The EICC began trading in September 1995, with Queen Elizabeth II formally opening the venue the following year in July 1996.

Over the last three decades, the EICC has hosted around 5,000 events, including hundreds of UK and international association conferences, corporate events, political conferences by many of the main UK political parties, and Edinburgh Festival shows. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sting are among the many global icons to have appeared at the EICC over the last decade alone.

The EICC’s Atrium and Lennox Suite, which doubled capacity, were opened in 2013, and to date, over two million delegates have attended events at the venue. The TED Global Conference has taken place three times at the EICC, as well as TEDSummit, most recently in 2019, when over one thousand delegates gathered in Edinburgh, with thousands more joining online, encapsulating the EICC’s mission to “create an environment which inspires ideas that change the world”.

The EICC closed its doors in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and in February 2021 became Edinburgh’s main vaccination centre in partnership with NHS Scotland and NHS Lothian, delivering over 250,000 vaccinations.  The venue has made a strong recovery from COVID and reported record revenue in 2024, recovering strongly from what has been the biggest challenge the conference and events industry has faced.    

Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, chair of the EICC board, said: “On behalf of the EICC board and all former EICC board members, we are enormously proud of the success achieved for the City of Edinburgh and Scotland since 1995 by all our EICC staff team members.  

“It is both hard to recall, and arguably harder to envisage Edinburgh without the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, such is its importance to our city as a valued and versatile venue of international standing with a worldwide reputation for service excellence in an increasingly challenging global market.

“In celebrating and reflecting upon the EICC’s 30 years of welcoming the world to Edinburgh and its contribution to Edinburgh’s economic and cultural life, so too are we looking forward to our next exciting decade with a renewed confidence, energy, and determination to build on our proven record for sustainability and successful partnership working.”

Amanda Wrathall, who was appointed as the new CEO of the EICC in August, said: “It has been a fantastic first couple of months as CEO, already making great progress in this milestone year for the EICC.

“As we mark 30 years of success, I believe our future will be defined by purpose, with a clear focus on growing responsibly, 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.”

The City of Edinburgh Council leader Jane Meagher said: “As we mark the 30th anniversary of the EICC, its position as Scotland’s leading venue for business tourism has never been stronger.

“The EICC plays a significant role in Edinburgh’s success and world-renowned reputation as a visitor destination. With ongoing support from the Council, it generates hundreds of millions of pounds for the local economy, creating and sustaining hundreds of jobs for Edinburgh residents and attracting delegates from across the world.

“Looking ahead, I have every confidence that the next 30 years will be just as transformative. In an increasingly competitive and fast-evolving market, it continues to stand out, successfully attracting world-class conferences, speakers, and organisations to Edinburgh.”