Utrecht in full pursuit of major international conferences

In the coming years, the Utrecht Congress Alliance public-private partnership will be fully committed to raising Utrecht’s profile as a leading host city and region for major international conferences. The partnership aims to attract conferences aligned with the city and region’s positioning as ‘Utrecht, Heart of Health’. The themes of Life Sciences & Health, New Digital Society and Smart Sustainability will spearhead a multiyear, targeted acquisition strategy.

Utrecht Region eager to host more major international conferences
The targeted acquisition strategy is a breakthrough achievement by the Utrecht Congress Alliance, a partnership that includes the Municipality of Utrecht, the Province of Utrecht, ROM Utrecht Region, HOST (Utrecht hotelier foundation), Utrecht University, Royal Jaarbeurs and Utrecht Marketing with its subdivision Utrecht Convention Bureau. The partners have pledged to work together to strengthen Utrecht Region’s competitive edge in attracting business visitors and major conferences.

“Business events and conferences are crucial for Utrecht Region”, says Daniël Kusse, head of Marketing & Communications at Utrecht Marketing. “They boost economic activity, create jobs and are a key component of the knowledge economy.”

Kusse adds, “Events and conferences also provide the opportunity to highlight our region’s wider strengths and position Utrecht as the beating heart of a healthy society, in line with ‘Utrecht, Heart of Health’. It’s great to work with an increasing number of partners from various sectors and invest in our shared ambition. For instance, a range of partners from the Utrecht Congress Alliance are attending the IMEX in Frankfurt this week, the leading trade show for the global meetings and events industry.”

Utrecht, Heart of Health
Recently named Europe’s most competitive region for the third time, Utrecht Region aims to play a pivotal role in creating a healthy and sustainable society, as reflected in the region’s positioning as ‘Utrecht, Heart of Health’. The targeted, joint acquisition strategy for conferences will further consolidate the region’s profile on a global stage. The key focus is on trade association conferences and industry events like the international WHO European Healthy Cities Network conference, hosted by Utrecht and attended by 350 visitors last November, and the Future Green City World Congress, which is expected to attract more than 4,000 people to the region this September.

Global ambition
Utrecht Region has many venues that are eager to accommodate business events and win bids to host international conferences. “The new acquisition strategy ties in seamlessly with our own, which includes a focus on conferences, trade fairs and health and life sciences events”, says Jeroen van Hooff, CEO of Royal Jaarbeurs.

Van Hooff continues, “Jaarbeurs received the public award for the best conference venue in the Netherlands for the second year in a row in 2023, thanks to our personalised approach to meeting and event planning and our central location. We’re on a mission to raise Jaarbeurs’ international profile as the premier conference venue in the Netherlands, specialising in health and life sciences. It’s extremely rewarding to work with our Utrecht-based partners to gain greater global recognition for our innovative region.”

Since the partnership’s inception, an increasing number of municipalities and partners in Utrecht Region have expressed their desire to help bring business visitors and corporate events to the region.