2022-05-16 00:00:00
The weight of MICE tourism in Spain is undeniable. In fact, a recent study by the SCB (Spain Convention Bureau) on Meetings Tourism and the Reactivation Strategy has assessed the sector's powerful impact in a pre- and post-pandemic scenario. But what place exactly does MICE tourism occupy in Spain? At CREA Group we detail all the keys.
The aforementioned study driven by the SCB reveals, among other data and supported by INE sources from 2019, that MICE tourism was already gaining weight in our country.
Specifically, more than 10 million people travelled to Spain to attend corporate meetings, events and conventions, where they spent, on average, 330% more than a leisure tourist. As a result, thanks to the meetings industry in Spain, more than 12,000 million euros were generated, which also accounted for more than 8% of all tourism-related jobs.
This phenomenon translated into an estimated size of 12,314 million euros within the sector in 2019. And yes, it is true that in 2020, with the outbreak of COVID-19, MICE tourism suffered a 75% drop. Let's not forget that the limitation of mobility and social interaction, key aspects of business tourism, destroyed an important part of the business fabric. However, in 2021 the recovery began to materialise, and today a full recovery of the sector is forecast to reach pre-pandemic figures by 2024.
Pandemics aside, the reality is that tourism in Spain has always positioned itself on the podium of the sectors that bring the most wealth to the country, representing a high percentage of GDP year after year. In this respect, MICE presents itself as the "main course" of tourist activity, becoming the most profitable slice of the pie — the kind of value our events agency and our work as a DMC in Spain help unlock.
Bear in mind that tourists in this segment incur much more significant expenses than the conventional tourist, since they tend to stay in 5-star hotels, hiring high-end services that include, in addition to accommodation, the best-quality catering and standout venues.
All in all, those who travel for business tend to have greater purchasing power and understand trips as an investment — the same logic behind a well-planned incentive trip. Therefore, MICE tourism in Spain benefits the tourism sector of the destination where the event is to be held, but it also has a positive impact on employment in other sectors, such as audiovisual or the food industry.
Are you also interested in organising events in hotels in the MICE sector that fit your corporate requirements? As an events agency in Barcelona, get in touch with CREA Group.
Borja Llopart is CEO and founder of CREA Group Events & DMC. With over 20 years of experience in the MICE industry, he specialises in organising corporate events, congresses, meetings and incentive trips in Spain. He served on the Board of SITE Spain & Portugal for close to seven years, including as president of the association, and since 2020 he has been a member of the Tourism Committee of Foment del Treball.
👉 Connect with Borja on LinkedIn.
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