There are months when the events calendar almost works like an X-ray of the sector. June was one of them. Professional community, destination promotion, applied artificial intelligence, access control, badge printing and new interaction formats all came together in just a few weeks.
For Eventscase, this period has been especially relevant because it has allowed us to take part in different industry contexts: from informal networking gatherings to institutional events, as well as training sessions on AI and the upcoming launch of a new EVA feature at BED Barcelona.
EMA Summer Parties: community beyond the formal format
The Summer Parties hosted by Event Managers Association Spain once again highlighted an important idea: professional community is not built only at congresses, training sessions or business meetings. It also needs more relaxed spaces where people can share experiences, strengthen relationships and talk without the pressure of a fixed agenda.
In our May newsletter, we had already announced our participation in the Barcelona and Madrid gatherings: the first took place on 18 June at Hotel Casa Fuster, and the second on 25 June at Ginkgo Sky Bar. Both events helped close the first half of the year in a more informal yet equally valuable setting for an industry that relies heavily on trust between professionals.
At events like these, networking stops being a scheduled activity and becomes something more organic. People talk about projects, challenges, lessons learnt, suppliers, clients and also the less visible side of organising events: tight deadlines, operational pressure and the need for a strong professional network.
Madrid Convention Bureau in Barcelona: the value of connecting destinations and professionals
Madrid Convention Bureau’s presence in Barcelona also fits into an increasingly clear trend: destinations need to step outside their own territory to strengthen relationships, generate opportunities and showcase their value proposition to other professional markets.
As part of its 2026 action plan, Madrid Convention Bureau announced destination presentations in cities such as Chicago, Toronto, Barcelona, London and Paris. This strategy forms part of a wider push to strengthen its promotion in consolidated markets such as the United States, Latin America and Europe, with the aim of positioning Madrid as a host city for meetings, congresses and professional events.
The figure is significant: according to information published by Madrid City Council, the capital accounts for 22.9% of the expenditure generated in Spain by congresses, trade fairs, meetings and professional events.
For Eventscase, taking part in this type of gathering means staying close to those who design, promote and market MICE destinations. It also allows us to hear first-hand about the current needs of destinations, agencies, venues and organisers: operational efficiency, measurement, sustainability, attendee experience and the ability to adapt technologically.
In addition, at “Madrid is worth it — for your events too”, we had the opportunity to provide our on-site service for check-in and badge printing. There is no better way to demonstrate the capabilities of our technology than at events like this.
EVA now listens too: WhatsApp voice notes to better understand attendees
One of the most relevant milestones of the last few weeks has been the evolution of EVA, our Event Virtual Assistant. Until now, EVA already enabled attendees to be supported through WhatsApp, answering questions, sending reminders, sharing QR codes, providing practical information and improving communication before, during and after the event.
The new feature goes one step further: EVA can now listen to WhatsApp voice notes, understand them and transcribe them so they can be turned into useful information within Insights.
This development responds to a very simple reality: not everyone communicates in the same way. In many contexts, recording a voice note feels more natural than writing a message. It can be faster, more spontaneous and closer to the way attendees express an opinion, a question or a feeling during an event.
You can find more information in the article “EVA: when support also adapts to voice”, which explains how WhatsApp voice notes are part of the daily communication habits of millions of people, and how incorporating them into an event virtual assistant can offer more natural and immediate support.
The feature will be launched at BED Barcelona on 9 July, as part of an activation designed to gather real opinions from event professionals. The choice of context is no coincidence: BED is presented as a day designed to foster community among professionals, share experiences, exchange ideas and create opportunities within the sector.
In addition, the ninth edition of BED will revolve around trust and will take place at the InterContinental Barcelona. In this setting, allowing attendees to express themselves through voice notes can help capture a more spontaneous, less constrained layer of feedback, closer to real conversation.
EVA Alliance: from curiosity about AI to practical application
The collaboration between EVA Alliance and Eventscase has also played a prominent role this month. The “AI, Tools & Beyond” series has a very specific focus: helping leaders in the events sector move from general awareness of artificial intelligence to a more practical, critical and strategic application.
The session taking place on 30 June, “From Data to Decisions: How Leaders Turn AI Into ROI and Operational Excellence”, led by Bonny Shapira, focuses precisely on one of the major questions of the moment: how to turn data, tools and automation into real business decisions.
In the events sector, talking about AI without talking about operations, ROI and measurement means staying on the surface. The real opportunity is not simply about generating content or automating isolated tasks, but about connecting information, behaviour, context and decisions.
Cotec Gala 2026: technology for a high-impact institutional event
On 29 June, Eventscase also deployed its access control and badge printing technology at Cotec Gala 2026, held at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid. The gala served as the setting for the presentation of the 2026 Yearbook, focused this year on the future of Europe.
At an institutional event of this nature, access technology is not a secondary element. It is a key piece in managing attendee arrival, validating tickets, reducing friction, controlling flows and ensuring that the experience starts in an agile and professional way.
This type of deployment demonstrates something that often goes unnoticed: event technology does not always need to be visible in order to add value. Sometimes, its greatest impact lies precisely in making everything run smoothly.
June as a reflection of where the industry is heading
If there is one thing the EMA Summer Parties, the Madrid Convention Bureau gathering in Barcelona, the EVA Alliance session, the Cotec Gala and the upcoming BED Barcelona have in common, it is that they all show an industry in full evolution.
On the one hand, events still need community, trust and human relationships. On the other, the pressure to measure, personalise and optimise operations is growing. Technology is no longer seen as an add-on, but as an infrastructure that helps connect both dimensions.
This is the balance Eventscase is working within: supporting professional gatherings, facilitating critical operations, exploring new ways to listen to attendees and applying AI where it can create real value.
Technology per se has no value. It must be used well in order to create more human, smarter and more useful experiences.