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INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS IN 1995
by Ghislaine de Coninck Contents:
For the past 47 years, the Union of International Associations has undertaken, for the benefit of its members, statistical studies on the international meetings that took place worldwide in the preceding year. The statistics are based on information collected by the UIA Congress Department and selected according to very strict criteria maintained over several years, thus enabling meaningful comparison. Meetings taken into consideration include those organized and/or sponsored by the international organizations which appear in the "Yearbook of International Organizations" and in the "International Congress Calendar", i.e.: the sittings of their principal organs, congresses, conventions, symposia, regional sessions grouping several countries, as well as some national meetings with international participation organized by national branches of international associations. Under this last category are included meetings which are not collected systematically but which have been brought to our knowledge and which meet the following criteria: - minimum number of participants: 300 - minimum number of foreigners: 40 % - minimum number of nationalities: 5 - minimum duration: 3 days Excluded from the UIA figures are: purely national meetings as well as those of an essential religious, didactic, political, commercial, sporting nature such as religious gatherings, courses, party conferences, fairs, sales meeting, contest etc... Also excluded are: meetings strictly limited in participation such as committees, group of experts etc... most of these being held at an intergovernmental level and taking place mainly at the headquarters of the large IGO's in New York, Geneva, Rome, Brussels, Vienna... This is an indicative survey compiled from results of research by the UIA .Congress Department and using currently available information from international organizations selected according specific criteria.
The 1995 figures show a decrease in the number of international meetings organized worldwide in 185 different countries Over 8,800 international meetings have been taken into consideration in this survey in accordance with the criteria described above. This figure represents approximately 81.5 % of the total number of meetings included in our "congress" data bank for 1995. The 1995 evolution is illustrated in the tables below. In each table, international meetings organized/sponsored by international organizations and national meetings with large international participation are indicated separately. Compared with 1994, the overall drop registered in 1995 amounts to - 2.99 %. If only the number of meetings organized by international associations are compared, than this figure reaches - 3.59%. and an increase of national meetings with international participation of + 0.60%. Compared with the figures of 1993 the overall difference is - 1.19% and vis-á-vis 1992: + 0.98%. On an aggregated basis an upward trend is recorded in Asia + 0.15% and in Australasia + 0.21% ; the downward trend in registered in all other areas of the world: Europe - 2.09%, South America - 0.51%, Africa - 0.39% and North America - 0.36%.
Looking back over the last 5 years the general picture is a little below that of 1993. Only the Asian continent shows figures in constant expansion; since 1993 Australasia is also moving up. Tables 1 and 2 show the level of the various changes which occurred in 1995. The figures in Table 3 show that, despite the fact that the majority of meetings recorded in this survey took place in Europe, their percentage is continuously decreasing, ie 58.61% against 58.95% in 1994, 59.76% in 1993, 61.42% in 1992 and 62.30% in 1991.
TABLE 1: Worldwide breakdown of the variations registered in 1995 versus 1994
TABLE 2: Worldwide breakdown of the variations registered in 1995 versus 1993
TABLE 3: Worldwide breakdown of the total number of international meetings in 1995
Attention: le signe - ou + indique l'évolution par rapport á l'année 1994.
TABLE 4: Variation in 1995 versus 1994 - Continent by Continent
An analysis of the most active host countries is indicated in Table 5 below.
TABLE 5: Leading countries hosting international organizations' meetings in 1995. % of the worldwide total
One should note that in this table the countries are listed with regard to the number of International association meetings registered in each one. As far as the "Total" figures are concerned, the classification is of course different. The countries printed in bold letters are improving their ranking.
The USA is increasing its leadership, with 9.03% of the worldwide total against 8.82% in 1994. Despite the fact that they are not mentioned here, the following countries occupy a significant place in the worldwide ranking: Hungary, India, Korea Rep, Poland, Russia, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal, Greece, Argentina, Mexico, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Philippines.
The 1995 individual results compared with those of 1994 are showing that the greatest increases have taken place in Australia, China, Switzerland, Singapore, Ireland, Korea, South Africa, Hong Kong, Egypt, Sweden, Czech Rep, Philippines, Poland and Argentina. With regard to the total number of meetings of international organizations plus the national meetings with large international participation, the ranking is slightly different: number one to seven are the same: USA, France, UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, followed in order by: Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Hong Kong, China, Israel and Czech Rep. The number of meetings held in USA, Spain, Japan, Russia and Turkey is status quo while all other countries are experiencing a decrease.
