The Provincial Association of Hotels and Tourist Apartments of Alicante (APHA) was part of the delegation from the Generalitat, through Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, that attended the professional fair ‘The Meetings Show’ held in London on June 24 and 25. The objective was to reinforce the destination's positioning in the congress tourism segment and consolidate its presence in the main international source market.
This event, considered the leading congress tourism fair in the United Kingdom, brings together international destinations, event organizing agencies, hotel chains, convention centers, DMCs, and specialized suppliers. In this edition, the offer of the Comunitat Valenciana was represented at the Turespaña stand by six co-exhibiting entities, including APHA.
According to sources from the association, numerous meetings were held with industry professionals to showcase Alicante province's capacity to host high-value-added events, congresses, and meetings. In addition to the British market, APHA established contacts with agencies from new routes opened from Alicante representing other interesting markets.
The events and congress tourism industry, known as MICE, has consolidated as a strategic driver of tourism due to its high economic contribution. In 2024, Spain ranked as the third country globally with the highest number of international meetings. Following a solid post-pandemic recovery, the sector is evolving towards sustainability and digitalization, with a business projection in Spain expected to reach 15,794 million euros by 2027.
Among the benefits of MICE tourism are its ability to de-seasonalize demand and diversify activity, attracting higher value-added visitor profiles. In 2025, a meetings traveler spent on average 2.7 times more per day than a leisure traveler. Furthermore, MICE drives knowledge exchange, generates local employment, and fosters a lasting social and cultural legacy.
