Madrid is named Europe’s top MICE destination for the sixth year in a row
- Travel industry professionals once again ranked Madrid in first place, ahead of other European cities like Copenhagen, Paris and Vienna
- Madrid will now compete to be renamed the top MICE destination in the world at the Grand Final Gala Ceremony
- The accolade recognises the work carried out by Madrid City Council through Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB) as well as the quality and professionalism of the city’s tourism sector as a whole
The city of Madrid continues to maintain a leading position among the top destinations for professional events. In 2023, for the sixth year in a row, Spain’s capital city was named Europe’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination at the 30th edition of the World Travel Awards Europe, the travel industry’s most prestigious international awards, which were given out yesterday in the city of Batumi (Georgia).
The accolade underlines the confidence that tourism industry professionals have in Madrid, which once again beat out cities like Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Berlin. Madrid has been the receipt of this award year after year since 2018, demonstrating that the excellent reputation its MICE segment has built remains in place despite the challenges the tourism industry as a whole has had to face.
Madrid is now in the running to be renamed the World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination—a title it has held for the past four years—at the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony, which will take place in the coming months. The Spanish capital is set to compete against the winning cities from the other regions: the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Africa & Indian Ocean, North America and the Caribbean.
The quality and professionalism of Madrid’s MICE sector
Receiving this award once again is the best possible recognition of the work carried out by both the city council, through MCB, and by the public and private stakeholders that make up Madrid’s MICE industry. Their work stands out for making a unique range of offerings along with first-rate services distinguished by the highest standards of quality and professionalism available to organisers, thereby fostering the development of a segment so important to tourism in Madrid that last year it had a direct impact of EUR 1.715 billion on the city.
In this regard, MCB plays a key role by encouraging this fundamental public-private partnership and by representing more than 220 companies from all of the business sectors in Madrid that depend on MICE tourism. Its objective is to continue to foster the capital’s leading international position in this area.
The municipal body, attached to the Tourism Department, is currently finalising its promotion plan for 2024, under which its associates will once again play a central and highly visible role. The strategy will enable the coordinated promotion of Madrid as a destination in its main inbound tourism markets, such as the USA and Europe. It foresees Madrid’s participation in fairs and other professional events as well as initiatives to be carried out in the destination of Madrid itself, such as fam trips and the provision of support for trade fairs. All of these actions will be underpinned by the principles of sustainability and legacy in the city to ensure that Madrid continues to enjoy its leading position in the area of MICE tourism. /