Activities

The German fair once again vindicated its leadership in the MICE travel industry.

The Cluster was present through the Galicia MICE initiative.

The latest edition of the IMEX fair in Frankfurt, held between 31 May and 2 June, was the world’s largest gathering of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry, now that the pandemic has been overcome. Nevertheless, it can be seen that this type of travel industry is recovering at a slower pace than other segments of the tourism sector, so the fair has not yet had the same momentum as in the pre-pandemic years.

More than 100 countries were represented at IMEX, with more than 2,800 participants from different fields (agencies, corporations, associations…) who arranged appointments and held meetings to publicise their destinations. It has been possible to observe how the MICE sector has not stopped during the pandemic, but has continued to invest in infrastructures while developing new products, new commercial alternatives and new services.

Belén Montero, representing Galicia MICE, took part in the fair, holding meetings with European, American and Asian operators, as well as national representatives. The president of the Galician Association of Conference Centres and member of the executive board of the Galicia Tourism Cluster points to the theme of sustainability as an essential element and points out that some companies are looking for small or medium-sized city destinations, but with a clear focus on sustainability as an essential vector. In Frankfurt, he has been in contact with operators who organise medium-sized events (between 500 and 3,000 participants), a market in which Galicia is a good candidate, especially if the gastronomic and slow tourism offer is highlighted.