How to Organise a Congress in Madrid: 24-Month Guide

A congress is a two-year project made up of pieces that depend on one another. Without a confirmed venue there is no hotel room block. If the scientific programme slips, accreditation and sponsorship slip with it. This guide puts those pieces in order and applies them to Madrid: which venues suit each size, how to work with Madrid Convention Bureau and which rules apply to medical congresses. We have written it as conference organisers, with a team that has more than 20 years' experience organising events.

Why choose Madrid for your congress?

Madrid competes in the top tier of congress destinations. In the 2025 ICCA ranking, published in May 2026, it was the thirteenth city in the world with 108 international association congresses, three more than the previous year, according to Hosteltur. In December 2025 the World Travel Awards named it the world's best meetings and conference destination for the seventh time, according to Madrid City Council.

Three useful figures for planning:

In 2024 the city hosted 54,784 meetings with around 2.58 million participants and an economic impact of 5,674 million euros, according to the City Council.
International delegates stay an average of 4.5 days; domestic delegates, 2.8 days, according to the same source. That matters when sizing hotel blocks and the social programme.
In 2025 Madrid Convention Bureau worked with 187 congresses and 31 corporate events.

You will find all the destination figures, with their sources, in MICE tourism in Madrid: statistics.

Who does what in a congress?

Before the timeline, assign the roles. The most common mistake is for the scientific committee to end up negotiating with hotels, or for the agency to weigh in on the programme.

Party	What it brings	What it decides
Organising committee (society, association or company)	Ownership of the congress, budget and financial risk	Dates, final venue, fees, sponsorship policy
Scientific committee	Programme, speakers and abstract review	Topics, session formats, acceptance of abstracts
PCO (professional conference organiser)	Planning, congress secretariat, suppliers and budget control	Operational timeline, contracting and logistics
Venue	Spaces, in-house services and house rules	Build-up hours, catering, security
Madrid Convention Bureau	Institutional support from the destination	Site inspections, promotional material, official receptions
DMC	On-the-ground services	Transfers, activities, accompanying persons' programme

The 24-month timeline

This is the overview for a medium-sized or large international congress. Each dot shows when a workstream is active. For a national congress, merge the first three columns into one.

Workstream	M-24 to M-18	M-18 to M-12	M-12 to M-9	M-9 to M-6	M-6 to M-3	M-3 to M-1	Event week	After
Bid and dates	●	●
Venue and contract	●	●	●
Budget and fees	●	●	●	●	●	●		●
Hotel room blocks		●	●	●	●	●		●
Scientific committee and programme		●	●	●	●	●
Call for abstracts			●	●	●
Website and registration			●	●	●	●	●	●
Sponsorship and exhibition		●	●	●	●	●	●	●
Accreditation (EACCME or others)					●	●		●
Compliance review			●	●	●	●
Social programme			●	●	●	●	●
Technical production				●	●	●	●
Speakers and travel				●	●	●	●
Final accounts and report								●

The milestones you should not move

M-24 to M-18. Dates and venue. Check your options against the Madrid trade show and congress calendar 2027. A week with 10,000 ophthalmologists at IFEMA, like that of the ESCRS congress in October 2027, completely changes hotel availability.
M-18 to M-12. Venue contract and first hotel block. Negotiate staggered allocations with release dates.
M-12. Website, call for abstracts and sponsorship plan. Without a finalised sponsorship prospectus, industry will not set aside budget.
M-9 to M-6. Early-bird registration and preliminary programme. This is the time to submit the congress for assessment under industry codes.
M-6 to M-3. Final programme and accreditation. EACCME needs the programme with timings and speakers.
M-3 to M-1. Rooming list, running order for each room and contingency plan.
Congress week. Build-up, on-site secretariat, speaker preview room, badges and social programme.
After. Certificates, survey, reconciliation with hotels and final report.

The bid: how Madrid Convention Bureau helps you

Many international associations choose their destination through a bidding process: the national society or a group of local members puts Madrid forward against other cities. This is where Madrid Convention Bureau comes in, the City Council department that promotes the city as a meetings destination. According to its website, its services for organisers include:

Help finding a venue and identifying local member companies.
Planning site inspections and meetings during the bidding process.
Coordinating accommodation.
Promotional material and tourist information for participants.
Promoting the congress through its channels.
Fam trips from different markets.
Organising official welcome receptions.

Our advice: involve the MCB as soon as you have candidate dates. Site inspections work best with a proposed venue, two or three shortlisted hotels and a clear idea of the social programme. The MCB also publishes a congress calendar worth checking to see which other congresses coincide with your dates.

Which venue should you choose for the size of your congress?

Madrid has venues for almost any size, but supply is concentrated in two hubs: the IFEMA area in Campo de las Naciones, next to the airport, and the established city, with convention hotels, universities and unique venues. This table summarises the options using IFEMA and Madrid Convention Bureau data. The full comparison is in Madrid convention centres.

