Founded in 1980, IFEMA MADRID is the leading trade fair organizer in Spain and one of the most influential exhibition operators in Europe. As a public-private partnership formed by the Regional Government of Madrid, the Madrid City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Madrid Foundation, IFEMA has been committed to its public mission of driving regional economic development since its establishment.

IFEMA’s unique development path is based on a strategic layout of “brands first, venues later”: before its own venue was completed in 1991, it had successfully incubated flagship brands such as FITUR (International Tourism Fair), ARCOmadrid (International Contemporary Art Fair), and SICUR (International Security Fair) through 11 years of exhibitions held in various locations. This first-mover advantage granted its new venue mature market influence and a stable exhibitor base from day one.

Today, IFEMA hosts around 80 professional trade fairs annually in Madrid, including 46 in-house exhibitions and 38 external ones. Although in-house events account for only 55% of the total, they contribute up to 70% of revenue, fully demonstrating the high profitability of its exhibition IPs. In 2024, IFEMA achieved its best-ever performance: total revenue reached €230.2 million, a year-on-year increase of 30%, while net profit soared by 166%.

IFEMA maintains a dual-driven model of venue operation and exhibition organization, while also leading the industry in digital innovation. With outstanding digital capabilities, IFEMA has won the UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) Digital Innovation Award three times (2009, 2011, 2014). Its LIVE Connect hybrid event platform attracted 390,000 online visitors and generated 43,000 business leads in 2024, representing a year-on-year growth of 73%.