What Scientific Leaders Expect from Congress Destinations

In recent years, discussions about the future of congresses have often focused on technology, sustainability and new formats. Digital platforms, hybrid participation and innovative communication tools have all become central elements in the evolution of professional meetings.

Yet one essential perspective is sometimes overlooked: the viewpoint of the scientific communities themselves.

Scientific societies remain the true drivers of international congresses. Their presidents, delegates and scientific committees decide whether a congress will take place, where it will be organised and which partners will support its development. Understanding how they perceive congresses is therefore crucial for anyone involved in the sector.

Two interviews conducted with leading figures of the European scientific community offer valuable insights into these dynamics. Professor Massimo Carlini, President of the Italian Society of Surgery, and Professor Roberto Verna, President of the World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, both shared reflections on the role of congresses and on the challenges faced by destinations competing in the international congress market.

Although their observations were formulated in the period immediately following the pandemic, many of their considerations remain strikingly relevant today.

---

Scientific exchange requires physical interaction

The pandemic dramatically accelerated the adoption of virtual meetings. For many observers, it seemed possible that digital events might permanently replace traditional congresses.

However, as Professor Carlini notes, scientific exchange is fundamentally based on direct interaction between professionals.

While digital technologies facilitate the transmission of information, scientific research and professional dialogue still rely on personal encounters. The informal conversations between sessions, the direct discussion of clinical experiences and the opportunity to meet colleagues face-to-face remain essential components of scientific progress.

Technology may complement these interactions, but it cannot fully replace them.

This explains why international scientific congresses have rapidly returned to in-person formats once global conditions allowed it.

---

Destinations matter

Another key point highlighted by both interviewees concerns the importance of destinations themselves.

From the perspective of a scientific delegate, proposing a congress destination involves a significant commitment. Preparing an international congress bid may require two years of work, negotiation with partners and the responsibility of ensuring financial stability for the scientific society involved.

As Professor Verna explains, no delegate undertakes this effort without clear expectations of success — whether in terms of scientific visibility, participant engagement or financial sustainability.

Destinations therefore play a crucial role. Accessibility, infrastructure, accommodation capacity and the overall attractiveness of the location all influence the decision-making process.

Professor Carlini emphasises that Italy possesses remarkable assets in this respect: geographical accessibility within Europe, an exceptional cultural and historical heritage and a hospitality sector with long-standing experience in welcoming international visitors.

Yet these advantages alone are not always sufficient.

---

Infrastructure and institutional support

Both Carlini and Verna highlight structural challenges that can limit the competitiveness of destinations.

Modern congresses require not only attractive locations but also highly efficient infrastructure: international connectivity, modern congress centres, efficient urban mobility and coordinated institutional support.

In several European countries, congress infrastructure has developed rapidly over the past decades. New venues have been designed to accommodate large international events with advanced technological systems and integrated transport connections.

Where such elements are missing or insufficiently coordinated, even destinations with exceptional cultural appeal may struggle to compete effectively.

Professor Verna also underlines the importance of institutional involvement. Public authorities, tourism bodies and local institutions can play a decisive role in supporting international congresses through promotion, logistics and strategic communication.

Without this coordinated effort, even well-organised scientific initiatives may encounter unnecessary obstacles.

---

Listening to the scientific community

Taken together, the reflections of these two scientific leaders offer an important reminder.

International congresses are not simply events organised by the meetings industry. They are initiatives driven by scientific communities whose primary objective is the advancement of knowledge and collaboration.

For destinations, venues and service providers, understanding the expectations of these communities is therefore essential.

Technology, infrastructure and professional services remain critical components. But equally important is the ability to recognise the broader environment in which scientific dialogue takes place — an environment shaped by trust, intellectual exchange and long-term collaboration.

Listening carefully to the voices of scientific leaders may therefore offer one of the most valuable perspectives for understanding how the international congress landscape continues to evolve.

---

This article is part of the Scientific Congress Insights editorial stream of the Congress Intelligence Journal, developed within the analytical framework of the Congress Intelligence Unit.