When the EICC opened in 1995, the ambition was to bring major international events to Edinburgh and create economic opportunities for the city. Thirty years on, that remains a vital part of our work. But the relationships built through those events have helped us see what else a conference can make possible.
MORE THAN two million delegates have come through our doors for around 5,000 events. Their visits support hotels, restaurants, suppliers and jobs across Edinburgh. Since opening, the EICC has contributed more than £1 billion in economic impact to the city.
Those numbers matter. So do the opportunities that are harder to count: a young researcher meeting someone who could change the direction of their work; a student discovering a career they had never considered; or a local charity finding an international audience for its cause.
“You're bringing the brightest minds from all over the world to Edinburgh … all disparate parties that are connecting through this particular conference”
– Elaine Miller , EICC
For Elaine Miller, Association Business Development Manager at the EICC, that wider impact begins with a conversation. Long before a conference opens, she asks organisers what they hope it will achieve and who in Edinburgh could help make that happen. “You're bringing the brightest minds from all over the world to Edinburgh, you’re bringing all these people together” Elaine says. “It’s connecting people from local researchers, students, charities, businesses, public sector - all disparate parties that are connecting through this particular conference”.
A striking result
The 2024 International Papillomavirus Conference (pictured below) showed what that approach can achieve. Alongside the scientific programme, its organisers and local partners worked to raise awareness of HPV and connect the conference with Edinburgh’s health and academic communities.
The organisers were looking at the scientific programme to consider how the event could raise awareness of HPV more widely. That partnership approach between venue and organiser delivered striking results: vaccination rates in one Edinburgh school rose from 42% to 60%, with around 1,200 schoolchildren reached, and Edinburgh Napier University began embedding HPV education into its teaching. The experience helped shape the EICC Impact Network, which now connects organisers with schools, charities, universities and businesses.
“Legacies like this”, says Elaine, “are the “golden nugget” of what a conference can achieve when it’s approached with ambition”.
For our people, this has changed the meaning of hosting an event. The work is still about making every conference run well, from the first planning meeting to the final delegate leaving the building. It is also about understanding why people have gathered and helping their work reach further into the city.
Beyond expectations
Our building has served the city in ways we could not have imagined in 1995. During the pandemic, it became Edinburgh’s main vaccination centre, administering more than a quarter of a million doses. Today, initiatives such as the Exchange Initiative Fellowship (pictured above) give local early-career researchers access to international conferences they might otherwise miss. Elaine says “It's exciting to see it come to fruition and showing that a conference can make a difference in a destination”.
Our events generate 25% fewer emissions than the current industry benchmark, while changes in our kitchens have reduced food waste by 33% compared with 2024
That sense of responsibility shapes how we operate, too. Our events generate 25% fewer emissions than the current industry benchmark, while changes in our kitchens have reduced food waste by 33% compared with 2024. There is more to do, particularly around travel and supply chains, but progress comes from the decisions our teams and partners make every day.
After 30 years, the EICC’s role is still to bring people together. What we have learned is that the most valuable part can happen when their ideas meet the people and possibilities of Edinburgh and continue to make a difference after the event is over. As Elaine puts it: “It doesn’t just happen in one destination. It travels to the next destination and grows.”
Thirty years in numbers
