The automotive and sustainable MICE destination

At IBTM World 2022, the Catalunya Convention Bureau (CCB) announced its new project, Catalunya Meetings and Mobility. The new project is in collaboration with Catalonia Trade and Investment and the support of the Public Office for the Transformation of the Mobility and Automotive Industry. According to the Bureau, the aim of this new programme is to generate a positive socio-economic impact, strengthening the MICE and mobility industries and boosting their growth and transformation. Catalonia’s MICE and automotive industries According to the destination, its automotive sector is a hub of activity that has a direct impact on the economy. This is heightened by automotive sector’s drive to solve the challenges posed by the energy transition and the transition to sustainable and connected mobility, while moving towards the electrification of engines and the emergence of new experiences in shared mobility. Catalonia offers quality infrastructures for hosting international car and mobility events as well as experiences of major importance to the main promoters of the sector aimed at leading the way in the transformation of the industry. This ecosystem of networking opportunities brings together the main actors in Catalonia, from leading RDI manufacturers to innovation and research hubs, research and testing laboratories and other collaborative environments such as the automotive cluster, a source of many smart mobility projects. Catalonia is internationally well connected, with the capacity to receive more than 50m passengers annually by air or by high-speed train, which guarantees connectivity with other cities, as well as through a road infrastructure that criss-crosses and connects the whole territory. MICE As an important destination for meetings and events, Catalonia offers a network of conference centres, unique locations, and efficient and attractive facilities throughout the region for hosting conventions, summits and meetings of professionals who want to showcase and share transformation indicators and news about the industry. It hosts popular motorsports events, such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya race track, and races corresponding to the different categories of the World Motorcycling Championship, including MotoGP. It also hosts the Rally Catalonia–Costa Daurada, which counts towards the World Rally Championship, for which the focal point of the event are the facilities of PortAventura World in Salou. All these competitions mean that the eyes of the world are always on Catalonia, and they provide very important opportunities to engage with the public. Team testing days on the circuit or brand presentations of new innovations and products offer other stimulating opportunities for hosting unique events related to these spectacular activities. The resources channelled into the organisation of events in Catalonia are aimed at enabling the sector to present new innovations that represent a step forward in the provision of mobility, performance, security, connectivity and sustainability on a global scale. The ideal conditions that Catalonia offers as a preferred destination generate a huge number of opportunities for hosting forums focused on innovation and the generation of new businesses around smart mobility as well as other topics of major interest on connected and autonomous vehicles and the future of a renewed automotive industry as a catalyst for economic recovery.