A decade at the top: Montréal remains North America's capital for international conventions

MONTRÉAL, May 27, 2026 /CNW/ - Tourisme Montréal and the Palais des congrès de Montréal are proud to announce that Montréal has retained its title as the leading destination in North America for hosting international conventions for the 10th consecutive year, according to the prestigious annual ranking by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). The city also ranks 2nd in the Americas, behind Buenos Aires, and 26th worldwide, with 83 international conventions hosted in 2025.

"This is an important distinction in a market where major cities around the world compete fiercely to attract these events. This achievement reflects not only Montréal's appeal, but also the strength of its partner network, including the Palais des congrès de Montréal, the city's hotels, and universities. This ranking also demonstrates the metropolis' ability to deliver world-class experiences across the scientific, academic, and events sectors," said Mylène Gagnon, Vice President, Member Services and Conventions at Tourisme Montréal.

Among the major international events hosted in Montréal in 2025:

• The International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes 2025 – 51st Annual Conference (1,290 participants)
• 2025 International Symposium of the International Council on Large Electric Networks (2,500 participants)
• 24th International Conference on Emergency Medicine 2025 (1,900 participants)
• The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research – Annual International Meeting 2025 (4,200 participants)

"Business events generate significant economic benefits for Montréal while also enhancing its international reputation as a city of knowledge and innovation. They create unique opportunities to showcase the key sectors of our economy and foster exchanges that advance our areas of expertise. By combining Montréal's expertise with the structured support provided by the teams at the Palais des congrès, Tourisme Montréal and our partners, Montréal's strong competitive advantages set it apart internationally and have secured its place among the world's leading business destinations for the past decade," said Emmanuelle Legault, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

In a context of strong competition among major destinations, strategic financial incentive programs such as the Canadian International Convention Attraction Fund (ICAF) and Québec's International Business Events Stimulus Fund (FSTAI) are essential tools for maintaining and strengthening Montréal's competitiveness on the global business events stage.

To date, the ICAF has generated estimated economic benefits of $200M in Montréal through the support of 31 projects. Meanwhile, the FSTAI has contributed an estimated $22M in economic impact across 17 projects, including the World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, which will be held in 2028 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. This major event will bring together more than 3,200 specialists from around the world.

Building on these results, Montréal is ideally positioned to further strengthen its international profile as a leading destination for hosting global conferences.

About Tourisme Montréal

Tourisme Montréal is a private non-profit organization that has been promoting the city as a world-class destination for leisure and business tourism markets for over 100 years. The organization develops innovative visitor experience strategies with a dual objective: ensuring a high-quality experience for visitors while maximizing tourism's economic benefits in a harmonious and sustainable way for the city. Bringing together nearly 1,000 businesses operating directly or indirectly in the tourism industry, Tourisme Montréal plays a leading role in managing and developing Montréal's tourism offering and regularly contributes to discussions surrounding the city's economic, urban, and cultural development. For more information, visit www.mtl.org.

About the Palais des congrès de Montréal

A creative solutions centre and a showcase for the city's spirit and expertise, the Palais des congrès de Montréal has been promoting and hosting large-scale events since 1983. Generating significant economic, social and intellectual benefits, it encourages innovation and acts as a force for progress for both Montréal and Québec. The Palais is firmly committed to sustainability and takes numerous innovative, concrete steps to make it a central component of its business development. With one of the highest customer satisfaction rates in the world, the Palais actively contributes to the international reputation of Montréal, the top host city for international events in America for nine years in a row. congresmtl.com 

SOURCE Tourisme Montréal

Information: Aurélie de Blois, Spokesperson and Senior Public Relations Advisor, Tourisme Montréal, [email protected]; Sébastien Zickgraf, Advisor and Copywriter, Communications and Public Affairs, Palais des congrès de Montréal, [email protected]