Forum Business Travel & Events explores how experience and personalization are redefining the MICE industry
The corporate meetings and events industry is undergoing a transformation marked by a search for more human, creative, and personalized experiences. That was one of the main conclusions of the MICE Experience Sessions, held on May 12 and 14 in Madrid and Barcelona, two events that brought together event planners, agencies, hotels, airlines, and technology experts to discuss the sector?s new challenges.
The evolving role of physical spaces, the growing importance of strategic consulting, the integration of artificial intelligence, and the need to forge emotional connections with attendees were the focus of much of the discussion held at The Valley Business & Tech School in Madrid on May 12.
During the panel discussion on hospitality, Federico Müller-Thyssen, EMEA Sales Manager at BWH Hotels; Ángela García, Sales Representative for Europe at Marquis Reforma Hotel & Spa; Beatriz Torrentó, Sales Director at Sercotel Hotel Group; and Pedro Fernández de Córdoba, Event Manager at Dell Technologies, agreed that hotels are no longer merely venues for hosting events, but true generators of experiences. Proactivity, adaptability, and a connection to local culture were some of the key factors highlighted for providing unique value to corporate clients.
The role of airlines in corporate events was the focus of another discussion during the conference. Rafa Calderón, commercial specialist at Air Europa; Alejandra Huerta, head of Corporate Sales at Iberia; and Humildad Lema, Corporate Meeting Planner at BBVA, analyzed how the MICE experience begins long before the event, starting at the airport itself and with the attendee?s journey. Personalization, flexibility, and strategic incident management were highlighted as increasingly important factors for organizers.
One of the highlights was the ?Battle of Ideas,? focused on the debate over who truly determines the success of an event: the client or the agency. Belén Salgueiro, Director of Simmer Events by VB Group; Ana Muñoz, Procurement Manager at Huawei Spain; and María Valverde, Event Project Manager at Prensa Ibérica; agreed on the importance of the briefing, human connection, and the strategic value of agencies, whose role is evolving toward more consultative and creative functions.
Technology and artificial intelligence also featured prominently during the event. Lisa Romanova, Lead Operations Manager at Mint Link, demonstrated how AI applied to the MICE sector can significantly boost efficiency in processes such as the preparation of budgets, RFPs, presentations, virtual tours, communication plans, and financial management.
BARCELONA
The sessions continued on May 14 at the Cloudworks Les Punxes in Barcelona, where industry professionals once again reflected on how corporate events and MICE experiences are evolving.
On the panel ?Spaces That Inspire,? Gabriela Bracho, Commercial Director of Green Patio; Laura Trulli, an event organizer specializing in the pharmaceutical sector, and Raquel Segovia, Event Planner & Marketing Technician at Molins, discussed the role of spaces as generators of experiences and highlighted the importance of flexibility, emotional connection, and the ability to adapt to the needs of each client and event.
The ?Duel of Ideas? once again brought to the table one of the sector?s major questions: who really determines the success of an event, the client or the agency. Belén Salgueiro, director of Simmer Events by VB Group, and Silvia Carrasco, Event Manager at Gedeon Richter Ibérica, agreed on the need to work based on trust, mutual understanding, and a shared strategic vision.
Innovation and technology also took center stage with a new presentation by Lisa Romanova of Mint Link, who demonstrated how artificial intelligence applied to the MICE sector can streamline event planning by up to ten times through process automation and the optimization of operational tasks.