The Madrid City Council is committed to being at the forefront of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Congresses and Exhibitions) tourism market. And its Tourism Department, via Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB), is currently getting ready to host the second edition of Madrid Agency Forum. This in-person event will exceptionally combine getting to know the city with incentives, allowing representatives from 16 specialist European agencies to discover the main attractions of the city of Madrid, in addition to its potential as a destination for corporate events.

From today until Sunday, 19 September, agents from Italy, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and the UK will be invited to experience the capital first-hand. In addition to discovering new tourist sights and spots in the city – including the Four Seasons Madrid hotel and the recently opened Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana – the participants will also have the chance to hold over 300 business meetings with representatives from hotels, specialist venues and local suppliers. This event aims to offer attendees an up-close, comprehensive overview of Madrid as a leading destination for professional meetings, as well as give support and visibility to the sector through the promotion of new business opportunities for the 20 MCB-affiliated companies present.

Professionalism and creativity

The Madrid Agency Forum programme will revolve around the motto “The Missing Spy — are you ready for Action?” with a view to promoting a new and undiscovered side of the city, in addition to a whole range of fun activities on the streets of the capital. Participants will be transported to the 40s where, through enigma and surprise, they will discover the connection the Spanish capital had with the European spy services of the time. This special activity takes inspiration from one of the tours in the first edition of the Original Tours of Madrid Programme.

Its carefully designed game-like format aims to reinforce the concepts of professionalism and creativity in Madrid’s MICE tourism sector. The activity was organised in collaboration with The Westin Palace Hotel Madrid — the main location for this event — the Spanish Tourism Institute (Turespaña) and the travel agencies (DMCs) B Destination Services and In Out Travel&Events, which were in charge of planning the tour, game coordination and the activity’s exclusive app.

What’s more, in addition to representatives from 16 European MICE tourism agencies, three tourism journalists belonging to the British media groups Northstar and MashMedia and the Belgian travel blog Destination X will also attend Madrid Agency Forum. These professionals will also be invited to take part in an additional tour to visit local artisan studios and the Pestana CR7 Gran Vía hotel, as well as to discover some of the features of the new positive impact tool, which will be officially launched by MCB at the end of this month. These parallel activities with the press aim to reinforce Madrid’s reputation in European media within the sector.

In-person and sustainable events

Madrid Convention Bureau has been committed to resuming this in situ promotional event, placing great emphasis on the importance of the in-person experience. This new pledge to incentivise direct contact with professionals in the sector is evidence that Madrid is a safe destination; it is able and willing to host corporate events with the necessary safety guarantees, thanks to the collaboration and professionalism of the capital’s entire tourist sector. This event has been designed in line with current safety protocols and all attendees and organisers submitted a negative antigen test prior to its launch.

Madrid Agency Forum is an example of the commitment by the City Council’s Tourism Department and Madrid Convention Bureau towards sustainable events and reducing the negative impact of professional meetings. With this in mind, priority has been given to getting around the city on foot and reducing transport in polluting vehicles to a minimum. What’s more, the use of paper and non-recyclable or single-use materials has also been minimised, and all the necessary material for the event has been made from sustainable materials where possible.

The first edition of Madrid Agency Forum was held in 2019 with a view to securing its position as a leading event. The Madrid Tourism Department and Madrid Convention Bureau aim to consolidate this initiative as a yearly affair and to continue promoting the city to the European market and, periodically, to other markets including the United States.