Size	Natural options	Key figure
More than 3,000 delegates	IFEMA exhibition centre	200,000 m², 13 halls and 85 meeting rooms. Halls from 5,400 to 21,600 m²
1,200 to 2,000	IFEMA Palacio Municipal, Madrid Marriott Auditorium	Auditorium A with 1,719 seats plus 38 wheelchair spaces; 2,000-seat auditorium at the Marriott
600 to 1,100	IFEMA Centro de Convenciones Norte, Kinépolis Madrid, RIU Plaza España	Auditorio Norte for 1,100; Kinépolis screen for 1,000 theatre-style; 1,540-capacity ballroom at the RIU
200 to 600	Convention hotels, Galería de Cristal, Espacio Ventas, COEM	Hotel with breakout rooms and bedrooms in the same building
Fewer than 300	Universities, professional associations' premises, mid-sized hotels	Moderate venue costs and an academic atmosphere

Two observations from Madrid Convention Bureau's 2027 calendar. Of the 50 congresses announced as at 15 October 2026, 18 are being held at universities or technical schools, 8 at hotels and 4 at IFEMA. Those four at IFEMA account for 18,300 expected attendees, close to 45% of the 40,915 on the whole list. The lesson: large congresses go to IFEMA, but most mid-sized academic congresses use university or professional association venues.

What to ask the venue before you sign

Flow plan. The delegate's route from registration to the plenary, the breakout rooms, the exhibition and the coffee break.
Real breakout rooms. Count the ones you can use at the same time at the capacity you need, not the ones in the brochure.
Exhibition next to the coffee area. Sponsors pay for footfall.
Catering terms. Whether there is an exclusive caterer and what happens if you exceed the number of attendees.
Build-up schedule. Days available beforehand and loading hours.
Speaker preview room with a technician from the day before.

Accommodation: room blocks and areas

Madrid had 76,354 hotel beds and 38,302 rooms in 306 hotels, according to the Madrid Convention Bureau infographic published in 2023. There is no shortage of supply. What sells out are the hotels close to the venue in major event weeks.

For a congress at IFEMA, hotels in Campo de las Naciones and Barajas cut down on transfers, and the metro links the exhibition centre with the airport in a few minutes. For a congress in the city centre, look for hotels within walking distance of the venue or on the same metro line. Once a congress exceeds a thousand delegates, the usual approach is to spread the allocation across several hotels of different categories, with staggered release dates.

We compare the hotels with the most meeting capacity in the best convention hotels in Madrid.

Scientific committee and programme

The programme is the scientific committee's responsibility. The PCO provides the method and the deadlines:

Programme structure. Plenaries, symposia, parallel sessions, workshops and posters. Work out how many rooms you need at the same time before confirming the venue.
Call for abstracts. Open it 9 to 12 months ahead and close it with enough time to review and notify.
Abstract platform. Blind review, scoring rubrics and automatic notifications.
Invited speakers. Formal invitation, travel and accommodation terms and a conflict of interest declaration.
Posters. Electronic or printed; if printed, allow for the space and the set-up.

Registration and congress secretariat

The secretariat is the part of the congress delegates see most. We recommend:

Fees by phase (early-bird, standard and on-site) and by profile (member, non-member, resident, student).
Invoicing that complies with Spanish regulations and automatic certificates of attendance.
Support in at least Spanish and English.
QR-code badges and room access control if credits are awarded.

Sponsorship and exhibition

At many medical and technical congresses, sponsorship covers a significant part of the budget. A good prospectus includes:

Packages with clear benefits: stand, satellite symposium, presence on the website and app, sponsored session.
Exhibition floor plan with prices by location.
Payment schedule and material deadlines.
Compliance rules affecting the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries.

Medical congresses: EACCME and industry codes

These rules are the same in Madrid as in the rest of Spain. We summarise the essentials; this does not replace the review by each sponsor's compliance department.

EACCME accreditation

If your congress is aimed at doctors and you want to offer European credits, the usual route is UEMS EACCME accreditation. EACCME recommends applying at least 8 weeks before the event. Late applications pay a surcharge, and there is a date after which they are not accepted. What usually delays the file: unconfirmed timings, speakers still to be confirmed and missing conflict of interest declarations.

Farmaindustria Code of Good Practice (2025 edition)

According to the Farmaindustria Code:

Aspect	Rule
Meals	Maximum of 70 euros per person, taxes included, at meetings held in Spain
Scientific content	At least 60% of each day
Entertainment	No leisure or entertainment activities are allowed
Accompanying persons	Hospitality does not extend to accompanying persons
Venue	Avoid venues that are exclusively tourist destinations

The Farmaindustria Self-Regulation System also publishes observations on scientific meetings that companies use to decide whether to support a third-party congress, such as how far in advance the congress information must be published.

Medical technology: Conference Vetting System

MedTech Europe member companies may only support a third-party educational event if the Conference Vetting System has assessed it as compliant. If you expect sponsorship from this sector, submit the congress as soon as you have a preliminary programme and a venue.

