Photo Credit: Jose Luis Stephens for Adobe Stock
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization's 2025 BIO International Convention brought more than 20,000 biotech and life sciences professionals to Boston on June 16-19. More than four in 10 of the registrants (43 percent) were international, with Korea, Canada, the U.K., Japan and China representing the top five countries in attendance, respectively.
According to Tonia Fykes, CEM, CMP, chief events and industry programs officer for Biotechnology Innovation Organization, this year marked the second-highest attendance at the BIO Convention since 2007.
"BIO values our international attendees, and we go to great lengths to ensure they are well-informed, feel safe, and welcome. This includes a dedicated staff person who focuses on international attendee relations and delegation logistics," said Fykes. "The fact is that biotech progress depends on global collaboration; by working across borders, we accelerate the development of lifesaving treatments and technologies that benefit patients worldwide."
Meet Boston estimates that the economic impact of the event will approach $35 million. The four-day convention was hosted at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, which was renamed this week to the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in honor of Boston's longest-serving mayor.
A positive sign during uncertain times
The large number of international attendees is noteworthy given the current climate, where several U.S. cities are experiencing a dip in visitations due to political and economic tensions.
Las Vegas saw a 6.5 percent drop in travelers for the month of May compared to last year. Meanwhile, New York City is forecasting a 17 percent decline in international travelers for 2025. In total, the World Travel and Tourism Council predicts that spending from overseas visitors to the U.S. will be down $12.5 billion this year.
"Typically BIO draws upwards of 40 percent of attendees from international areas. We were very curious as to whether that number would remain consistent this year — and it has," said Dave O'Donnell, vice president of strategic communications for Meet Boston. "Close to 10,000 delegates came in from outside the U.S., and the international contingent is larger than the amount that attended in San Diego last year (42 percent) and in Boston in 2023 (41 percent)."
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization will host its 2026 International Convention June 22-25 in San Diego.