff training, followed by investments in facility refurbishments, promotional tools and audio‑visual upgrades.