Ibiza officials urge shift from party tourism to business events

Vicent Marí, president of the Consell de Ibiza and the Spain Convention Bureau, has called for Ibiza to move away from its reputation as ‘the party island’ by prioritizing high-quality tourism. Speaking at the sixth Ibiza MICE Summit in Santa Eulària, Marí emphasized the importance of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector as a tool to diversify the island's economic image.

Marí noted that the MICE segment generates significant value, stating that it moves approximately 15 billion euros in annual business and that these tourists typically spend three times more than other visitors. He asserted that the island's strategy has shifted from pursuing quantity to focusing on quality, arguing that the MICE sector leaves a positive footprint and contributes more to the destination than it consumes.

During the summit, discussions also focused on the need for reliable data to measure the real impact of events. The Association of Convention Centers of Spain (APCE) presented a new tool designed to determine the specific benefits and economic impact that hosting a congress brings to a destination.