Alicante

Its strong investment in equipment, infrastructures, and technical and human means has made it possible to improve the service offered to international meeting and event planners. To this is added the diversification of its tourist offering, which is positioning Alicante as one of the most appealing options in Europe to hold high-impact, high-participation meetings and events.

What are the advantages of Alicante to plan meetings and events?

To begin with, we have a coastal town which also has an excellent climate, which makes it possible to have a large percentage of sunny days per year, with mild temperatures that allow multiple sports, outdoor leisure, and sea-related activities.

Alicante has clean, comfortable, well-equipped beaches which can be easily reached, but it also has mountains near the town (Alicante is one of the most mountainous provinces in Spain).

The town offers a wide range of high-quality hotel options, with more than 7,000 beds, including 14 4-star hotels and one 5-star hotel. New openings are scheduled for 2017.

Alicante is a diverse town that combines the culture that connects it to its territory with a cosmopolitan, modern nature, which is encouraged, among other factors, by the influence of its university. Of course, its gastronomic appeal stands out, with a characteristic cuisine, as proven by the recent registration of the trademark Alicante Ciudad del Arroz (“Alicante, the Rice Town”), and the presence of prestigious restaurants.

As for connectivity, Alicante is one of the most accessible towns in Spain, with a successful high-speed railway line and an international airport that yields record figures year after year, with more than 120 direct flights.

The improvement in transport infrastructures, the presence of such emblematic and singular spaces as Santa Bárbara Castle, the Cruise Terminal, the MARQ and MACA museums, and the The Ocean Race Zone, which serve as multi-use spaces capable of housing large events, has contributed to the success of Alicante as a MICE destination. But the key role of the various meeting venues, such as the Auditorio de la Diputación de Alicante (ADDA), the Palacio de Congresos, and the Auditorio Cultural de la Fundación CAM, should also be pointed out.

Moreover, the presence in Alicante of European Union institutions such as EUIPO is evidence of the values and appeals of the municipality. The Ocean Race, a unique global event, which starts in Alicante, also has its headquarters in the town.

The effort made to bring about all these improvements has entailed, among other things, the town’s joining the SICTED (Integral Tourist Destination Quality System) and the fact that the Alicante Convention Bureau (ACB) continues to maintain the Tourist Quality Q Certificate since 2010