Barcelona has risen to third position worldwide in the annual ranking of the International Congress and Convention Association, presented at the IMEX fair in Frankfurt. The city has also been in the top five of this classification for 25 consecutive years, a continuity that no other city has achieved.
The rise comes at a time when congress activity already has a stable weight in the city and gains even more presence outside the high season. Tourism linked to congresses, conventions, and fairs represents around 20% of overnight visitors and reaches 25% in months away from summer.
Barcelona hosted 1,992 events and generated 1.24 billion in 2025
During 2025, the Catalan capital hosted 1,992 meetings, 1.2% more than the previous year, with nearly 684,000 delegates and an estimated economic impact of 1.24 billion euros, according to data from the Barcelona Convention Bureau.
The visitor profile explains part of this performance. 94.4% of attendees have university studies, accumulate an average of almost 16 years of professional experience, have an average age of 43 years, and about 75% come from outside Spain, especially from European Union countries.
Furthermore, more than three-quarters of those who attend these meetings extend their stay. Almost one in four meetings is not held in the capital and is distributed among other municipalities in the province, a territorial extension that adds to the weight of venues such as Fira de Barcelona and the congress circuit that also reaches other locations.
The city leads scientific congresses and reinforces funding to attract new events
Barcelona ranks first worldwide in scientific congresses, second in medical sciences, and fourth in technology. This specialization coincides with the confirmation of events for the coming years such as the UIA World Congress of Architects, the FENS Forum, the European Respiratory Society congress, and UEG Week.
In parallel, the Barcelona City Council, the Tourism Consortium, Fira de Barcelona, and the Hotel Association have reinforced the MICE Fund to attract new international meetings. The municipal contribution planned for 2026 and 2027 amounts to 2.8 million euros.
Also planned are the remodeling of the Montjuïc historic site for the centenary of Fira de Barcelona and the expansion of the Gran Via site with the future Hall Zero, a combination of projects that accompanies the calendar of congresses linked to medical research and other sectors with an international presence in the city.
Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance, and Tourism, valued the result with an explicit defense of this line of activity.
"These results are excellent news and ratify the strategic commitment that Barcelona City Council has made to promote this type of tourism" - Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance, and Tourism, Barcelona City Council
The continuity of this strategy is also linked to the ability to attract major events in the coming years. Among those already confirmed are the UIA World Congress of Architecture, the FENS Forum, the congress of the European Respiratory Society, and UEG Week.