Vienna Exhibition Center Launches Under New Brand Identity

As of the beginning of the year, the city of Vienna has successfully taken over the operations of the Vienna Exhibition Center, bringing control back into local hands. The operator, the Vienna Exhibition and Congress GmbH, a subsidiary of Wien Holding, is now operating under the new brand name VIECON - Vienna Congress & Convention Center, with a focus on international engagement.

This rebranding emphasizes a strategic commitment to enhancing the congress and conference sector as key drivers of growth, while still recognizing the essential role that exhibitions play as the foundation of the venue.

The takeover of the exhibition center aligns with Vienna's clear strategy to sustainably strengthen its position as a trade fair and congress location, ensuring it remains competitive on the international stage. The congress and conference sector is a significant economic contributor to the city, with visitors spending an average of EUR550 per day, which significantly boosts local businesses, particularly in gastronomy, hospitality, and services.

For 2025, VIECON has already secured a number of major events, including five large congresses such as the annual congress of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID). According to the managing director of Wien Holding, the confirmed meetings at the Vienna Exhibition Center are expected to generate over 350,000 overnight stays this year, highlighting the economic importance of the congress market. He noted that every euro invested here generates EUR15 in economic value, underscoring the significance of the conference industry for Vienna.

The year 2025 will kick off with a highlight event in spring, the annual meeting of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), which will showcase the latest advancements in research on heart rhythm disorders and is certified as a Green Meeting. Following this, the ESCMID Global Congress will gather experts from around the globe to discuss infections, while the ISEV Annual Meeting will focus on research concerning extracellular vesicles. Other notable medical conferences include ESTRO 2025, which will concentrate on radiation oncology, and EuroPerio 2025, which will address periodontology and implantology.

In the autumn, the EASD 2025 will delve into the latest findings in diabetes research, the European Emergency Medicine Congress (EUSEM) will spotlight innovations and best practices in emergency medicine, and BIO-Europe will serve as a key platform for biotechnology and medical innovation.

Events such as the techConference by Microsoft will transform VIECON into a hub for innovation in AI, security, and infrastructure. Popular local events like the Vienna Holiday Fair and Living & Interior in spring, along with Book Vienna and the VIECC Vienna Comic Con in autumn, showcase the diversity of topics and flexibility that the venue offers. This year, both the ASTA River Cruise Expo, a professional conference of the American Society of Travel Advisors focusing on river cruises, and BeSt, Austria's largest career orientation fair, successfully took place at VIECON.

Conferences, exhibitions, and events not only attract visitors to Vienna but also facilitate valuable knowledge transfer, which positively impacts the city's development. With VIECON as a central platform for national and international events, knowledge exchange is being actively promoted. The close collaboration among event organizers, research institutions, and the city helps to integrate insights from these events into the ongoing evolution of Vienna in areas such as sustainability, digitalization, and mobility. A robust congress city is thus a guarantee for a sustainable future for Vienna.