This Month we get to know Municipality of Santa Fe:
What motivated you to join ICCA?
The city of Santa Fe is one of the oldest capitals in Argentina. Over the past 15 years, the opportunities and potential offered by the MICE sector for local development have driven the city’s national visibility and positioning among the country’s main tourist destinations.
With the goal of supporting tourism policy management through sustainable actions that endure over time —and following a process that began with the restructuring of the municipal tourism department as a new administration took office— the city sought to take a historic and transformative step. This step aimed to provide local public and private stakeholders with tools and international connections, understanding that ICCA offers a set of proposals that are fundamental for strengthening the MICE tourism sector in Santa Fe.
Tell us your story. How did the MICE area emerge in the Municipality of Santa Fe?
From the Municipal Tourism Office of Santa Fe, participation in the Economic Observatory of Meetings Tourism of Argentina (OETR Argentina) was promoted. The OETR was established in 2010 through a framework agreement between the National Institute of Tourism Promotion (INPROTUR) and the Argentine Association of Organisers and Suppliers of Exhibitions, Congresses, Events, and Convention Bureaus (AOCA), forming a technical space integrating public, private, and academic sectors.
Following this involvement in the OETR, the municipal tourism office began to collect its first MICE tourism data in 2011 (and continues to do so today). The municipal tourism management had a dedicated technical team in the area, which facilitated the registration, organisation, and documentation of official records, supporting ongoing work available to private stakeholders and political administrations.
In December 2023, with the inauguration of new authorities, the Municipality restructured its Tourism Subsecretariat, establishing —as a political decision— a new Executive Directorate of Events focusing specifically on events tourism.
What sets Santa Fe apart from other destinations?
Santa Fe stands out as a strategic meetings destination due to its privileged location in the centre of Argentina’s Litoral corridor, its easy land and air accessibility, its friendly scale, and versatile infrastructure capable of hosting all types of events.
With iconic venues such as Estación Belgrano and a wide range of hotels, halls, and institutions equipped for events, the city offers a balanced combination of professionalism and warmth. Its urban, historic, and natural environment —surrounded by rivers, waterfronts, and green spaces— provides an appealing setting for those seeking well-rounded experiences.
In addition, a strong institutional ecosystem —comprising public bodies, universities, and professional entities— supports the organisation of national and international congresses and conventions.
What is your favourite success story within the Events Department of the Municipality of Santa Fe?
Our success story: Santa Fe Capital Se Muestra
This event emerged as a local initiative to showcase the potential of meetings tourism, demonstrating that the city not only has infrastructure and services but also talent, professionalism, and a collaborative ecosystem.
Bringing together organisers, suppliers, institutions, and entrepreneurs under a shared narrative (“do it here”, “the event as a communication tool”, and now “impulse and connection”) enabled the sector to recognise itself and allowed Santa Fe to project a distinct identity within the national MICE circuit.
Furthermore, the participation of local stories gave a human face to the economic impact, showing how events transform both the city and the people who work in it.
Thanks to this path —and the public–private coordination it fostered— Santa Fe earned a place in the ICCA ranking, an international recognition validating years of sustained work.
Finally, it is important to highlight that this event and its community impact created the foundation for a comprehensive tourism management programme for the Municipal Tourism Subsecretariat, which will include an agenda of activities, events, training, and monitoring of private-sector needs.
What can we expect from the Municipality of Santa Fe in the future?
For the first time, the Municipality of Santa Fe has a specific Directorate dedicated to Meetings Tourism —a key step in consolidating the growth of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions) sector in the city. This decision marks the beginning of a new stage oriented toward strengthening, professionalising, and positioning Santa Fe as a competitive and sustainable destination in the national and international events landscape.
During the first semester of the year, the Tourism Observatory, working jointly with the One-Stop Events Office, recorded nearly 2,000 events held in the city, showing continuous activity and growing potential. These figures reflect not only the vitality of the sector but also the ability of the local ecosystem —institutions, providers, organisers, and venues— to respond with quality and commitment to increasing demand.
The expectations are to strengthen services, raise quality standards, integrate sustainability criteria, foster engagement with specialised audiences and international networks, and consolidate public–private collaboration.
In this way, the Municipality of Santa Fe is committed to supporting and enhancing the MICE sector in all its dimensions —from logistics and training to promotion and innovation— ensuring that each event contributes to the city’s comprehensive and sustainable development.
What trends do you see in association congresses and meetings?
The association congress and conventions industry is undergoing a renewal focused on innovation, sustainability, and human-centred experiences. Some of these trends include:
• Technological transformation and digitalisation: Associations increasingly incorporate AI-based tools to enhance attendee experience (chatbots, real-time translation, data analysis, etc.).
• Focus on experience and participation: Today, congresses emphasise active audience engagement. Participatory methodologies and immersive experiences are gradually replacing traditional lecture-style sessions. Associations aim to generate value not only through academic content but also through integrated event experiences (gastronomy, local identity, complementary activities).
• Sustainability and social responsibility: Sustainability is becoming a decisive factor when associations select destinations. Organisers prioritise locations and providers committed to reducing environmental impact, responsible waste management, and energy efficiency.
• Holistic wellbeing: Congress programmes increasingly include wellness components such as active breaks, healthy food options, rest areas, physical activities, and initiatives promoting balance between academic sessions and personal wellbeing.
• Connectivity and accessibility: Connectivity remains crucial. Air routes, quality ground access, and urban infrastructure strongly influence the selection of a host destination.
The implementation of policies that strengthen digitalisation, sustainability, inclusion, and professionalisation will reinforce Santa Fe’s positioning as a competitive meetings destination.
Can you mention a current challenge your organisation is facing?
One of the main challenges for the Municipality of Santa Fe is consolidating the sustained growth of national and international meetings tourism while maintaining event sustainability and quality. Although Santa Fe has made significant progress —for example, hosting FIEXPO 2025, a key MICE congress, and climbing the ICCA ranking— managing such growth presents several challenges:
• Public–private coordination: To keep attracting international-scale congresses and conventions, the Bureau must continue strengthening alliances with organisations such as ICCA, PCOs, universities, and private companies. This involves not only “selling” Santa Fe as a destination but also strategically preparing infrastructure —venues, hotels, transport.
• International visibility and competitiveness: Although Santa Fe has already won the FIADI 2026 Congress with ICCA’s support, isolated achievements are not enough. Sustaining international visibility requires ongoing promotion, an updated and compelling bid book, and a clear strategy to attract new events.
• Infrastructure and capacity: While Santa Fe has strong infrastructure —more than 80 venues for congresses, fairs, and
exhibitions, good connectivity, and solid tourism services— the challenge lies in ensuring that these facilities remain optimised, competitive, and capable of handling growth without becoming overstretched.
• Social and economic sustainability: Attracting events is not enough; it is essential that they create a positive impact on the local community (employment, economy, culture) without causing imbalances. Meetings tourism should benefit not only hotels but also local entrepreneurs, shops, cultural spaces, and more.