After several years of disruption due to Covid-19 and war-zones, tourism and travel are finally returning to normal levels. According to EUROCONTROL’s report, 2025 was a year of solid traffic growth in the European aviation network. In total, 11.12 million flights took place across the network (4% more than in 2024). In a recovering economy, business trips are even more important.
Many of us have travelled to conferences, summits or large-scale professional events in another city or even a different country. What is less widely known is that this type of travel has a dedicated name in the tourism industry: MICE tourism.
MICE tourism stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions, also commonly referred to as business tourism or business events.
It has become one of the most lucrative and strategic segments of the global tourism industry.
According to hospitalitynet, this type of tourism brings together professionals, corporations, associations and institutions for knowledge exchange, commercial collaboration, networking and innovation. Beyond economic impact, it increasingly shapes how hotels and destinations approach the topic of sustainability, urban development and international visibility.
Some examples of MICE tourist destinations are UNESCO’s General Conference (2025) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan or the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP). These large scale events are designed and planned to achieve strategic objectives through immersive multi-day experiences.
Image source Wikimedia Commons.
Workation, business travel or MICE tourism?
More often than not, MICE tourism could be confused with workation or business travel. The terms, in fact, are often used interchangeably, but they describe totally different realities.
Workation blends remote work with leisure. As defined by The Guardian, it usually involves working from a holiday destination and often extending a stay for personal travel.
Business travel, on the other hand, is more transactional. It typically done on a small scale and involves one (or more) employee(s) travelling to attend a one-on-one meeting, site inspection or participation in a workshop.
MICE tourism, by contrast, focuses on scale. It involves hundreds of participants commuting to one particular location, with complex logistics and long-term planning.
Image source Flickr.
Four emerging MICE tourism destinations to watch in 2026
Azerbaijan
One of the destinations that have recently been emerging as a MICE destination is Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. The country is actively developing its MICE sector and it is set to host the World Urban Forum in May 2026, adding to its portfolio of major international gatherings.
The country has already hosted COP 29 in 2024, signalling its ambition to blend diplomacy, sport and large-scale event infrastructure.
Additionally, Azerbaijan has a line-up of international and sports events for 2026, including the Sumo World Championship in October, the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the Women’s European Volleyball Championship in August and September.
Image source: Pexels.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan, similarly, is positioning itself as a MICE hub in Central Asia, with historic cities such as Samarkand doubling as modern conference destinations. In 2026, the country is set to host CITES COP20, the Conference of the Parties for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, together with the 46th Chess Olympiad and FIFA-related games 2026 in March and April.
Samarkand, a city that sits at the crossroads of cultures, hosted UNESCO’s General Conference in 2025, a major milestone, set to elevate Uzbekistan’s global tourism profile, while showcasing its commitment to sustainability. Moreover, in 2023, the country hosted the General Assembly of the UNWTO, the UN Tourism’s global summit, during which member states meet biannually to discuss global tourism priorities and policies.
Brazil
Another country that continues to leverage its global profile through high-impact events is Brazil. Following COP30 in Belém, the country will host major gatherings this year too. These include the UN Tourism Summit for Africa and the Americas in Rio de Janeiro and the INBO World Basin Summit in June, which will focus on integrated water resources management at the basin level. The goal of this event it to bring together stakeholders from around the world to share experiences, tools, and best practices deployed at the basin level.
Türkiye
Türkiye is also set for a packed calendar in 2026. With Istanbul acting as a geopolitical and logistical bridge between continents, it is no wonder that Türkiye continues to position itself as a crossroads for diplomacy, business, and global dialogue. During 2026, the country plans to host COP31, NATO’s Leaders’ Summit and the Global Summit of Women.
While these destinations may seem rather disconnected, they combine strategic geography and a desire to diversify tourism beyond just leisure. Positioned between continents and at major crossroads, these countries are utilizing major global events to reframe their image, attract investment, and become part of global institutional networks.
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Polya Pencheva
Polya Plamenova Pencheva is a young Bulgarian journalist based in Brussels, Belgium. Polya holds a Master's degree in journalism from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and loves writing and telling the untold stories of interesting people. You can find her dining at cute café, shopping at markets, scouting second-hand shops or just chillin' at home with something great to read.