TABLE 6: Leading cities hosting international organizations' meetings in 1995.
Please note again, that the ranking is different if one considers only the international association meetings or the total ranking. Cities printed in bold letters are improving their ranking in comparison to 1994.
This result reverses the trend experienced in the last years with the top cities reducing their share of the total market and thus concentrating meetings in the main important capital cities of the world.
Paris is slightly decreasing its leading place with now a share of 3.81% (against 3.98 % in 1995, 4.02% in 1993) of the world market but still a very long way ahead of other cities. Other cities occupying a significant place in this table are, in order: Dublin, Cairo, San Francisco, Tokyo, Jerusalem, Oslo, Sydney, Edinburgh, Melbourne, New Delhi, Milano, Warszawa, Luxembourg, Buenos Aires, Bangkok, Lisboa, Moskva, Den Haag, Istanbul, Trieste, München, Kuala Lumpur, Cambridge, Antwerpen, Birmingham, Maastricht, Nice, Manila, Toronto, Chicago, Köln.
With regard to the total number of meetings the ranking is as follows: Paris, Wien, London, Brussels, Geneva, Singapore, New York, Amsterdam, Washington, Hong Kong, Berlin, Kobenhavn, Montreal, Roma, Madrid, Praha, Strasbourg, Seoul, Budapest, Beijing, Stockholm, Helsinki, Barcelona. Not appearing in the table but also ranked highly are the following: Dublin, San Francisco, Jerusalem, Melbourne, Tokyo, Sydney, Oslo, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Edinburgh, New Delhi, München, Milano, Den Haag, Birmingham, Bangkok, Antwerpen, Maastricht, Warszawa, Luxembourg, Moskva, Lisboa, Chicago, Yokohama, Cambridge, Nice, Köln, Istanbul, Trieste, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Toronto.
The situation in Africa is showing a reduction in 1995 as compared to 1994: South Africa is increasing its predominance as first african country with .21.60% (17.23% in 1994, 11.43% in 1993 and 5.51% in 1992), directly followed by: Egypt 13.10% (9.78%); Tunisia 6.43% (6.80%); Kenya 6.20% (8.08%); Zimbabwe 5.74% (3.82%); Morocco 5.51% (7.44%); ; Ghana 3.67% (4.68%); Uganda 3.44%; Nigeria 2.98%; Senegal and Ethiopia 2.52%; Ivory Coast and Cameroon 2.29%. The highest ranking cities are: Cairo, Capetown, Harare, Nairobi and Tunis, Johannesburg, Dakar, Accra, Rabat, Abidjan, Marrakech.
In North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), the increase experienced in 1992, 1993 and 1994 is now receding: - 0.36% on the worldwide scale; - 2.49% on the North American level. However the situation is status quo in the USA, showing a slight decrease in Canada and a more substantial one in Mexico.
As in previous years, one wishes to stress again the fact that the meetings taken into consideration in the survey are primarily those organized/sponsored by international nongovernmental organizations; it is a
well known fact that the number of large national meetings with international .participation organized in North America is much higher than the figures mentioned in this analysis (especially in the USA); the survey of this specific market is not within the scope of activities of the UIA. On a worldwide basis the USA is keeping its leadership with an increasing 14.83% share of the world total against 14.75% in 1994, 15% in 1993, 11.38% in 1992 and 10.70% in 1991. Canada which had gone up in 1994 has also registered a diminution in its share of the market as indicated on tables 4 and 5.
Leading cities, on the overall table, in North America are (in order of importance): New York, Washington, Montreal, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, San Diego, Orlando, New Orleans, Vancouver, Mexico
City, Boston, Seattle.
In 1995, as in other part of the world the market is slowing its progression with a drop of both the worldwide and regional rating:
- 0.51% on the worldwide market Its share of the world market is now: 5.21% against 5.57% in 1994. Brazil always the leading country in the area with a 16% share (17% in 1994); Argentina 14,5% (12.4%), Chile 7.4% (=); Cuba 7%(-); Colombia 6.38% (+), Venezuela 5.9% (+), Peru 4.8% (+); Ecuador 4.1%, Costa Rica 3.3% (-). Leading cities are as in 1994, in order of importance: Buenos Aires, La Habana, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Caracas, Sao Paulo, San Jose.
