Representatives from Ljubljana, Heidelberg, and Larissa analyze the urban entropy model of the Zentropy MICE project and study its replicability in their cities.
Valencia consolidates its position as a European benchmark by leading this transformation of the tourism model towards a model that reinvents cities and creates a legacy in the city and its citizens.
Zentropy MICE turns conference tourism into a driver of innovation, sustainability and legacy
More than forty people gathered on Tuesday, December 16th at the Valencia Conference Centre to learn about, study and analyse the scalability of the sustainable tourism model proposed by Zentropy MICE. This project demonstrates that the effects of conference tourism can be turned into tangible benefits for the city.
Over two days held at the facilities of two of the project’s key partners – the Valencia Conference Centre and Valencia Innovation Capital – representatives from the four participating municipal entities – Valencia City Council, Valencia Innovation Capital, the Valencia Conference Centre, and the Visit Valencia Foundation – along with the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Khora Urban Thinkers, and specialists from the European Urban Initiative, have worked alongside learning and transfer partners from Ljubljana (Slovenia), Heidelberg (Germany), and Larissa (Greece). The objective is to examine the sustainable, connected, and transformative tourism model proposed by Zentropy MICE and analyse its potential for replication in other European cities.
In the words of Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction of the Valencia City Council: ‘Valencia must lead this transformation of the tourism model, turning MICE tourism into a lever to improve the city and the lives of its citizens. Thanks to Zentropy MICE, we are promoting a more sustainable, inclusive and connected tourism model, in which conferences and professional events contribute directly to urban and social well-being.’
Creating legacy, transforming cities
Zentropy MICE was born from the vision of transforming conference tourism into a driver of innovation, sustainability and legacy. It demonstrates that every event has the potential to leave a positive and lasting mark on the city. Drawing inspiration from the principles of physics and flow exchange, the project applies the concept of urban entropy to event tourism, intelligently managing the circulation of energy, matter, and information between the MICE ecosystem and the city.
Through nine strategic programs implemented at the Valencia Conference Centre – which acts as a pilot testing centre – Zentropy MICE is developing a new model of events in which the impacts generated by conferences are transformed into positive, real and tangible benefits for the city.
The results are evaluated using the Urban Entropy Calculator, a pioneering tool developed by the Universitat Politècnica de València that allows the scientific measurement of the flows generated by events, quantifying their positive returns in terms of knowledge, innovation, citizen well-being, and social cohesion. well-being, and social cohesion.
A model that can be replicated in other European cities
Zentropy MICE marks the beginning of a new, more sustainable, connected, and transformative model for conference tourism. Based in Valencia, the project integrates science, innovation, and urban governance to demonstrate that events can act as drivers of positive change, generating real value for the city and its residents.
Zentropy MICE is part of the European Commission’s EUI ‘European Urban Initiative’ call, which selected Valencia from among 112 applications to lead the creation of a new model of sustainable tourism that can be replicated in other European cities, with cities such as Ljubljana (Slovenia), Heidelberg (Germany) and Larissa (Greece) as learning and transfer partners.
Using Valencia as a pilot city to develop a new approach to MICE events enables us to strike a balance between economic activity, social cohesion and environmental sustainability. Through the Zentropy MICE model, Valencia offers creative and sustainable solutions to contemporary urban challenges, while driving innovation and the transformation of the city.