A report compiled by the Spanish Association of Conference Centres (APCE) reveals that in 2010 the member venues held a total of 5,108 events which were attended by 4,214,377 visitors and generated an economic impact of €1,600 million.
The aggregate data provided by the APCE members reveal that last year, Spanish venues held a total of 538 congresses which were attended by 509,126 delegates. They also held288 conventions which were attended by 199,293 participants and 1,438 symposia with a total of 494,162 visitors. The economic impact of these events in 2010 was €1,600 million.
These results show that the number of national and international congresses remained steady compared to the previous year, whereas corporate activities were down slightly. According to the Association’s Chairman and CEO of the Valencia Conference Centre, José Salinas, “due to its particular characteristics, the section of the market focusing on meetings has not been as seriously affected by the economic situation as the convention industry, which has declined over the past few years as a result of the slowdown in overall demand”.
In terms of their geographical distribution around half of the conventions are national and international and they account for more than 60% of participants. In the case of congresses, national and international events account for 80% of both events and delegates.
According to José Salinas, “the results of the study demonstrate the fundamental role that conference centres play in Spain as the main venues for meetings, especially for association- based events”. Likewise, the APCE Chairman added that “in the current economic climate, it is even more important to look for opportunities based on strategies which improve our market position. This is why the APCE has backed new initiatives which involve working more closely with other organisations in the sector, such as the partnership with Turespaña, in order to actively promote Spain as a congress destination. These activities are strengthened by a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation so as to adapt to new challenges and changes in technology and society, and enable us to continue to bemarket leaders in a sector which is becoming increasingly competitive”.
The Spanish Association of Conference Centres (APCE) aims to represent and defend the collective interests of its members in their dealings with industry peers and with the relevant administrative authorities. The APCE enables its members to exchange business ideas and experiences and acts as the focal point for conference and event tourism in Spain.
The Association will be celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2011 and has planned a series of scientific and social events. These are mainly set to coincide with its annual congress,which will take place at the Valencia Conference Centre in July.
