Partner Focus

Valencia, Alicante, Benidorm, Elche: MICE combining authenticity and proximity

With its first-rate infrastructure, the Valencia region is particularly well-suited to French organisers. From Valencia to Elche, via Alicante and Benidorm, the destination stands out for MICE operations that combine authenticity, modernity and proximity. Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando, Director of Promotion at Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, takes a closer look.
Focus Partner -
City of Arts and Sciences
The Cité des Arts et des Sciences in Valence is one of the region's main MICE attractions.

What are the main advantages of the Valencia region as a MICE destination in general, and for the French market in particular?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - The Valencia Region is located on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, which has shaped its generally mild, sunny climate, its landscapes, its cuisine and its open, welcoming people, who are the main assets of our region. What's more, the Valencia region is particularly attractive to the French market thanks to its proximity, just an hour and a half's flight from Paris, and with good air and road links to Paris and other major French cities. The region's appeal is also based on its wide range of MICE accommodation and services, its good value for money, and its long experience in hosting all types of MICE events.

What makes the de Valencia, a unique destination ?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - Probably its Mediterranean character and the variety of what's on offer, from diving and sailing in nature reserves to hiking and cycling at altitudes of over 1,500 m in a single day. The cultural and heritage offering is vast, with ten UNESCO World Heritage sites, some of Spain's best-known festivals such as the Fallas, the tomato battle (La Tomatina) or the traditional Moors and Christians parades, and a rich and healthy cuisine that combines many traditional fresh products (fish, vegetables, seafood, rice, etc.) with the most modern trends, as shown by its 20 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Valencia restaurantIs it easy to combine two or more destinations for an event?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - Without a doubt. The quality of the communications network makes it possible to combine two or more destinations within the Valencia region or with other parts of Spain. Valencia is just an hour and a half's drive from Alicante, and cities such as Alicante and Elche are just 20 minutes away. The proximity of the sea and the mountains means that activities can be enjoyed both by the sea and in the mountains, on the plateaux and in the inland valleys, which are often only half an hour's drive away. This is undoubtedly one of the region's great assets when it comes to organising MICE events.

How can the cities of Valencia, Alicante, Benidorm and Elche complement each other, and for what types of event?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - These cities are both very different and very close to each other. With just under a million inhabitants, Valencia is Spain's third-largest city, and it offers an astonishing range of ancient and modern venues to host all kinds of MICE events for up to 5,000 people or more. Venues such as the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences have hosted presentations for numerous companies from all over the world in the automotive, digital and medical sectors, as well as all kinds of conventions and meetings. The Valencia Conference Centre was recently named the best conference centre in the world, the Valencia Exhibition Centre (Feria Valencia) is one of the largest in Europe and, for smaller groups, a wide choice of traditional villas and houses surrounded by orange trees offer a taste of the flavours and aromas of the Mediterranean. Alicante is also one of Spain's largest and oldest cities, and its location means that you can make the most of organising events and activities by the sea, with its beaches or magnificent marina. Venues such as the Convention Centre (ADDA) or the Santa Barbara Castle, both located in the centre of the city, offer numerous opportunities for MICE activities. As far as ElcheIn addition to its exceptional Convention Centre, this city of over 225,000 inhabitants boasts two UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the largest palm forest in Europe (el Palmeral) with over 300,000 palm trees, and some of the largest and best preserved beaches in the region.

BenidormWhat is the best format for an on-site event: how long should it last, in what season?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - Because of its mild climate, with an average annual temperature of 17 degrees and almost 300 days of sunshine a year, and its year-round connection with Paris, all seasons are suitable for hosting MICE events. However, if we had to recommend some specifically, I'd say that spring (March-June) and autumn (September-November) are the best times of year to organise events.

Could you describe some examples of incentive operations that stand out for their originality and authenticity?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - For example, you can take part in traditional rice-growing activities, hiking or walking through the rice fields of L'Albufera, a natural park just outside the city of Valencia, learning about rice-growing and how to cook and eat a real paella recipe. I'm also thinking of the fiestas and festivals throughout the region: taking part in such events gives you the chance to spend time with the locals, and even to dress up and parade through the streets in local style. There's also the possibility of cycling along part of Spain's longest Via Verde, the former railway lines now transformed into cycle paths and footpaths. In this case, the Via Verde de Ojos Negros links the coastal town of Sagunt with the former mining town of Teruel, in Aragon.

AlicanteWhat are the main infrastructures for major events and conferences?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - Some of the the region's biggest and most remarkable landmarks are the Cité des Arts et des Sciences, the Palacio de Congresos, Oceanogràfic and the Feria Valencia in Valencia. Also worth mentioning are the conference centres in Alicante (ADDA) and Elche, and seaside resorts such as Asia Gardens, Luxor and Villa Aitana in the coastal town of Benidorm.

How can the hotel offer meet the needs of MICE operations, in terms of capacity, quality and diversity?

Juan Antonio Muñoz Ferrando - Hotels in the Valencia region is one of the biggest in Spain, with cities such as Benidorm, Valencia and Alicante all boasting more than 5,000 beds in hotels with three stars or more. Most hotels have less than ten years old or have been renovated in the last ten years. They therefore offer modern facilities for meetings and events. As for small incentive groups and meetings, the region has a remarkable number of comfortable traditional or modern hotels, by the sea or in town.

Useful links :

comunitat valenciana