In 1995, the steady increase which goes on from year to year in the Asian continent, is once again very positive. This situation is very interesting as most other regions of the world are experiencing a reduction in the number of international meetings held in their areas. + 0.15% on the worldwide level (+ 0.49% in 1994) + 1.18% on the regional level. Asia is always the third area in importance in the world, with a share of 13.72%, behind Europe and North America. Japan, 11th place on the world ranking, is prominentin Asia with a 19.16% (19.30% in 1994, 23.02% in 1993) share.
It is followed by Singapore 11.71% (9.99% in 1994); Hong Kong 8.53% (7.70%); China 8.11% ( 6.18%); Israel 8.11% (8.04%); India 6.94% (8.29%); Korea Rep. 6.86% (5.50%); Thailand 5.02% (6.60%); Philippines 4.26% (3.55%); Malaysia 3.43% (4.65%). Leading cities are in order of importance: Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing, Jerusalem, Tokyo, New Delhi, Bangkok, Yokohama, Kuala Lumpur, Manila.
The slight upward trend experienced in 1993, confirmed in 1994, is largely continuing with the most significant worldwide increases being: Australia is progressing while New Zealand is reducing the development enjoyed in 1994. The leading cities are in order of importance: Melbourne 23.91%, Sydney 22.17%, Perth 6.95%, Adelaide and Auckland.
EUROPE
As indicated on Table 1, in 1995 Europe has suffered a noticeable decrease: The trend experienced in previous years showing a reduction in the percentage of meetings taking place in Europe is confirmed: 58.61% (58.95% in 1994, 59.76% in 1993; 61.42% in 1992 and 62.3% in 1991.) Of these 49.00% were organized by international associations.
Vis-à-vis 1994, the reduction is registered in every country except in Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden, Czech Rep., Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Finland, Malta and Spain, countries improving their results. Cyprus, Iceland, Slovakia and Russia are unchanged. France is followed by United Kingdom with 12.47% (12.18% in '94; 10.88% in '93); Germany 10.02% (10.59% in '94); Italy 7.57% (7.27% in '94); Netherlands 6.22% (6.59%); Belgium 5.71% (5.68%); Austria 5.52% (5.44%); Switzerland 5.46% (4.83%); Spain 4.83% (4.62%). Countries having increased or decreased their share are indicated on Table 5 with the sign "+" or "-". In the overall Table, leading cities in Europe are in order of importance: Paris, Wien, London, Brussels, Geneve, Amsterdam, Berlin, Kobenhavn, Roma, Madrid, Praha, Strasbourg, Budapest, Stockholm, Helsinki, Barcelona, Dublin, Oslo, Edinburgh, München, Milano, Den Haag, Birmingham, Antwerpen.
As indicated above, the overall classification of cities within the various continents/regions is as follows: Africa: Cairo, Capetown, Harare, Nairobi, Tunis, Johannesburg, Dakar, Accra, Rabat, Abidjan, Marrakech. North America: New York, Washington, Montreal, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, San Diego, Orlando, New Orleans, Vancouver, Mexico City, Boston. South America: Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Santiago, San Jose, Habana, Rio de Janeiro, Caracas. Europe: Paris, Wien, London, Brussels, Geneva, Amsterdam, Berlin, Kobenhavn,Roma, Madrid, Praha, Strasbourg, Budapest, Stockholm, Helsinki, Barcelona, Dublin, Oslo, Edinburgh, München, Milano, Den Haag, Birmingham, Antwerpen. Asia: Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing, Jerusalem, Tokyo, New Delhi, Bangkok, Yokohama, Kuala Lumpur, Kyoto, Yokohama, Manila. Australasia: Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Auckland.
The analysis of information related to the number of delegates attending these meetings confirms the existing trend, ie. a majority of meeting with participants below 1000, however the number of meetings with more than 1000 participants is increasing slowly (+1% on 1994).
.14.19% less than 100 participants (15.50%/1994)
The number of exhibitions organized jointly with international meetings .analyzed in this survey amounts to 12.51% (12.29%/94) showing a slight increase on 1994.
The monthly breakdown does not show much changes and is as follows:
As indicated at the beginning of this analysis, the number of international meetings organized worldwide has gone down in 1995.
From the analysis of the various tables published above, it appears that the decrease is more significant in Europe and evenly in most European countries. As far as the geographical distribution of meetings is concerned it appears that the number of countries host of international meetings is growing from year to year. The meetings covered by the survey took place in 185 countries (180 in 1994).
With regard to the duration of the meetings taken into consideration in the survey the average confirms an average of 4 days duration. Based on the information available to-day, trends for future years are showing a situation which is stable and without great modifications either upward or downward. |
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