2024 MICE Industry events in Catalonia
This year Catalonia hosts a wide range of international MICE industry events:
The Strategic Alliance of the National Convention Bureaux of Europe – Annual Meeting
Barcelona, 25-26 January
https://convention-europe.com/
Corporate Events Workshop – MICE & Train
Barcelona, 31 January
https://miceandforuminside.com/cew-barcelona-madrid-sevilla-mice-train/
ICCA Iberian & France Benelux – Annual Chapter meeting
Barcelona Province, 6-8 March
https://www.iccaworld.org/event/icca-iberian-%26-france-benelux-annual-chapter-meeting/206/
Girona Luxury Travel Event – inVOYAGE
Girona – Costa Brava, 17-20 March
https://www.invoyage.net/events/girona-2024
MPI Iberian Awards
Barcelona, 11 April
Catalunya Business Meetings
Sitges, 03-05 June
https://www.meetings-business.com/
Meet Catalunya
Catalunya, 25-28 June
https://www.catalunya.com/ca/mice
Global MICE Forums Associative
Girona, 02-04 July
https://www.iberianmiceforums.com/
Convening EMEA
Barcelona, 30 September – 02 November
https://www.pcma.org/convening-emea/
IBTM World
Barcelona, 19-21 November
BEFuture Project Launches in Barcelona to Rethink the future of the Business Events Industry
• BEFuture, supported by the European Union’s Single Market Programme, offers 30k funding to 80 SMEs for innovative practices in the business events sector.
• Over three years, the project aims to make the industry more sustainable and resilient.
The BEFuture project, led by the Catalan Tourist Board, successfully held an industry Think Tank workshop in Barcelona to positively impact Europe’s business events sector. The workshop was an important step towards realising the project’s goal of developing a more sustainable, regenerative, resilient, and responsible industry by collecting best practices and enhancing the sector’s competitiveness.
“We are delighted and excited to get the opportunity to do this important work together with a strong team of partners. We want to explore alternative business models, together with other ecosystems and make BE a future-proof industry, aligned with current trends and needs.” said Sònia Serracarbasa Head of the Catalunya Convention Bureau (Catalan Tourist Board), at the workshop organised by the project partners during IBTM World in Barcelona.
Since its preliminary launch in September 2023, BEFuture has organised a couple of Think Tank workshops to model future scenarios and will publish a call for best practices addressed to SMEs in February 2024. The project plans training programs, a mapping of key stakeholders, a white paper, and an acceleration program in 2025 offering 30k in funding to at least 80 SMEs from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.
The project involves a network of stakeholders, including convention bureaus, BSOs, and international industry associations. The consortium consists of ACT (Agencia Catalana De Turisme), B. Link (B. Link Barcelona Strategic Projects SL), Tipik (Tipik Communication Agency), TVL (Toerisme Vlaanderen), Linkeus, Vdvo (Verband Der Veranstaltungsorganisatoren E.V.), ETFI (Stichting NHL Stenden Hogeschool), Unimib (Universita’ Degli Studi Di Milanobicocca).
BEFuture was awarded a grant by the European Union under the Single Market Programme “Sustainable Growth and Building Resilience in Tourism: to support the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises”.
For more information, view the background document
Tools to help make your events more sustainable
The Catalan Tourist Board presents different tools aimed at the MICE sector to facilitate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the professional events and meetings held in Catalonia.
These tools consider the environmental, social and economic sustainability of events, initially prioritising those self-diagnosis actions that subsequently enable prevention or reduction measures to be adopted, as well as offsetting measures if necessary.
DOWNLOAD THE TOOLS:
GUIDE TO ORGANISING SUSTAINABLE EVENTS
A guide to incorporating sustainability criteria in events, both public and private, thereby making a contribution to achieving the SDGs.
A list of actions to help organisations plan and measure event sustainability.
EVENT SUSTAINABILITY CALCULATOR
Tool for calculating the sustainability of events to carry out a self-assessment process.
Document to request information from suppliers for the calculation of the carbon footprint and to sum it up to obtain the total CO2eq tons of the event.
Editable infographic template to communicate the results obtained on the sustainability of the events.
GUIDE TO GHG EMISSIONS OFFSETTING
Guide to offsetting the tons of CO2 that could not be avoided in the events.
Meet Catalonia at IBTM 2023
Come and meet us at IBTM World, stand C50, and discover what Catalonia can offer to your next business event!
