Top reasons why
Easily accessible, safe, a great host and home to many international festivals and events. Discover the top reasons why you should choose Groningen as your next host city.
Everything within walking distance
Once you enter the historic city center of Groningen, everything is just a stone’s throw away. The compact, car-free center is dominated by pedestrians and cyclists, without the droves of tourists you’ll find in Amsterdam.
Safe, inclusive & internationally oriented
Groningen was voted the healthiest city in the Netherlands in 2020 and 2022. Friendly, down to earth and progressive, and home to over 120 different nationalities. The University Medical Center is one of the biggest hospitals in the Netherlands, involved in cutting-edge scientific research and providing top notch healthcare.
A great host
With more than 20 hotels, you won’t have trouble finding a place to spend the night. And there’s no shortage of inspiring conference locations either, all with top notch digital infrastructure. For all types of meetings, conferences, conventions and trade fairs, from large capacity venues to intimate gems.
Home to acclaimed international festivals and events
In 2017, Groningen hosted a total of 71 international conferences. The city also proudly hosts Eurosonic, the biggest European music showcase festival, and is the host city of Odyssey, the world’s largest Blockchain and A.I. hackathon. In 2021, Groningen hosted the 19th AILA (International Association of Applied Linguistics) World Congress.
“ “The biggest city in the north of the Netherlands, it’s most famous for its cycling culture, but this little university city also has beautiful canals, historic buildings and the youngest average population in the country.” ”
The Independent
