Barcelona has reaffirmed its position as a leading destination for international congresses. The city now ranks fourth globally, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). This places Barcelona behind only Vienna, Lisbon, and Singapore.
Barcelona stands out as the top non-capital city and the leading Spanish city for hosting congresses. In 2024, the city hosted 56 medical congresses, averaging more than four per month. Barcelona has also entered the top five for technological congresses.
The city leads in the number of participants and the resulting economic impact. Barcelona closed 2024 with nearly 2,000 business events, attracting 734,818 attendees, a 26% increase from 2023. The majority of attendees (85.6%) were international visitors.
Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance, and Tourism, emphasized the importance of this sector for the city. He highlighted the investment in Hall Zero of Fira de Barcelona. Jordi Clos, President of the Executive Committee of the Barcelona Tourism Consortium, noted the solid economic return and visitor profile of congress tourism.