Taking a creative approach

T he reputation of Portugal’s capital city continues to grow, along with the choices for organisers of meetings of all sizes.

Packed with great food, street art and music, there’s a sense of creativity in Lisbon that is being increasingly reflected in its architecture as the riverside city welcomes a wave of stylish new venues as well as a number of revamps to bring its historic spots into the 21st century.

A destination that draws delegates

Even though it was second only to Vienna in the global ICCA rankings 2024, delegates are far from blasé about Lisbon. This month [September], the Feira Internacional De Lisboa and Meo Arena will host the second SBC Summit, a three-day B2B event for the global gaming and betting industry, and Paul Mills, event director at SBC, says the scale offered by the two venues means they can offer something truly unique for the 30,000 delegates headed there.

"We knew they could accommodate a large number of attendees, but we were impressed that it could also cater for an event as complex as ours with 600 exhibitors and 10 double-decker stands; it means lots of big builds, lots of vehicles," he says.

"We're running a B2B event but we are creating an experience as well as business opportunities, and Lisbon lends itself really well to that. Many of our delegates are well travelled but not many have experienced Lisbon and its culture and food before. Plus, the city is big but not that big which means you can easily get around it."

As well as filling the four pavilions at the Feira, the Meo will become a 'super-stage' for the SBC’s biggest keynote speakers. "They're both great spaces and really flexible for what we need to do," adds Paul. "We had to find somewhere versatile as we'll be hosting a conference, workshops, and two award shows." Outdoor space linking the two halls will be converted to a huge food hall and they've worked with Leading DMC to secure enough bed spaces for all.

Growing options for events and accommodation

When it comes to hotels, Lisbon has around 26,000 rooms – and with at least 16 more hotels expected to open in the next 12 months, it’s good news for event organisers; future arrivals will include a new Moxy and a branch of Soho House.

For now, one of the stars of the show is MACAM - Museu de Arte Contemporânea Armando, Europe’s first 'museum and 5-star hotel concept' which opened in March.

Housed in the Palácio Condes da Ribeira Grande, it was founded with a mission to make personal collections accessible to the public; along with 64 rooms, there's a stunning courtyard and rooftop bar but it's the à Capela Live Arts & Bar in a former chapel, which can accommodate up to 100 people, that's bound to impress.

"It’s a dream venue for creative industries, cultural events, and planners looking to offer something truly unique," says Ana Rita Vaz, project director for Ovation Portugal, of the MACAM. She also rates the newly opened 213-room ME Lisbon by Meliá as "a design-lover’s dream, with curated Portuguese art, meeting spaces, and rooftop dining (Attiko) that I believe will be the next big go-to place in town, offering panoramic views over the city ".

The Hotel Mundial is undergoing a €20m renovation over the next three years with a strong focus on its future events offering. Eight new high-tech meeting rooms will open in April 2026 with direct access to the new 28 Restaurant & Terrace, then all 315 rooms will get the revamp treatment.

And the striking Convento do Beato has been hosting events since 1989 but recently had a full facelift; with a total capacity of 5,500, it offers a blank canvas like no other and the extensive refurb has brought it bang up-to-date with updates including new soundproofing, air conditioning, a lift and a new car park.