The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has reported a record year in 2017 with delegate numbers up 3,000 year-on-year to 94,000, attending around 200 events at the venue.
Operating profits almost doubled year-on-year to £1.2 million in 2017 from £640k in 2016, while economic impact for the city was up to £55 million in 2017 from £51.6m the previous year.
Marshall Dallas, chief executive of the EICC, said: “Our collective desire to create not only the most sustainable conference venue in the world, but also an environment that encourages the formulation of ideas that change the world has paid dividends as we experienced another record year in 2017 in which we welcomed more events and delegates to the EICC than ever before.”
In 2017 the EICC benefited from more UK and international associations and conferences heading to Edinburgh - including the European Robotics Forum, the Microbiology Society Annual Conference and the Institute for New Economic Thinking - and highlights included Barack Obama making his first keynote speech outside the US since leaving the White House in when the former US President addressed more than 1,000 business and political leaders at the venue in May.
Sustainability remains high on the agenda at the EICC and in November the venue was chosen as one of 11 organisations across the world to receive a SEAL Business Sustainability Award, joining Bridgestone, Office Depot and Arm as one of the inaugural award winners.
In addition to its drive to become one of the most sustainable conference venues on the planet, the EICC launched a new mission statement in 2017 that was influenced by Barack Obama’s appearance with a vision “to create an environment which inspires ideas that change the world.”
