Welcome to RAI Amsterdam
Welcome!
The power of connection is at the heart of what we do. As an international exhibition and conference organisation with a history spanning more than 130 years, we understand this better than anyone.
Over the past decade, we have become increasingly aware that this power can be strengthened even further. How? By broadening our perspective. By not only connecting our predominantly international organisers, exhibitors and visitors with each other, but also, and more importantly, by connecting them to our city, our metropolitan region and our country. To its businesses, universities, knowledge institutions and social organisations.
In 2025, we continued to build on this approach across multiple fronts. In the long term, for instance, by developing a transformative vision for our area development, aimed at evolving our exhibition grounds into a combined vibrant event and urban district. At the same time, we delivered tangible short-term impact by initiating programmes around events and by actively engaging with and supporting local and social initiatives.
How will 2025 be remembered? In this annual report, we reflect on the year and its key developments. Starting with the highlights.
Key figures 2025
Key Points 2025
Key Points 2025
One of the best years ever
In our biennial event cycle, the RAI had the best odd year in its history. We can once again look back on a fantastic year.
International growth own titles
Our growth strategy abroad, in which we duplicate our leading events to other countries and continents, was implemented as planned. This way, we also strengthened the market value of our titles.
Growth services and digital meeting
Our core business is organising and facilitating physical meetings. Technology enhances the impact. We grew in services and digital turnover around live events.
Amsterdam stepping stone to Europe
Leading event organisers outside Europe choose Amsterdam as their location for a successful European market entry. The reputation of the Netherlands, the access and the historical setting of our city, our innovative organisation and our hospitable employees make the difference.
Impact programmes for city and region
Impact programmes around events demonstrate how international conventions in RAI Amsterdam offer more than just a location for meeting and knowledge sharing. By targeted collaboration with medical experts, universities, social organisations and partners in the city, international professional communities are linked to local challenges and ambitions.
Received awards and recognition
In 2025, we also received new certifications, PR and marketing awards, and a sustainability award to reward and recognise our work.
Heavy investment in our venue
We continued to keep our venue in good shape. We invested approximately €20 million in building and technology, among other things.
Strengthened IT transformation
Operating in a data-driven and cyber-secure environment, we simultaneously facilitate large-scale events where thousands of exhibitors showcase the technologies of the future. In 2025, we further strengthened our IT & Digital programme.
Transformation plan RAI Quarter
We brought our multi-year area development to another level. We developed a draft transformation plan to grow from an exhibition ground into an innovative area, with more space for the city and RAI features, both in terms of quality and area. Keywords: meet, stay, and connect.
Well-filled event calendar
The city of Amsterdam and the RAI as a venue received a lot of international interest: organisers of exhibitions and conventions booked their events up to years ahead. We ended the year with a richly filled calendar.
Shareholder base exploration
Together with our shareholders and supervisory board, we worked on exploring options for future shareholders/investors, in line with our growth plans, including area development RAI Quarter.
Profile
RAI Amsterdam is an international exhibition and conference organisation. At our convention centre in Amsterdam, known simply as ‘the RAI’, we facilitate all kinds of events in every imaginable size. In addition, RAI Amsterdam owns various exhibitions and public events. We organise these events ourselves: in the RAI, but also in cities outside Europe.
RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre
Our exhibition and conference centre on the Europaplein square in Amsterdam hosts numerous events each year. From large-scale exhibitions and conferences with 50,000 attendees to small meetings of 10 people, we guarantee a warm welcome and seamless realisation of every event. All necessary multifunctional facilities are available and we work continuously to enhance sustainability and improve and expand our products and services. We measure our progress and success each year through customer feedback, awards and certifications.
RAI Amsterdam is located in the heart of the city and is easily accessible. Our exhibition and conference centre is directly connected to the A10 ring road, next to the Amsterdam RAI train & metro station and we have the Europaplein metro station right on our doorstep. Visitors can reach both Schiphol Airport and the city centre within 10 minutes, allowing them to easily combine their business trip with an urban stay in the unique setting of Amsterdam.
RAI Amsterdam is transforming the RAI grounds at the Europaplein. We are working on the development of a fully-fledged RAI Quarter: a mixed event, work and residential area with urban greenery and through-routes for slow traffic. The development is a win-win situation for both the RAI and the city of Amsterdam. With the transformation, the RAI is developing a future-proof convention centre, allowing us to grow in quantity (exhibition and conference area) and quality (visitor comfort, sustainability, technology, operational efficiency). For the city, the added value is the mixed use of space and the conversion of the RAI grounds into a pleasant area to stay.
RAI events in the Netherlands and abroad
In addition to the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, our core business includes the development and exploration of a portfolio of our own international events that we organise in Amsterdam and convention centres outside Europe. This means that we are active in various relevant sectors, including professional cleaning, remanufacturing, traffic technology, maritime, water technology and horticulture. RAI Amsterdam also has its own national trade exhibitions such as Horecava (food service and hospitality) and consumer events like the Huishoudbeurs (lifestyle) and Negenmaandenbeurs (for soon-to-be and new parents). All in all, the RAI has a well-rounded portfolio of events which generates revenue, protects our market share, and facilitates knowledge sharing, network expansion and business in the relevant sectors.
