Catalonia’s capital can’t fail to impress as a MICE destination. Paul Revel visits a city that's bucking the recessionary trend
AMERICAN EXPRESS UNVEILED its meetings and events forecast for 2013 at the EIBTM trade show in Barcelona, with a gloomy outlook for Europe. Declining budgets will be stretched to pay for a slightly less sharp fall in the number of meetings (see EIBTM report, p16). Particularly dispiriting was the Spanish forecast of a 10 per cent fall in meetings spend – and yet the same report predicts Barcelona as fourth in the league of top European meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) destinations. So why the paradox? Jose Antonio
Ruiz is head of meetings and events at Amex partner agency, American Express Barcelo Viajes. He says the city has long been a popular MICE location among European countries, but investment in infrastructure over the last 20 years has helped it grow a global reputation: “The last two decades have seen the opening of new hotels and the renovation of others, a major expansion of events spaces and venues, and a proliferation of restaurants and dining facilities.” Ruiz adds that the 2009 opening
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of Terminal 1 at Barcelona El-Prat airport and the launch of the high- speed AVE train line in late 2008 have improved travel choices and helped promote Barcelona as a MICE hub both internationally and at home. “At a time when Spanish companies are keeping a close eye on meetings and events spend, local destinations are a good option,” he says.
Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Batllo, on Barcelona's Passeig de Gracia
CULTURAL ASSETS MICE planners are unlikely to find too many grumbles from delegates when booking Barcelona. The city is one of Europe’s more desirable and glamorous destinations, with a treasure trove of cultural assets, including stunning architecture from