The Government of Catalonia, through the Catalan Tourist Board (ACT), is leading a 4.2-million-euro European project aimed at transforming Europe’s MICE tourism sector. The project includes a subsidy scheme of 30,000 euros per company aimed at SMEs that promote sustainability, inclusiveness and resilience in their practices within the framework of MICE tourism. The BEFuture project, promoted and coordinated by the ACT through its Catalunya Convention Bureau programme, will promote innovation and collaboration within the professional events industry and support small and medium-sized companies with an acceleration programme. The aim is to secure Europe’s future as a leading destination for environmentally and socially responsible business events.

The BEFuture project, funded by the European Union’s Single Market programme, involves a wide network of partners, including congress offices, business support organisations and research centres. “We are excited to have the opportunity to work together with such a strong consortium of partners. We want to explore alternative business models, together with other ecosystems, and make professional events a future industry aligned with current trends and needs,” said Narcís Ferrer i Ferrer, director of the ACT.

In the coming months, BEFuture will offer the entire MICE tourism sector and its ecosystem the opportunity to showcase sustainable and inclusive initiatives in a marketplace with European-wide visibility. There will also be series of courses, and an accelerator programme will be launched in 2025 offering 30,000 euros to around 80 SMEs in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

MICE tourism in Catalonia, a world powerhouse

MICE tourism in Catalonia is emerging as a fundamental pillar for Catalonia’s economic development and international reputation. In figures, the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) sector recovered in 2022, the year in which Barcelona ranked first in the world in terms of the number of international congress participants and fourth in terms of the total number of congresses hosted. As for Catalonia as a whole, the destination received a total of 1,312,900 business visitors who spent almost 1.55 billion euros. Historically, Barcelona has been one of the top five destinations in the professional meetings sector for more than twenty years.