CATALONIA, a Mediterranean destination of immense geographical diversity, boasting a mild climate and a restless and innovative society, has become well known as the home of pioneers and immense industrial and commercial dynamism. The different cultural expressions, the wealth of its gastronomy, the diversity of its marine and mountain landscapes, the quality of its infrastructures, the professionalism of its organisers, the entrepreneurial spirit and the warm welcome its people give to visitors make Catalonia an ideal destination for holding congresses and business events. At the Catalunya Convention Bureau stand, our team of experts will be delighted to engage with you, providing insights into the diverse venues, services, and unique experiences that Catalonia offers.
Discover Catalunya Meetings & Sports Project
In addition to highlighting Catalonia’s appeal for a wide range of business events, Catalunya Convention Bureau will unveil its exciting project, Catalunya Meetings & Sports. Catalonia’s excellent sports facilities, coupled with specialised services and venues, make it an ideal destination for sport-focused meetings and events.
Sea Beyond
In line with the Catalunya Meetings & Sports project and aiming to promote physical activity in the MICE sector, Catalonia will launch an interactive experience that integrates sports, the sea, and sustainability. IBTM visitors will have the opportunity to virtually explore spectacular natural areas along the coast of Catalonia while walking or running, using a stepping device installed in the middle of the stand. This activation is part of the “Sea Beyond” campaign. On the occasion of the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, the Catalan Tourist Board, together with Turisme de Barcelona and Diputació de Barcelona, seek to promote the attractions of the territory of Barcelona and Catalunya beyond its coasts.
Furthermore, aligning with the commitment of the Catalunya Convention Bureau to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in events and professional meetings in Catalonia, credits will be awarded for every kilometer traveled to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Catalonia through projects carried out by social entities.
Meet our partners:
Convention Bureaux:
Venues:
Complementary services:
CCB signs pledge for “Net Zero Carbon Events”
The Catalunya Convention Bureau – Catalan Tourist Board is proud to announce that it has signed the “Net Zero Carbon Events” pledge, a joint commitment across the events and meetings industry to achieve the targets laid out in the Paris Climate Accord.
The “Net Zero Carbon Events“ pledge is the result of global collaboration throughout the events industry. Over recent months, facilitated by the “Joint Meetings Industry Council” (JMIC), more than one hundred stakeholders from across the sector drafted and finalised this commitment with the support of UNFCCC Secretariat (United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change). The pledge was presented at the Global Climate Summit COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 10. At the time of launch, there were more than 100 signatories, making this the most global and inclusive collaborative action tackling the challenges of climate change within the events sector.
Catalunya Convention Bureau is pleased to be joining this initiative, as it will be through continued collaborative work throughout the events sector that we will be able to make swift and essential progress towards reducing the overall carbon footprint of events.
The commitments of the pledge are aligned with the targets of the Paris Climate Accord.
By signing the pledge, the Catalunya Convention Bureau is committing to publish our pathway to achieve net zero by 2050 at the latest, with an interim target in line with the Paris Agreement’s requirement to reduce global GHG emissions by 50% by 2030. This work has to be concluded by the end of 2023. Catalunya Convention Bureau also will collaborate with partners, suppliers and customers to drive change across the value chain. To track the progress towards the targets, Catalunya Convention Bureau will measure and track its emissions of Greenhouse Gases according to industry best practice. Finally, CCB will report on its progress at least every two years.
The Net Zero Carbon Events initiative brings together a wide range of event industry stakeholders to:
– Jointly communicate the industry’s commitment to tackling climate change and driving towards net zero by 2050
– Develop common methodologies for measuring the industry’s direct, indirect and supply chain greenhouse gas emissions
– Construct an industry-wide Roadmap towards net zero by 2050, and emissions reductions by 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement and climate science, with support and guidance on key issues
– Foster collaboration with suppliers and customers to ensure alignment and common approaches
– Establish common mechanisms for reporting progress and sharing best practice.
The next step of the “Net Zero Carbon Events” initiative is to develop the roadmap which will support the objectives outlined in the pledge. More information about the initiative at www.netzerocarbonevents.org
Catalonia, Mobile World Capital Barcelona and the Roca Brothers present a phygital gastronomic experience at IMEX Frankfurt
- The Catalonia stand (E430) will host a unique experience to reflect on the impact of technology in the way we communicate, interact and perceive reality.
