EICC celebrates 30 years as a global meeting spot

The story of the EICC began in the 1980s, when plans were drawn up to transform the disused railway goods yard behind Lothian Road. Out of that vision came the Exchange District, a regeneration project designed to address two major gaps in Edinburgh’s economy: the need for international standard conference facilities and modern office space to support the city’s growing financial services sector.

Since opening in 1995 with our first business event hosted by Sir Tom Farmer’s Kwik Fit, the EICC has delivered almost £1 billion in local economic impact. This has been measured not only by delegate and visitor spend on hotels, restaurants and transport, but also through the wider supply chain, the ripple effect of our conferences being felt across Edinburgh and the surrounding region.

Events remain our lifeblood. To date, we have hosted more than 5,000, welcoming over 2 million delegates. The 2013 opening of our Atrium and Lennox Suite doubled capacity, and in 2019 our global standing was underlined when TED’s annual summit returned to Edinburgh.

Events like TED capture the essence of our mission to create an environment which inspires ideas that change the world. But it is not only about world-renowned speakers. Conferences at the EICC can act as a force for good, strengthening research, supporting innovation and benefiting local communities. They help nurture the next generation of leaders in fields such as medicine, technology and agriculture, ensuring that knowledge shared on our stage translates to lasting change.

A year later, the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to close our doors. In 2021, we reopened as Edinburgh’s main vaccination centre, delivering more than 250,000 vaccinations in partnership with NHS Scotland and NHS Lothian. This was a moment that showed the EICC’s role as a civic asset as well as a conference venue.

As we reflect, we remain grateful to the City of Edinburgh Council, and for the support of boards past and present who have helped to shape our strategy.

Looking ahead, the EICC continues to be a forum where Scotland meets the world and the world meets Scotland. Through knowledge sharing, collaboration and connection, our conferences have become catalysts for progress, driving economic value and social impact across sectors.

This week, the Société Internationale d’Urologie Congress, which brought specialists from around the world to Edinburgh, supported three early-career researchers from Edinburgh’s universities and NHS Lothian with funded places through our Exchange Initiative Fellowship Programme. This collaboration, part of our wider EICC Impact Network, reflects our belief that every event can leave a positive legacy for the city and its people.

As we move forward from our 30th anniversary, I believe our future will continue to be defined by purpose, with a clear focus on growing responsibly, protecting the environment, diversifying to embrace new opportunities, inspiring ideas that matter, and delivering results that make a positive difference for our clients, our team, and our city.

Amanda Wrathall is CEO of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)​