Own event portfolio
Sustainable developments
Facilitating progress
The (international) meetings we organise and the networks we create are crucial for the exchange of knowledge, expertise and capital. This way, together with our stakeholders, we contribute in various industries to the (sustainable) development of people, markets and society, and to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Responsible business
We are constantly aware of our social environment and look for ways to increase our contribution to society. We frequently collaborate with local suppliers and social partners. It is our ambition to minimise and, where possible, prevent any negative impact from goods and visitor flows, traffic congestion and noise. By prioritising responsible business practices, we also help organisers ensure their events are conducted sustainably and responsibly. We are pleased to see a growing demand from our partners for such initiatives.
Value for the region
Hotels, restaurants, museums, transport operators and suppliers in the region benefit from the exhibitors and visitors who come to the city for exhibitions, conferences and performances at RAI Amsterdam. Business visitors who stay for a short, multi-day trip provide significant economic benefits to the city and region – on average, far more than leisure tourists.
RAI Sustainability Standards
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an integral part of our strategy and we are proud that many of our activities make a positive contribution to society. The Executive Board report specifically explains how we create value. We do of course recognise that our operations consume natural resources, take up space, generate noise and have other societal impacts. We work at all levels to minimise these effects as much as possible – both in the long term through area development and the renewal of our convention centre, and in the short term by focusing on sustainable operations for each event. More details on these developments can again be found in the Executive Board report.
Amsterdam rises in the Global Destination Sustainability Index
Amsterdam secured a place in the Top 40 of the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS Index). In the year the city celebrates its 750th anniversary, Amsterdam rose by no fewer than 20 places compared to the previous year.
The GDS Index assesses cities worldwide each year across four pillars: destination management, suppliers, social progress and environmental performance. This recognition highlights Amsterdam’s active commitment as an event city to sustainable policies, responsible supplier choices and social impact.
Awards and certifications
Our awards and certifications reflect the areas in which we excel as an exhibition and conference centre. We continuously develop ourselves to maintain and strengthen our leading position.
EN Awards: Exhibition Venue – Silver
During the Exhibition News (EN) Awards 2025, the ‘Oscars’ in the exhibition industry, RAI Amsterdam won the Silver Award for Exhibition Venue of the Year*. The award is a recognition of top quality and demonstrates that our location is outperforming and deserves the confidence of organisers and visitors.
* In 2025, EN Awards merged the awards: “best national venue” and ‘’best international venue’’ into ‘’Exhibition Venue of the Year’’
Recertification YOIN Excellent
The RAI again received the certification for the YOIN Excellence Meeting Place in 2025. This reaffirms our ongoing commitment to quality, innovation and customer focus. The recertification underscores the fact that the RAI continues to invest in flexibility and optimal customer support.
Dutch PR Award: ‘Love your Liver’
RAI Amsterdam won the Silver Dutch PR Award in the Care category. This industry prize awards the best PR cases in the Netherlands. During the EASL Convention (European Association for the Study of the Liver) in May, RAI Amsterdam facilitated the Love your Liver impact programme to raise awareness of liver health. The programme offered free liver tests and information to the audience. The jury praised the campaign: “RAI Amsterdam makes an international medical conference creative and accessible, with a visible impact from awareness to measurable results. A beautiful campaign”.
Amsterdam Zuidas Sustainability Prize
RAI Amsterdam won the Amsterdam Zuidas Sustainability Prize in the 'Society & Economy' category in 2025. The prize has been awarded to the Donation Room project, with which the RAI supports social initiatives in the city by reducing food waste at events and repurposing materials. To this end, RAI Amsterdam has structural partnerships with more than 15 social partners.
Certification overview
The RAI has the following certifications:
- YOIN Excellent Meeting Places (formerly 5-hammers; quality label for conference and event venues)
- AIPC Gold (AIPC Quality Standards programme)
- EarthCheck 4.0 Platinum (as the first exhibition and conference centre in Europe)
- LRQA certified - ISO-9001 (quality management)
- LRQA certified - ISO-14001 (environmental management)
- BREEAM-Excellent certification (for construction of Amtrium)
- Accredited training company (Cooperative Organisation Vocational Education - Business)
Strategy and value creation
RAI Amsterdam aims to be a valued and profitable organisation, leveraging its venue and events to contribute to the well-being and development of our stakeholders. Our commercial focus is primarily on multi-day international business-to-business events that make the most of Amsterdam’s appeal and accessibility. From a social and societal perspective, we seek to make a meaningful contribution to the city and region. We welcome everyone and set ourselves apart with modern, innovative and sustainable facilities and a hospitable organisation. At the end of 2024, we updated our strategy through to 2028 under the name RAI Next. In 2025, the focus was on its implementation. We identify three focus areas that we want to take to a higher level.
The following image shows how we create value for our stakeholders, as well as the main Sustainable Development Goals to which we contribute.
Multiple value creation
