From zero to one hundred and beyond in just one year. That’s perhaps the best way to summarise 2022 for RAI Amsterdam. While the exhibition and conference centre doors remained firmly shut to the public in January and February, the first multi-day events started returning to the RAI in late March as the Covid restrictions were lifted. From that point on, the halls of the venue were rarely empty, leading to excellent results for 2022 and a positive outlook for the years ahead.

The fact that RAI Amsterdam achieved strong results over the past year was confirmed in the 2022 Annual Report published today. They included a turnover of more than €118 million and a profit of €8.8 million. Nearly 1.2 million people visited the exhibition and conference venue in Amsterdam or attended one of the RAI-organised events abroad to share knowledge, do business or be inspired or entertained. Impressive customer satisfaction figures and visitor numbers show how well the RAI succeeded in helping people achieve these goals. The venue hosted 300 (inter)national events (three outside the Netherlands), which chalked up an average satisfaction score of 7.9.

From major trade exhibitions and conferences such as the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), Intertraffic and PLMA to consumer favourites like the Kingsland Festival and Amsterdam Winter Paradise, 2022 saw the RAI welcome a wide range of events. In addition, the RAI’s doors remained open for Covid testing and vaccinations throughout the year. Until March, these activities were accommodated in the Holland Complex, where the Amsterdam municipal health service GGD hosted the largest vaccination location in the Netherlands, before moving to a separate pavilion in front of the venue.

The valuable meetings during international exhibitions and conferences boost knowledge sharing, business and networking. These events serve as a flywheel for development and innovation on all fronts and have a significant economic and social impact, too – something that was only possible to a limited extent with the virtual events in 2020 and 2021.

Events in the exhibition and conference venue at the RAI give a major economic impulse to the city of Amsterdam and the region. The RAI processed 27,000 hotel bookings in 2022, representing 90,000 overnight stays. In addition to hotels, and other hospitality and entertainment venues, the cultural sector and retail outlets also benefit from these visitors.

One of the developments that Covid disrupted, recovered well in 2022 and is due to continue is how medical and IT/Tech events increasingly fill the halls of the RAI. The related sectors are becoming ever-more prominent in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region. The city is globally known for its health sector, with influential medical companies and knowledge institutions, and its IT and Tech industry is a world leader. The Dutch capital obtained the number 2 position on the worldwide Digital Cities Index 2022.

Trends also continued in other fields. Exhibitor and visitor numbers at the end of 2022 were largely back to pre-Covid levels. Moreover, the RAI extended its contracts with major international organisers who intend to host their events in the heart of Amsterdam until at least 2026. These developments strengthen the confidence and belief in the course and continuity of the company and allow the RAI to take the next steps in realising the ambitions of its clients, visitors and employees, as well as the city’s residents.

Read more about the highlights and key figures of the past year in the RAI Amsterdam 2022 Annual Report.