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Hotel rates and its central role as a Latin American gateway are further big factors in the city’ s popularity with visitors.
Europe Congress is clearly a fan of the city and will bring its first ever Events Club Life Sciences Forum to Madrid this November.
Home to the Prado Musuem, Plaza Mayor Square, Retiro Park and Real Madrid, the capital of Spain is clearly at the top of its business events game.
Spain is frequently placed fourth in the world after the United States, China and Germany. However, many resort cities and inland jewels are now backing up the capital and focusing on deseasonalisation of their visitor business and shooting for more MICE business.
High-speed trains Recent years have seen it become much easier to travel quickly around Spain which boasts the second most extensive high speed train network in the world( behind only China). The Alta Velocidad Española( AVE) network offers rapid connections between major cities and has contributed to the growth of regional economies.
The first high-speed line was opened back in 1992 connecting Madrid, Córdoba and Seville. Today delegates can land in Madrid and be in Seville two-and-a-half hours later. An extension to Cádiz was also completed and trains on the line can reach speeds up to 200kph. And the Antequera – Granada high-speed rail line is open following a € 1.4bn investment.
Málaga: Making a new hub for MICE Málaga, traditionally known for its beaches, is now making waves in the business events world.
Technology is a big driver of business in the southern city, with some calling the area Spain’ s Silicon Valley. Big investments and the arrival of multinational companies such as Google are adding to that story.
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DES – Digital Enterprise Show( now in its seventh edition and organised by Nebext in collaboration with Málaga City Council and the Andalusian Regional government) is one huge technology event held at FYCMA( Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga) reflecting that strength.
Málaga is fertile ground also for business start-ups, ranking third in the country after Madrid and Barcelona.
Airlift has also grown, Málaga connects not just with Europe but also North American destinations Montreal and New York, as well as Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait in the Middle East.
The region offers a rich variety of food and drink and from that flows an array of incentive programme possibilities. Specialist incentives houses deliver experiences for groups keen to
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Left: High-speed rail AVE
Bottom left: The city of Arts and Sciences, Valencia
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sample Andalucian culture, cuisine and lifestyle – from tapas and paella making, visits to olive farms and wineries, to learning to be a bullfighter for a day.
Valencia: moving on up Over on Spain’ s eastern coast Valencia’ s increased air connectivity and expanding accommodation offer are attractive in Spain’ s third city which also offers great value.
Regional investment incentives are also available here via ERDF / European Funds for infrastructure and business / event projects that meet certain criteria.
The Palacio de Congresos and the City of Arts and Sciences are great options for hosting large conferences and events, with the latter complex able to hold 8,000 attendees and home to Europe’ s largest aquarium, an exhibition space, a 3D digital cinema and an opera house. A 12-storey Novotel Valencia Lavant( former Expo Hotel) with 370 rooms with large meeting space also opened last year.
Another key factor in the rise of both Valencia and Málaga in the international MICE sector has been the proactive approach of their respective convention bureaus, DMCs, local PCOs and other industry suppliers. This all adds up to a first-class event ecosystem for international planners.
Artificial intelligence, digitalisation, sustainability, security and personalisation are hot sectoral topics driving meetings in Málaga, according to the CVB. As elsewhere in Spain, events incorporating augmented reality( AR) and virtual reality( VR) have seen a 30 % increase in audience participation and satisfaction.
Valencia is 2024 European Green Capital and has over two million sqm. of gardens, including the Turia Garden and Parque Central.
The city is set to host 400 sustainable events this year, including the already held Annual Forum of Energy Cities in June and a green marathon due to run in December.
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