EICC events will add £50 million to Scottish economy

A surge in demand for Edinburgh’s International Conference Centre (EICC) will directly add more than £50 million into the Scottish economy over the next five years.

Thanks to the centre securing a staggering 91 new events in the last six months alone, it will be able to accommodate 54,000 extra delegates over the next five years, with tens of millions of pounds of economic benefit being created.

Sectors leading this trend include the medical sector – where conferences serving this part of the economy will account for more than £17 million in economic benefit between now and 2031.

According to EICC, the charity, education and IT and technology sectors are all behind events that feature strongly in the new bookings.

Just some of the new conferences it has secured include the International Marine Conservation Congress 2026; the World Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Conference 2026; and those of The Aerosol Society – the latter of which has been a client of the venue for more than 21 years. It has now booked a multi-year event from 2029 until 2031.

“Every business event we welcome to the EICC represents more than a booking; it brings together delegates from around the world to enable knowledge exchange, foster collaboration, generate economic impact and showcase Edinburgh on a global stage,” said EICC CEO Amanda Wrathall.

“We are hugely encouraged by the venue’s strong performance over the last six months. This continued momentum reflects the confidence our clients place in both the EICC and Edinburgh, demonstrating the city’s enduring strengths as a destination for business events and the value these events create for our economy, our innovation ecosystem and our global reputation.”

Edinburgh’s International Conference Centre – which features a world-first revolving auditoria – was first opened in 1995. Since then, it has generated in excess of £930 million in revenue for the City of Edinburgh Council.

Maximum capacity of the venue stands at 5,760 people, which can be spread across more than 8,000m2 of floor space, containing eight distinct suites, 24 individual event rooms and two reception areas.

Its notable recent events have included The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, while TED hosted its global TEDSummit at EICC in July 2019.

Since 2017 it has also been the official venue of the Edinburgh Fringe.

Wrathall added: “We are incredibly grateful to our clients and to our team for delivering the high standards and trusted partnerships that make [this growth] possible.”

So iconic is the venue that the EICC has even featured on the back of a Clydesdale Bank commemorative £20 note.