ICCA community gathers in Coimbra in a record edition
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Each meeting of our industry and its many associations has its own flavor. And we must recognize that the ICCA Iberian chapter congress has something very special. The association's DNA is coopetition: in the congress world (where once you've hosted an edition, you won't see this congress again for a few years), the destinations and venues that make up ICCA share information about these congresses. Perhaps because of this, the collaborative, open atmosphere permeates the entire congress. Not a few voices speak of the "ICCA family", and we were honored to participate in this latest edition in Coimbra, central Portugal.
It has been a record edition in attendance, with 92 registered participants from five countries. It took place in Coimbra, a beautiful medieval city in the center of Portugal, with Roman origins, former capital of the Kingdom of Portugal, university city (its university was created in 1537) and cultural city (it is a World Heritage Site) of the first level. Beyond the great hospitality of Turismo de Centro de Portugal, what do we experience there?
- Young talent. As always ICCA took advantage of this congress to connect with young talent and invite local students to get to know our sector, in a pre-congress session, an interesting example of local impact. The students session has been the largest since it has been held: 90 students from the University of Coimbra.
- Social events in privileged spaces. A historic city is an environment that the organizer has to take advantage of, and so they did: from a tour of the city in the welcome, to a welcome at the famous university (the oldest in Portugal), a reception at the botanical garden, a dinner at Casa das Caldeiras, another at the same convent of San Francisco, the event was a visit to a city that has much to tell.
- Natural decoration: What if nature was the best decoration of all? several spaces were decorated with plants with a huge visual impact. For the sessions, the Convent of San Francisco was chosen and decorated with plants, creating a very atypical, warmer meeting space (see photos). A reception was held in the city’s botanical garden. The dinner on the second day was decorated with large bamboos and incredible centerpieces: real trees placed in the middle of the table (see photos). A decorative thread that worked very well.
- The classic business exchange. This session, which is “purely ICCA”, consists of several destinations, venues, PCOs, sharing information about the congresses they know, a way to facilitate the attraction of these congresses to others.
- Coimbra, on the map. The central Portuguese destination is clearly putting itself on the map, and took advantage of this session to present its novelties, today very active in its event activity: it will host for example the Michelin Gala and the impressive art biennial Manifesta (which was in Barcelona in 2024). A destination that uses events to bring its gastronomic and cultural tradition to life.
- Tribute. Belen Mann of Ifema will retire in April, and the ICCA community offered a beautiful and moving tribute to this top actress of our sector, during the dinner of the second day, an emotion that confirmed the family status of ICCA Ibérica. The dinner was followed by a surprise performance of a tenor in a room of the convent, and a frenetic live band that got a good part of this happy family dancing!
