18 major international congresses: Austria Center Vienna reports strong year for events in 2024

“We are very pleased to see that Vienna’s status as the top global congress capital was reaffirmed in 2024. Conducted at regular intervals over recent years, studies show that every fourth or fifth participant at an association congress in Vienna visits the Austria Center Vienna. And to help maintain our position as an international hub for innovation, science, and sustainability, we have been steadily modernising the location over the course of the past decade. We are pleased to be in a position to celebrate this success with all of our partners in Vienna,” says Susanne Baumann-Söllner, Managing Director of the Austria Center Vienna.

Level -2 modernisation project run in parallel with everyday operations

Level -2 was unavailable throughout 2024 while a full modernisation project was carried out, in preparation for its official reopening in spring 2025. As expected, this led to a decline in revenue from events including partner commissions, with the annual total down 16% to EUR 15.4 million from the EUR 18.4 million reported in the record-breaking previous year. The total of 60 events held in 2024 attracted around 130,000 participants, evenly split between national and international events. Eighteen international events each drew over 1,000 attendees, with highlights including the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) and the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), each hosting around 19,000 participants, as well as major corporate events such as the SIXT World Conference and HPE Tech Jam.

Solar energy for Austria’s first green conference centre

In 2014, the Austria Center Vienna became the nation’s first Green Conference Centre. Organisers have access to a free sustainability consultation and certification for Green Meetings and Green Events. In 2024, 15 events took advantage of this offering. Following a greening initiative for the terraces and the main square outside the venue, the Austria Center Vienna is already working on the next phase. Michael Rotter, Board Member for Building and Property Management, explains: “As part of our extensive modernisation programme, we are focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy. From autumn 2025, a large photovoltaic system on the main roof will cover our electricity needs, marking a key milestone.” In addition to operating the Austria Center Vienna, IAKW-AG is also responsible for maintaining the Vienna International Centre. Since 2021, under a partnership with Wien Energie, waste heat from the cooling system has been fed into the district heating network, supplying heat to around 2,000 households.

Austria Center Vienna officially one of the nation’s top employers

Officially granting the Austria Center Vienna “Best Workplaces Austria 2025” status, the recent Great Place to Work ranking is another highly encouraging development. Over recent years, the Austria Center Vienna has introduced numerous measures in this area. Among the employee benefits are annual public transport passes, meal subsidies, and a free gym. It also supports remote working and enables parents, including those in leadership roles, to work part-time. For the Austria Center Vienna, having a high proportion of women in management positions is a given. Other areas that set it apart include a diverse team working in a wide range of roles, as well as the very close cooperation between the event management and technology, sales and marketing, facility management and construction engineering departments.

About IAKW-AG

Internationales Amtssitz- und Konferenzzentrum Wien, Aktiengesellschaft (IAKW-AG) is responsible for maintaining the Vienna International Centre (VIC) and operating the Austria Center Vienna (ACV). The Austria Center Vienna is Austria’s largest conference centre. With 21 halls, 134 meeting rooms and some 26,000m² of exhibition space, it is one of the top players on the international conference circuit.