The emotional renaissance of the MICE sector
Barcelona is preparing for a high-voltage 2026 in the world of corporate events. The Catalan capital consolidates its international leadership as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) epicenter, with a calendar that promises more than 400,000 attendees throughout the year.
But beyond numbers and conferences, what will make the difference will be how brands reconnect emotionally with people.
After years of transformation, the industry is no longer just about technology or logistics, but about human and experiential impact.
At Bacus Events, we believe that 2026 will not only be the year of the return of great conferences, but the year when events will once again excite, inspire and transform.
First quarter: the return of the technology giants
Barcelona will open the year with a bang, reaffirming its role as the world capital of innovation and technology applied to events.
January 19-21 – ICE & iGB Affiliate (55,000 delegates)
The gaming industry and digital trends kick off the year with an international benchmark event.3-6 February – Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) (85,000 attendees)
Audiovisual technology, education and entertainment merge in one of the most powerful events on the calendar.2-5 March – MWC Barcelona (100,000 delegates)
The world’s most influential event in connectivity and mobile technology will once again put Barcelona at the center of the global innovation map.March 11-14 – ATTD Diabetes Congress (5,000 professionals)
Medical innovation and digital health close the quarter with a congress dedicated to the medicine of the future.
Second quarter: food industry and health in focus
Spring will bring a combination of sustainability, food and wellness, three pillars that will set the global MICE agenda.
April 21-23 – Seafood Expo Global (30,000 professionals)
The largest international trade fair in the fisheries sector will focus on sustainability and new market trends.May 5-7 – Vitafoods Europe (25,000 attendees)
Nutrition, innovation and health converge in an event that explores the future of functional food.May 19-22 – FESPA Global Print Expo (13,000 delegates)
World reference for graphic design and digital printing, where creativity and technology go hand in hand.May 27-30 – EASL Congress – The Home of Hepatology (9,000 participants)
International Congress on Regenerative Medicine and Advances in Hepatology.
Third quarter: international knowledge and science
The summer will be the scene of major meetings focused on science, design and social innovation.
June 8-11 – Technology industry convention (6,000 professionals)
Focusing on artificial intelligence and connectivity, it will show how technology is redefining human interaction.June 28-July 2 – UIA World Congress of Architects (10,000 experts)
Architects and urban planners from around the world will reflect on the future of sustainable cities.July 6-10 – FENS Congress – International Neuroscience Conference (7,000 neuroscientists)
The international scientific community will gather to share the latest discoveries about the brain.5-9 September – ERS Congress – European Respiratory Society (20,000 professionals)
European respiratory medicine will return to Barcelona with a high-level meeting on medical research.
Fourth quarter: sustainability, technology and medicine
The end of the year is projected with a clear look to the future: smart cities, digital health and real sustainability.
October 8-10 – Medical sector congress (6,000 delegates)
Focused on the digitalization of healthcare systems and new healthcare models.October 17-20 – UEG Week – United European Gastroenterology (15,000 attendees)
Will bring together European specialists in scientific and clinical advances in gastroenterology.3-5 November – Smart City Expo World Congress (25,000 participants)
The global event on urban innovation and smart governance that sets the course for the cities of the future.17-19 November – IBTM World (15,000 professionals)
The major international meeting and incentive tourism event will put the finishing touch to a vibrant year.
A key year for business tourism and emotional experiences
With over 400,000 international attendees expected, Barcelona 2026 will be a turning point for business tourism and the global MICE sector.
But the real challenge will be how to make each of these events excite, connect and leave a mark.
Because in such a packed calendar, the future will no longer be measured only in numbers of attendees, but in the ability of each experience to inspire.
And that’s where the essence of Bacus Events comes in:
turns every encounter into a story that is felt, lived and remembered.
Bacus Events message
“The future of the MICE sector will not belong to whoever organizes the most events, but to whoever manages to make each person remember what they felt.”
At Bacus Events we have been designing corporate experiences that combine creativity, emotion and strategy for more than three decades.
As Barcelona prepares for a historic 2026, we remain faithful to a simple but powerful idea:
an event is only successful when it manages to excite.