In practice, in Madrid this mainly affects two decisions: the official congress dinner, which must stay within the limits if it has industry support, and the social programme, which must be kept separate from any sponsored hospitality.

Outside those limits, the social programme is what delegates remember. Some options with verified figures:

Welcome reception. Madrid Convention Bureau organises official receptions for congresses, according to its website.
Gala dinner at a unique venue. The Galería de Cristal at the Palacio de Cibeles seats 800 for a banquet and holds 1,200 for a cocktail reception, according to the MCB.
Dinner at the venue itself. The multipurpose space at IFEMA's Palacio Municipal, combined with its foyers, seats 1,704 for a banquet, according to the MCB.
Cultural visits in groups, in delegates' own language, during free time in the programme.

For large dinners, see our gala dinners page. If you need a DMC for transfers and activities, we explain how in DMC in Madrid.

Congress week

Build-up with signed floor plans and a lead person for each area.
Speaker preview room open from the day before.
On-site secretariat with multilingual staff.
Early-morning coordination meeting with the venue, caterer, technical team and committee.
Capacity control and badge scanning at accredited sessions.

After the congress

Certificates and credits.
Survey of delegates, speakers and exhibitors.
Room reconciliation with each hotel.
Final accounts with the venue and suppliers.
Final report with figures and recommendations for the next edition.

Congress checklist

Strategy

Dates checked against the Madrid trade show and congress calendar
Madrid Convention Bureau informed and site inspections planned
Budget with low, medium and high attendance scenarios

Venue and accommodation

Venue contract with build-up schedule and catering terms
Hotel room blocks with staggered release dates
Transfer plan between hotels and venue

Programme

Scientific committee formed and abstract timeline approved
Speakers confirmed with travel and accommodation
EACCME accreditation applied for at least 8 weeks ahead

Revenue and compliance

Sponsorship prospectus and exhibition floor plan
Review under Farmaindustria, MedTech or other applicable codes
Fees and registration open with correct invoicing

Operations

Running order for each room and stage managers assigned
Contingency and security plan
Secretariat team and hostesses briefed and trained beforehand

How we handle congresses

As a PCO, we can run the whole congress or just part of it: venue and accommodation, congress secretariat, production or the social programme. The MC Group team, our group, has organised more than 100 corporate events in Madrid, with dedicated staff and event planners in the city, as well as international medical congresses such as WSEI in Barcelona.

Tell us about your congress via our contact page and we will send you an initial proposal within 24 business hours. There is more information on the destination in MICE in Madrid and on venues in convention centres.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead should I start organising a congress in Madrid?

For an international congress of several hundred or several thousand delegates, 18 to 24 months ahead, and earlier if a bid is required. A mid-sized national congress can be organised in 9 to 12 months. If your dates coincide with FITUR, the F1 Grand Prix or a major medical congress at IFEMA, book hotels earlier.

What does Madrid Convention Bureau do for a congress?

According to its website, Madrid Convention Bureau helps you find a venue, plans site inspections during the bid, coordinates accommodation, provides promotional material and tourist information for participants, promotes the congress through its channels, and organises fam trips and official welcome receptions.

What is the largest congress venue in Madrid?

The IFEMA MADRID exhibition centre, with 200,000 m², 13 halls, 85 meeting rooms and two convention centres. It will host the ESCRS congress (10,000 expected attendees) and the EAO congress (5,000) in 2027. For congresses of up to around 2,000 delegates there are more options: IFEMA's Palacio Municipal or the Madrid Marriott Auditorium.

How far in advance should I apply for EACCME accreditation?

EACCME recommends submitting the application for a live event at least 8 weeks before it starts. Late applications pay a surcharge, and there is a cut-off after which they are not accepted. It is best to prepare the file once the scientific programme is final.

Is the Farmaindustria code different in Madrid?

No. The Farmaindustria Code of Good Practice applies equally throughout Spain: a maximum of 70 euros per person, taxes included, for meals at meetings held in Spain; scientific content making up at least 60% of each day; no entertainment activities or accompanying persons; and venues that are not exclusively tourist destinations.

Can a congress be held at a university in Madrid?

Yes, and it is common. Of the 50 congresses Madrid Convention Bureau had announced for 2027 as at 15 October 2026, 18 are being held at universities or technical schools. They are mostly academic congresses of 100 to 800 attendees.

Can a PCO handle just part of the congress?

Yes. Some societies have their own secretariat and only need the venue, accommodation and production, or just the social programme. We agree the scope with you and put in writing who does what.

Guides to plan your event

All guides

Madrid convention centres compared: IFEMA, Palacio Municipal, Marriott Auditorium, Kinépolis and more

Tell us about your event

We reply with a proposal within 24 business hours. No obligation.

We send a proposal within 24 business hours.
ECM is part of MC Group and specialises in corporate events, congresses and MICE in Madrid, where the team has organised more than 100 corporate events.

Tell us about your event

We reply with a proposal within 24 business hours. No obligation.

How to organise a congress in Madrid: 24-month timeline, venues and checklist

Why choose Madrid for your congress?

Who does what in a congress?