Spain, a first-rate business destination

You won't be disappointed when you choose Spain as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) destination. The fact that 50 million tourists visit us every year is ample evidence of the attractions of our country. If you add the high quality of the conference infrastructures, communications and hotels, and the good weather that enables you to hold events any time of the year, the result is an outstanding country for business tourism. These are Spain's strong points:

Easy access and transport. There are more than 30 international airports in Spain (which are being extended with new terminals). The capital's airport, Madrid-Barajas, is a great connection between Europe and Latin America, and is the fourth European airport in terms of number of operations and passengers.
Spain also has a modern road network criss-crossing the country and the largest high-speed rail network in Europe to take you to all the main destinations in no time at all.

Destinations with something for everyone. When organising meetings, conferences and so on there is a choice of large or medium-size cities with a rich historical and cultural heritage. Madrid and Barcelona, for example, have considerable experience in business tourism. In fact, both cities are among the top five on the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) world ranking. A large number of Spanish cities are equipped with suitable infrastructures to host professional events.

Modern equipment and services. Spain offers more than 50 conference centres (some of them are genuine landmarks of avant-garde architecture, like the Donostia-San Sebastián Conference Centre, the Valencia centre designed by Norman Foster, the centre in A Coruña, and Ciudad de Oviedo by Santiago Calatrava) specially designed for business meetings, presentations and seminars.

You'll also find auditoriums, special rooms, multipurpose complexes, exhibition centres... and all kinds of versatile facilities with cutting-edge technology and communications. Because Spain is becoming increasingly high-tech –visitors can enjoy free and efficient internet connection in many venues, for example. And some hotels provide their guests with multimedia services and telecommunications resources.

Spanish companies are used to organising large events efficiently, and you'll be able to contact the Convention Bureau professionals in the city of your choice so they can give you advice.

You'll find professional conference organisers; communications and advanced audiovisual media companies; agencies providing hostesses, translation and interpreting services; stands and stage design; transport, and high quality catering...

A wide range of hotels. There are more than 16,000 hotels in Spain, and their quality is internationally renowned. A good option when choosing accommodation is to opt for any of the more than 90 Parador hotels all over the country. Many of these unique buildings (castles, monasteries, palaces and so on) also offer a full range of equipment and facilities to host professional meetings.

Incentive programmes. If you want to offer incentives to your employees or clients, think Spain. You'll find numerous outdoor training options and you'll also be able to arrange everything to meet your targets. You can combine sports like golf and outdoor activities such as city tours by bike and visits to famous football stadiums like Camp Nou and Santiago Bernabeu, with culture (for example, film routes), shopping and gastronomy. Regions such as the Canary Islands, Region of Valencia and Catalonia offer numerous options for events and team building.

Spain also offers new trends in incentive trips. For example, the chance to attend concerts and musicals, or to organise conferences or incentive programmes on board a cruise ship or on smaller vessels such as schooners, VIP yachts or catamarans –perfect for holding product presentations, gala dinners, etc.

Spain is also a country with integrated strategies for corporate social responsibility, and is committed to sustainable and eco-friendly tourism. Another option in line with this idea is to choose activities like 4x4 routes round National Parks, experience being a farmer for a day, or take a short bird-watching course. All this in addition to the use of less polluting materials and renewable raw materials, and the possibility of arranging eco-friendly conferences.

And for history lovers, there are original options such as "Meetings in Sefarad". This is an association of six cities (Avila, Cáceres, Cordoba, Girona, Segovia and Toledo) that invite you to hold your conference or company event in historical buildings, museums and conference centres in these cities, which are all home to a unique and outstanding Jewish cultural, monumental and gastronomic heritage.

Original venues. As well as all the usual venues, in Spain you'll have to chance to organise your events in cellars (perfect for private meetings in an exclusive setting), ancient caves, vineyards, historical buildings, museums (such as the Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, the Picasso Museum in Malaga, the Valencia Institute of Modern Art-IVAM in Valencia and the Guggenheim in Bilbao), theatres, flamenco clubs, football stadiums... The possibilities are endless.

And how could we forget to mention Spain's extraordinary natural, cultural and gastronomic attractions, its quality shops, its lively nightlife, and the Spaniards' famous warmth and hospitality.

Find the option that suits your needs, and the success of your event is guaranteed.