• This space has seen an increase in competitiveness and business volume in the last four years, with a 132% growth in the number of events and a 793% increase in visitors.

Gran Canaria, July 11, 2024. Thirty years have passed since July 1994, when Infecar complemented its fair activity with a congress palace that reinforced social and economic development for the islands’ society and businesses. Since then, the Gran Canaria Congress Palace at Infecar has witnessed countless events, solidifying its position as a reference space in the sector in the Canary Islands.

This Thursday, July 11, the Canarias Room hosted the celebration of these three decades in an institutional act that brought together much of the island’s business community and public institutions, suppliers, and clients of the venue.

“The inauguration on March 15, 1966, of what was officially called the Atlantic Spanish Fair marked the beginning of Infecar’s history. At that time in Spain, our island was chosen as a commercial showcase for the newly independent African countries during the decade of decolonization of the continent,” recalled the president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, during his speech.

Morales pointed out that “from that first moment, Infecar has been a space for social and economic development for the society and businesses of the islands, strengthening its ties not only with Africa but also with Latin America.”

Since its inauguration in 1994, the Gran Canaria Congress Palace has boosted Infecar’s activity and currently can accommodate more than 2,000 people. Additionally, its seven rooms are equipped with all the necessary technical means to develop any event, adapting its spaces to offer a personalized experience.

In recent years, the increase in demand for services and spaces for fairs, congresses, business meetings, and exhibitions has made it essential to expand and remodel the venue, thus increasing its growth capacity and competitiveness in the sector.

“The adaptation of the Gran Canaria Congress Palace’s facilities at Infecar has increased competitiveness and business volume, which has grown exponentially in recent years. From 2021 to 2024, the number of events has grown by 132% and visitors by 793%,” detailed the president.

The 30th anniversary of the Infecar Congress Palace was also commemorated by the presidents of the Spanish Fair Association (AFE), Xabier Basáñez, and the Spanish Congress Palaces Association (APCE), Sylvia Andrés.

The councillor for Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, and Crafts of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Minerva Alonso, thanked the presidents of these associations for their presence “at this very special event for us.” “Today we celebrate that 30 years ago, this venue transitioned from being just a fairground to a multifunctional venue, complementing the development of the fair industry with a congress palace, allowing for the celebration of other types of events,” she pointed out.

Minerva Alonso also highlighted that “the transformation process we are immersed in at Infecar leads us to think that these 30 years we commemorate today are just the beginning of this story, which has the challenge ahead of continuing to boost the socio-business fabric of our island.”

The commemoration of this 30th anniversary also included a conference by tenor José Manuel Zapata on ‘How to Hit the High Note,’ in which he drew a parallel between the world of opera and business, highlighting arguments to explain how to create a personal brand, adapt to the audience and clients, work as a team, innovate, and understand excellence.

At the end of the institutional act, attendees of this 30th anniversary of the Gran Canaria Congress Palace at Infecar could see firsthand the renovations carried out in all its rooms, improving their accessibility, comfort, sustainability, visibility, and functional requirements.