- IMEX visitors will be able to taste chocolate bonbons created by the three-Michelin-starred Roca Brothers in a scenario that fuses digital and physical reality (phygital).
Mobile World Capital Barcelona and the Roca Brothers from Girona’s El Celler de Can Roca come together to create a gastronomic journey that breaks down all the barriers we know today. “Taste the technology” will be presented at Catalonia’s stand at IMEX Frankfurt and is part of “Feel the Technology” project, an initiative by Mobile World Capital Barcelona presented for the first time at MWC Barcelona 2023 where users were able to enjoy a unique experience to reflect on the impact of technology in the way we communicate, interact and perceive reality.
The Catalunya Convention Bureau invites each visitor to taste a chocolate bonbon with acid flavour (lime ganache and passion fruit) created by the Roca Brothers and their Bean-to-Bar chocolate factory Casa Cacao in a setting where digital and physical (phygital) reality converges. The latter marks the start of a digital journey, led by the master chocolatier of Celler de Can Roca (Damian Alsop), with virtual reality glasses that combines AR and VR. In total, 1,000 chocolates will be produced for this experience.
According to Francesc Fajula, CEO of Mobile World Capital Barcelona: “We brought the limits of technology further with a proposal that mixes the physical and digital worlds to produce new user experiences. We designed the experience for MWC Barcelona and now we are proud to share it internationally for the first time here in Frankfurt. Travelling through the flavours created by the best chefs in the world, the Roca Brothers, is now a reality that connects us to the latest technological trends.
In the words of Jordi Roca, one of the 3 brothers in charge of the Celler de Can Roca: “Technology allows us to play in a new field in gastronomy. With virtual reality we can enrich the experience of tasting bonbons. All this while we are on a sensory journey halfway between the real and virtual worlds. It’s amazing!”
Narcís Ferrer, Director of the Catalan Tourist Board, emphasizes: “Catalonia has a thriving technology ecosystem and a strong focus on innovation, with numerous technology companies and startups based in the region. This provides a fertile ground for the development and integration of cutting-edge technologies into the MICE industry. ‘Taste the technology’ experience is a good example of this positive alliance between meeting tourism and technology.” According to Ferrer, “Business tourism is a market segment that brings visitors with high potential economic return for the country and interaction with the local businesses. In addition, it is a catalyst for new opportunities, which is the change we are looking for in the Catalan tourism model”.
The experience has been possible thanks to the support of Futura Space, a studio specialized in the conception and production of immersive environments, interactive experiences and innovative projects.
ABOUT MOBILE WORLD CAPITAL BARCELONA
Mobile World Capital Barcelona is an initiative driving the digital advancement of society while helping improve people’s lives globally. With the support of the public and private sector, MWCapital focuses on four areas: the acceleration of innovation through digital entrepreneurship, the transformation of industries through digital technology, the rise of digital talent among new generations and professionals and the reflection on the impact of technology in our society. Collectively, our programmes are positively transforming the economy, education and society.
MWCapital hosts MWC in Barcelona and founded 4 Years From Now (4YFN), the startup business platform, present at MWC events around the world.
RETHINK MEETINGS
The Catalunya Convention Bureau stands up for innovation and technology as one of the main points of its strategy to consolidate Catalonia as a world leading MICE destination. Due to its continuous innovation spirit, Catalonia is firmly committed to use technological developments (VR, AR, touchless, big data, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things…) as a transforming driver for the meetings industry. The Catalunya Convention Bureau is together with the strong and growing local ICT industry in order to provide forward-looking professional events, to rethink meetings.
The recovery of congresses: EPS & IPS
A conversation about the recovery and transformation of congresses with the Catalonia Ambassador Meritxell Teixidó, CEO/CSO of Gate2Brain and chairman of the 36th European Peptide Symposium (EPS) & 12th International Peptide Symposium (IPS) Approximately 800 delegates from around the world will come together in 2022 for a week in Sitges, sharing the most relevant scientific results in the field of peptides, from their preparation to biomedical uses and in the field of new materials.
The CCB will attend IBTM World
The Catalunya Convention Bureau confirms its participation at the IBTM World. Fira de Barcelona and IBTM have been working hard to implement measures and safeguards to make IBTM World as safe as possible. The IBTM World, taking place 1-3 December 2020 in Barcelona, is the leading global event for the meetings and events industry.
