The new MICE: co-creation, emotion and purpose shape the future of corporate events
The MICE sector is facing a paradigm shift driven by new generations. During the second edition of MICE HUB by Newlink, professionals and experts reflected last week on how to design events based on co-creation, purpose and authentic connection. The meeting took place at the Hilton Hotel in Barcelona, after the success of the first edition in Madrid last June.
New generations are no longer satisfied with just attending an event: they want to live it, feel it and co-create it. They are looking for purpose, authenticity and real connection. They want to participate, have a say and be part of a shared experience that reflects their values and their way of understanding the world. In this context, the challenge for brands and organizers is clear: how to design events that truly inspire and connect.
That was precisely the premise that guided the second edition of MICE HUB by Newlink, a meeting and knowledge point for event planners, travel managers and event agencies created by Newlink Spain, with the support of Forum Business Travel & Events, and held at the hotel Hilton Barcelona. Under the slogan "Connecting with the New Gen in corporate events", it brought together some of the main references of the MICE sector to discuss how to evolve towards more participative, sustainable and emotionally relevant models, capable of attracting the new generations.
The meeting focused on cocreationón as a new paradigm of engagement: an approach in which people are no longer mere attendees but active protagonists. Throughout the day, experts in psychology, technology, incentives and event management (María Gilabert, CEO and founder of BeValue; Cesc Riera, CMO and co-founder of Meetmaps; Iñaki Collado, president of IdeMICE+; and Raimon Torrents, founding partner of Event Management Institute) explored how neuroscience, innovation and emotion can be combined to design memorable, transformative and purposeful experiences.
The meeting also featured the participation of the destinations Malta, Hungary, Costa Rica and Qatar, who shared how they are adapting their MICE offer to the new market demands. Through strategies based on innovation, authenticity and personalization, they showed how destinations can become key allies in creating corporate experiences that connect with new generations.
Attention, a scarce commodity
Psychologist and entrepreneur María Gilabert, CEO of BeValue, opened the debate with a powerful idea: “The attentionón of the new generations lasts between eight and twelve seconds. We cannot resist, we have to understand how their brain works. From neuroscience, he explained that engagement does not depend only on the content, but also on how it is presented: activating sensory modules, generating authentic emotion and providing purpose are key to maintaining attention. Gilabert stressed that emotion is what turns an experience into a memory: “Only when we understand whaté we want attendees to think, feel and do, do we leave a mark”.
Technology at the service of people
From a more technological perspective, Cesc Riera, CMO and Co-founder of Meetmaps, reminded us that digital tools are a means, not an end. New generations want to connect before, during and after the event. They value knowing who is going to be there, generating real networking and finding a purpose in each interaction. Riera stressed that digital platforms allow this continuous connection and facilitate participatory experiences through interactive dynamics such as live polls or collaborative games. Technology should help us to humanize events, not replace relationships,”, he said.
From award travel to purposeful travel
Entrepreneur and president of IdeMICE+, Iñaki Collado, provided a vision of the incentive sector, which is in the midst of transformation. “We have gone from premium travel to purposeful travel,” he said. It is no longer about going far or spending more,&em> but about creating experiences aligned with the company's values and with what really moves people,&em>rdquo;. Collado explained that incentive trips are today strategic communication and motivation tools. The new generations want to know why they are there, what they are going to learn and what they are going to feel. They are looking to experience something that makes sense and reflects the brand values”, heñaló.
Experiences that leave a mark
With more than three years of experience in the sector, Raimon Torrents, founding partner of Event Management Institute, provides an analytical look at the evolution of attendees. 20 years ago, an event was something extraordinary. Today we compete with thousands of stadiums. Attention is no longer guaranteed, you have to deserve it," he said. For Torrents, success is measured by the ability to transform, not just entertain: “It is not enough for attendees to have a good time. If they leave the same way they came in, the event has failed. He stresses the importance of researching and measuring, as in any marketing strategy, to truly understand the audience and design relevant experiences.
He also defended the need to incorporate the new generations in the organization of events, because of their understanding of the new hóThe aim is to promote the new communication habits and methods, and to take care of the sector's talent through greater professionalization and fair remuneration. Event management is a demanding, emotionally intense and under-recognized profession. If we want to maintain quality and passion, we must better value those who make it possible”.
Cocreation and purpose: the future of engagement
The session concluded with a common message among the speakers: the future of engagementwill beá collaborative. New generations do not want to be spectators, but protagonists”, summarized María Gilabert. Artificial intelligence and technology are advancing fast, but what really differentiates an event is the soul behind it. Co-creation is the way forward: designing experiences where each participant contributes, identifies and leaves transformed.
The debate made it clear that engagement no longer depends on spectacularity, but on meaning. Understanding the new generations, designing memorable experiences and betting on co-creation are the pillars of a new event model: more human, more measurable and transformative.