Madrid has been named Europe’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination 2025 at this year’s World Travel Awards.
The Spanish capital secured the title ahead of rivals including Barcelona, Berlin, London, Paris, Athens and Milan.
It marks the eighth consecutive year Madrid has taken the award from one of the tourism industry’s most respected bodies, cementing its position as a leading destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) travel.
It comes as the 2025 AMEX Global Meetings & Events Forecast ranked Madrid second among Europe’s top meeting destinations. It was also nominated for Europe’s Best MICE Destination 2025, having last won the title in 2022.
So what makes Madrid such a popular destination for meetings and conferences?
MICE tourism generates €5.2 billion for Madrid
According to Almudena Maíllo, Madrid City Council’s Councillor for Tourism, MICE tourism is big business for the Spanish capital.
‘This tourism sector is very positive for the people of Madrid, generating a direct and indirect economic impact of 2.327 and 5.238 billion euros in the city,’ she told the Madrid Convention Bureau.
‘This award is a recognition of an industry that is doing its utmost to make Madrid a leading destination in the MICE sector.’
The Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB) represents more than 225 companies across the city and works alongside the City Council to promote Madrid within the global meetings tourism industry.
In 2025, the MCB prioritised attracting events in strategic sectors such as cybersecurity, fintech and big data.
The bureau also focused its resources on strengthening Madrid’s position in key markets across the United States, Europe and Latin America.
These efforts have translated into real results, with Madrid hosting major sector-focused events including Tech Show Madrid 2025, the Cyber Intelligence Europe 2025 summit, and the Madrid FinTech & Banking Unconference 2025.
Business up 54% year-on-year
Many businesses in Madrid are seeing growth as an indirect result of rising MICE tourism. But the biggest impact is being felt in sectors directly servicing the needs of corporate travellers, such as corporate events companies.
One of Madrid’s leading team-building organisers, Madrid Adventure, told Spain in English they’ve recorded a 54% year-on-year surge in enquiries.
‘The growth in 2025 has been huge compared to 2024 – we’re already seeing a massive increase in requests, and this is only counting up to midway through November,’ said Jeremy Hickey, the company’s General Manager.
He added that Madrid Adventure has delivered team-building experiences for employees from major companies including Amazon, Google and Microsoft this year, as well as seeing enquiries from local and international tech, AI, cybersecurity, fintech and big data startups.
So why are companies choosing Madrid?
According to Jeremy, Madrid is logistically a ‘smart option’ for globally distributed teams.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport serves more than 250 routes across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and sits just 20km from Puerta del Sol.
‘When you’ve got teams in New York, London, Dubai and maybe even Singapore, Madrid becomes a very workable hub for annual summits or important meetings,’ Jeremy said.
A second factor is the city’s corporate hospitality offering. Madrid is Spain’s number-one city for overnight hotel stays, while the InterContinental Madrid was named Best in Spain for corporate meetings and exhibitions at the 2024 World MICE Awards.
‘Apart from the logistics, companies just really enjoy their time in Madrid for the food, the architecture and the culture,’ Jeremy added.
Among the best team-building events are the Madrid Treasure Hunt, the Gastronomy Treasure Hunt, and the GPS Outdoor Escape Game, where employees solve time-sensitive challenges while exploring historic landmarks and hidden corners of the city.
‘Despite flying in from across the world, colleagues don’t actually get a lot of time to explore Madrid,’ Jeremy said.
‘That’s why a treasure hunt or outdoor escape game is a great way to try tapas, see the Royal Palace and visit the Museo Reina Sofia during a short window between meetings.’
Another favourite, Jeremy added, is arranging group tickets to see Real Madrid, whose Bernabéu Tour was crowned Europe’s Leading Football Stadium Tourism Experience 2025 at this year’s World Travel Awards.
‘Barcelona last held the title in 2017, but since then Madrid has really emerged as the leader,’ said Jeremy, who also runs a team-building events company in Barcelona.
‘It’s the result of consistent investment at the top level, but also a fortunate mix of infrastructure, hospitality and cultural appeal coming together at the right moment.’
This is a Spotlight Feature in collaboration with Madrid Adventure.
