Valencia Conference Centre Strengthens International Positioning with Record Growth in 2025

The Valencia Conference Centre closed the last financial year by reinforcing its upward trajectory as a leading venue for large-scale meetings. In 2025 alone, the Centre generated 95,000 overnight stays — a clear indicator of the direct economic impact of congress activity on the city, particularly given that meeting tourism spends three to four times more than leisure visitors.

Following a record-breaking 2024, the Centre maintained strong momentum in 2025, achieving the second-best results in its history. This sustained performance reflects its growing international positioning, with nearly half of its activity generated from foreign markets. The figures consolidate the venue’s standing as a global reference point in the MICE sector, encompassing meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions.

The Chair of the Board of Directors of the Valencia Conference Centre City Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment, Paula Llobet, stressed that "the 2025 financial year confirms the Centre as a strategic infrastructure and a key player in the international positioning of the city" and is committed to "a solid, long-term management model, capable of attracting events with high added value". "We have a building that grows, innovates and gives value back to the city. Sustained investment, technological modernisation and collaboration with the local ecosystem, along with universities and startups, translate into higher quality events, a smaller environmental footprint and a greater legacy for the city," added Llobet.
 

Growing activity

Overall attendance rose significantly, with 115,000 participants attending 105 events throughout 2025. Congresses remained the core of the Centre’s activity, accounting for more than 70% of annual turnover. Several events have left a lasting legacy in the city, including the congress of the Spanish Association of Paediatrics, which presented a pioneering study analysing the physical, emotional and environmental impact of the storm dana on children.

Paula Llobet explained that "more than 55% of the congresses held were the result of the active marketing of the Centre, which shows the importance of proactive attraction and the capacity to attract large congresses, with a high degree of anticipation and stability in the calendar".
 

The convention segment also experienced remarkable growth in 2025, tripling compared to the previous year. The Centre welcomed multinational companies such as JYSK, as well as major players in the global tourism sector like Arival. This increase was partly linked to strong business support for Valencia following the effects of the storm dana, resulting in a higher number of conventions hosted in the city.

Customer satisfaction further validated the Centre’s performance. Surveys conducted during the year highlighted the professionalism of the team and the quality of the facilities as key strengths, with 75% of respondents rating both categories as “excellent”.
 

1.4 million investment

The year also reinforced the Centre’s role as a strategic infrastructure serving the city of Valencia. This is exemplified by the Zentropy MICE urban innovation project, which will explore how to better channel the benefits of congress tourism for the wider community. At the same time, the municipal Urban Sandbox initiative has transformed the venue into a living laboratory for innovative entrepreneurship projects.

Alongside these initiatives, the Conference Centre continues to implement a comprehensive building modernisation strategy centred on technological innovation, with a dual objective: enhancing the client experience and strengthening environmental sustainability. In 2025, the Centre invested more than €1.4 million, including €600,000 from its own funds and approximately €800,000 supported by European Next Generation EU funding.

Among the main technical milestones was the first phase of its Digital Twin — a virtual replica of the building designed to enable automated, resource-efficient planning. This was complemented by the upgrade to LED lighting, delivering estimated energy savings of 60%, and the completion of a photovoltaic roof for self-consumption, expected to cover around 10% of the venue’s energy demand.

From a sustainability perspective, the municipal entity continues to implement programmes aimed at reducing the environmental impact of events. One example is the MagNuS project to combat food waste, which in 2025 resulted in the donation of 6,423 meals to the Food Bank.

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.