FITUR 2026 and New Business Tourism: When Events Become Strategic Assets

Source: CritpoTendencia Original Title: FITUR 2026 and the New Business Tourism: When Events Become Strategic Assets Original Link: The next FITUR will be held from January 21 to 25, 2026, at IFEMA MADRID, coinciding with a critical moment for the global tourism industry. This exhibition is far more than just a showcase of destinations; it reflects a profound shift in business tourism (i.e., MICE)—aligning with the logic of digital ecosystems and Web3: precise measurement, efficiency, traceability, and direct value creation.

The industry’s growth is not only in numbers but also in complexity. According to Global Growth Insights, the global MICE market size is estimated to reach $512 billion in 2025 and is expected to exceed $612 billion by 2035.

However, the real change is not in the figures but in the approach: events have transformed from necessary expenses into strategic assets capable of generating measurable revenue.

From Cost Center to Revenue Driver

One of the most obvious signals of this evolution is a change in corporate mindset. Events are no longer justified solely by visibility or brand positioning. Today, they are designed around specific business objectives, clear metrics, and verifiable returns.

Data from Eventify shows that 86% of B2B organizations achieve positive ROI after well-structured hybrid events, reinforcing professional networking as a genuine value-creating tool.

This approach directly aligns with Web3 principles: resource optimization, accountability, and data-driven decision-making rather than perception.

Artificial Intelligence as the Foundation of MICE Infrastructure

Artificial intelligence has become a catalyst for this transformation. A recent Capgemini report indicates that the adoption rate of generative AI increased from 6% in 2023 to 30% in 2025, with 93% of companies actively testing or implementing it.

In business tourism, this translates into automation, advanced personalization, and deep analysis of participant behavior.

“AI is no longer a promise but an operational standard in business tourism,” explains Sandrine Castres, General Manager of MCI Spain & Portugal. From event design to post-event evaluation, AI permeates the entire customer journey, optimizing professional matchmaking, participant experience, and economic impact measurement.

Madrid as the European Smart Tourism Hub

Spain, especially Madrid, exemplifies this new phase of business tourism. According to the Spanish Convention Bureau, the conference industry generated a record €14.296 billion in revenue in 2024. The capital thus consolidates its position as a European hub, where fewer events do not mean less impact but rather more strategic, centralized, and results-oriented investments.

Against this backdrop, FITUR 2026 acts as a barometer of structural change: an industry maturing, integrating technology in leaps and bounds, and increasingly aligning with the principles of efficiency, traceability, and value that define the Web3 ecosystem.

Web3 Tourism: Less Noise, Greater Impact

From a Web3 perspective, the message is clear. The future of business tourism is not about increasing the number of events but about designing them better, measuring them precisely, and transforming every face-to-face interaction into an asset with verifiable returns.

What FITUR showcases is not a passing trend but the progress of a more rigorous model where technology, data, and artificial intelligence redefine the way global tourism, connectivity, and business operations are conducted.