The Iberian Chapter of the International Congress and Conventions Association (ICCA), the new members of whose board were appointed in May, is committed to increasing its visibility and active presence in the industry meetings.
The initiatives implemented by the chapter include strengthening its relations with other MICE industry associations (the chapter is already a member of the Association Forum, which includes Spain’s main MICE industry associations) and increasing awareness about the advantages of belonging to an association, such as ICCA, since it is central to competing successfully in the international congress market, thanks to its highly useful database.
The Seminar on Business Tourism, which the Spain Convention Bureau (SCB) organized at Santander’s Magdalena Palace at the beginning of June – prior to its annual assembly – is one of the most recent major events at which the Iberian Chapter of ICCA has been present, attended by a group of associates who participated in debates and networked with other delegates.
Events in Gijon, Madrid and Bilbao
Two weeks after, a number of representatives of the chapter attended the International Congress of the Spanish Exhibition and Trade Fair Association (AFE), held in Gijon, participating in the presentation of the Association Forum. In addition to the Iberian Chapter of ICCA, this forum includes the following professional associations: the Spanish Federation of Professional Congress Organizers (OPC España), the Spanish Exhibition and Trade Fair Association (AFE), the Spanish Association of Congress Centres (APCE), Spain Destination Management Company (DMC), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and SITE Spain.
This month, the chapter plans to attended Evento Days, a specialized show scheduled to be held from 3-4 July, and the APCE Congress, due to be held in Bilbao from 17-18 July.
Spain, one of the world’s leading destinations
Spain has managed to defend its 3rd position in ICCA’s 2012 country rankings for international association meetings, while Madrid and Barcelona occupy 4th and 5th place, respectively, in the 2012 city ranking. These results clearly show that Spain has consolidated its position as an international association meeting destination, although there is still room for growth if a greater number of Spanish cities improve their strategies for drumming up widely sought-after congress business.
Members of ICCA’s Iberian Chapter at SCB’s seminar held in Santander; Carmen Aguirregomezcorta (in the centre), Secretary of ICCA’s Iberian Chapter, at the presentation of the Association Forum during the AFE Congress in Gijon
