Turisme de Barcelona and Barcelona’s Provincial Council have reached an agreement for the merger of their respective Convention Bureaus, the offices responsible for promoting MICE tourism. As a result, the Barcelona Convention Bureau (BCB) and the Barcelona Province Convention Bureau (BPCB) now constitute a single organisation aimed at further consolidating Barcelona’s position as a host city for this type of activities.
Thanks to a number of collaboration agreements, the two institutions had been working closely together for some time. Their joint efforts led to the opportunity to merge both convention bureaus into a single office that would cover the city of Barcelona and the surrounding areas.
The new BCB boasts more members, more resources and, in short, more opportunities for its area of activity, whilst at the same time simplifying relations with clients and organisers through a single interlocutor. The agreement has also meant a significant increase in its offer, which now includes other cities and regions.
"The merger of the two bureaus is a major achievement that will further boost Barcelona’s position as one of the world’s leading MICE tourism destinations”, explains Christoph Tessman, BCB’s Managing Director. Following the merger, the 18 members of the BPCP will become part of the BCB and Barcelona Provincial Council will become a fully-fledged member of the technical team and committee.
MICE tourism, which includes congresses, conventions and incentive trips, is considered to be a key activity that generates added value for the territory. In fact, it has a greater impact on other economic sectors than any other tourism segment: the latest data available put Barcelona’s direct income from this activity at €1.5 bn.
