The Florentine congress sector confirms the positive trend also for 2022: in fact, 100 national and international congresses, conventions and corporate events were held last year in the Tuscan capital, mainly at the spaces of Firenze Fiera, the Palazzo dei Congressi, the new Palazzo degli Affari and the Fortezza da Basso. The numbers speak for themselves: 40,000 delegates arrived in the city and an economic impact on the destination of just over 70 million euros, with a growth of +59% compared to 2021 and significant economic, social and cultural repercussions.

ADVISORY BOARD AND MEETING LEGACY_ In the light of the work carried out in recent years and these promising numbers, it is evident how strategic it is for the city to invest in the human capital of our academic-scientific community, with the aim of increasing the number of international events who choose Florence as their host city. It is with this objective that last November, on the occasion of the sixth edition of the Florence Ambassador Award, the foundation of the Advisory Board of the Florence Academic Leadership Program – FALP was announced, chaired by the Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella and met on 31 January.

On the agenda, the capitalization of the Meeting Legacy, which provides for the development of a dedicated strategy on how the city can enhance the positive legacy – the so-called legacy – once the congress is over. An effective example of this is ISLRR 2025, the conference on low vision which will provide ideas to the city for the development of inclusiveness and accessibility projects.

“The enhancement of Florence as a city of culture and knowledge and its promotion as an international destination for congress tourism is an increasingly central theme – explains the Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella – because in addition to the undoubted economic and social impact of the sector on territory, this type of tourism allows us to plan strategically years in advance and to have more capillary and careful governance of flows. Through the invaluable work of the city’s Ambassadors who form the Advisory Board, it becomes essential to concentrate energies to further raise the quality of the congresses to be acquired, identifying clusters of particular interest for Florence, whose legacy is further developed once the congress is completed, benefit of all. The Municipality will necessarily have to play a central role in these strategic choices for the city”.

“The research system, together with that of education, is crucial in determining the future prospects of the country, and, obviously, of our city” – explains the Rector Alessandra Petrucci. “The University is therefore committed on two levels, both in the training of professionals and

in the implementation of the research system, which implies a strong involvement of the academic world and, in particular, of the healthcare world. Strengthening research and creating professionals recognized as leaders in their sector significantly contributes to making Florence a privileged destination for congress tourism. The synergy between the academic world, from the point of view of scientific research, and the productive fabric represents, in fact, a propitious and virtuous opportunity for growth for the entire city, also offering opportunities for our young people to acquire experiences and breathe those air of internationality, which is the primary objective of our actions”.

“In the wake of the excellent results achieved in 2022 – declares the President of Firenze Fiera Lorenzo Becattini – taking into account the events already contracted for in the current year and the numerous national and international association congresses scheduled for the next three years, we are working hard to offer an even more competitive district in the global market, with even more versatile, capacious, hyper-technological and green spaces such as the new Palazzo degli Affari and the recovery plan of the Fortress with the new Bellavista and Cavaniglia pavilions”.

“The establishment of an Advisory Board represents a further qualitative leap in the creation of candidacies and in the attempt to identify congresses that leave a positive legacy to the City, to be cultivated and developed together with the Florentine institutions” – declares the President of Destination Florence Convention & Federico Barraco Visitors Office. “A synergistic relationship with the Municipality and the University is central to our sector, and with the Advisory Board we have taken another significant step in the City’s congress strategy”.

THE CONGRESSES WON FOR THE NEXT YEARS_ Many nominations developed during the year that has just ended by the Florence Convention Bureau – the congress division of the Destination Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau – and the confirmations of events for the next few years, confirming a trend that is fast pace.

Thanks to a control room formed by Firenze Convention Bureau, Firenze Fiera and Kenes Group, in 2024 the spotlights will be on the Annual Congress of the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS 2024), a 5-day event connecting 500 microbiologists. A fundamental contribution in the victory of this candidacy came from Prof. Rino Rappuoli, current President of IUMS and recently awarded by the Municipality of Florence as Ambassador of the city together with Prof. Mariagrazia Pizza precisely for this important award.

In March 2024, 4,000 delegates from all over the world will arrive in the city to participate in the 17th edition of the International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD 2024). An important acquisition, born from the business development activities of the Firenze Convention Bureau and made concrete thanks to a strategy coordinated with Firenze Fiera and the Kenes Group.

The annual meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT 2025), the most important medical-scientific congress for research and training in the field of blood and marrow transplantation and cell therapy in

Europe. 6,500 delegates are expected. The victory of the candidacy, developed with a collaboration between the Firenze Convention Bureau and Firenze Fiera, saw the decisive contribution of Dr. Riccardo Saccardi, local host for the local community and Director of the Marrow Transplant Center pertaining to Cellular Therapies and Transfusion Medicine of the Careggi University Hospital of Florence.

2025 will also be the year of the 15th Conference of the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ISLRR 2025), a leading event that aims to stimulate scientific research in the field of low vision and the rehabilitation of visually impaired people . In September 2025 the spaces of Firenze Fiera, with which Firenze Convention Bureau and OIC Group have carried out the candidacy, will welcome more than 1,000 delegates.