PCMA Closes Largest Convening EMEA to Date and Announces Seville for 2027

PCMA’s Convening EMEA has reached a new participation high, with the 2026 edition in Lisbon attracting 565 in-person participants and 814 participants across its global digital audience, with delegates representing 42 countries.

The figures make the Lisbon gathering the largest Convening EMEA to date, as PCMA’s EMEA community continues to expand across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The three-day event took place from 13–15 September at FIL – Lisbon Exhibition and Congress Centre.

The close of the 2026 edition also brought the announcement of the host destination for next year’s event. Seville, Andalusia, Spain, will host Convening EMEA 2027 from 13–15 September, with the programme set to take place at FIBES – Seville Conference & Exhibition Centre. PCMA says the event is planned to attract more than 600 participants in person, alongside a global digital audience.

The return to Seville also connects with an earlier chapter in PCMA’s European activity. The association brought its European community to the Spanish city in 2018 for the European Influencers Summit, which attracted approximately 150 participants.

“Convening EMEA has evolved significantly since PCMA first brought our European community to Seville in 2018,” said Sherrif Karamat, CAE, President and CEO of PCMA and CEMA. “Returning in 2027 gives us an opportunity to demonstrate just how far that community, and this experience, has come. Andalusia and Seville share our ambition to use business events to create meaningful economic and social progress, and we look forward to working together to create an experience that connects our global community while delivering lasting value for the region.”

Seville as part of the programme

PCMA says the 2027 experience will be delivered in partnership with Andalusia and Seville, with the region positioning the business events sector as a strategic priority and investing in its international reach, sustainability, innovation and long-term development.

The programme will bring together business event strategists, event marketers, association and corporate leaders, partners and next-generation professionals from across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and PCMA’s wider global community.

The organisation says the 2027 programme will continue to develop around meaningful connection, relevant learning and active participation, with Seville and Andalusia incorporated into the experience itself rather than serving simply as its backdrop.

The announcement was welcomed by regional and city representatives.
 

Manuel Gavira, Second Vice President and Minister of Tourism of Andalusia, described the selection as “recognition of Andalusia’s leadership as one of the major international tourist destinations and, in particular, the growing strength of our unique offer in the meetings & events industry.”

He added that “hosting an event of this importance, bringing together the leading players and professionals of the global MICE industry, will allow us to directly showcase the capacity, professionalism, and diversity of Andalusia as a destination and reinforce our position in a strategic segment due to its ability to generate economic activity and opportunities for our ecosystem of destinations and business suppliers.”

Ángel Díaz, President of the Sevilla Congress & Convention Bureau, said: “We are delighted that Seville has been selected to host the upcoming PCMA CEMEA Annual Conference in 2027. This represents an outstanding opportunity to further strengthen our city’s position as a premier international destination for the business events industry, while highlighting the expertise, capability, and talent of our local business sector.”

Angie Moreno, Councillor for Tourism and Culture at Seville City Council, said: “We are very proud that Seville has been chosen to host CEMEA 2027. This is an important recognition of our city’s growing position in the international business events sector and a great opportunity to showcase Seville and FIBES to the global meetings community. We look forward to welcoming the PCMA community and working together to make CEMEA 2027 a great success.”

For PCMA, the Lisbon edition’s participation figures and the Seville announcement come as the association continues to develop its EMEA community as part of its wider global network. PCMA currently has regional communities in APAC, EMEA and LATAM, with members in 72 countries and communities.

The 2027 edition of Convening EMEA will take place in Seville from 13–15 September 2027 at FIBES – Seville Conference & Exhibition Centre.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.