by Mayté Rodríguez Cedillo
photos courtesy Brazil Tourism Board

MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) leaders from 32 different countries will meet in Fortaleza, Brazil to create alianzes for Latin American events. 

Registrations are now open for the 42nd Congress of the Federation of Congress and Related Event Organizing Entities of Latin America (COCAL 2026). After 11 years, the event returns to Brazil and will be held in the spectacular city of Fortaleza, in the state of Ceará—the heart of northeastern Brazil—from July 1 to 3, 2026.

Industry leaders from around the world can now visit the event’s official website (https://cocal2026.com.br/). The online platform centralizes all information about the schedule, speakers, accreditation, and opportunities to participate in the most important event industry gathering in the region.

Organized by the Federation of Congress Organizing Entities of Latin America, the congress brings together professionals, associations, destinations, and companies from the sector to exchange experiences, generate business, and define strategies to drive the events industry throughout the region.

The last edition held in the country took place in Florianópolis (Santa Catarina) in 2015. The event’s return is the result of a strategic effort by Embratur (Brazil’s Tourism Bureau), working alongside regional institutions such as Visite Ceará, municipal bodies, and civil organizations—most notably the Brazilian Association of Event Companies (Abeoc Brasil). The goal of this alliance is to consolidate Brazil as a world-class destination for meetings and events tourism (MICE).

For Embratur president Marcelo Freixo, hosting COCAL 2026 reaffirms Brazil’s leading role on the international stage. “Brazil is the ideal country to host international events. Our infrastructure is ready to welcome professionals from every field, combining state-of-the-art facilities with incredible destinations like Fortaleza, which offers unique gastronomy and culture, as well as sun and beaches. The MICE segment is a priority for us,” he stated.

Mexican national Julio Cezar Bojórquez Hernández, COCAL president for the 2026–2028 period, also underscored the significance of the meeting in Brazil: “The COCAL 2026 Congress reaffirms Latin American integration and the strengthening of the events industry as an engine of economic and cultural development. Holding it in Ceará acknowledges the country’s capacity to organize major gatherings and foster connections that drive innovation.”

“Visite Ceará,” executive director Suemy Vasconcelos highlighted that having Fortaleza as the host city is an opportunity to showcase the city’s maturity: “Bringing a congress of this magnitude is a strategic step that gives us international visibility and boosts job creation across the entire productive chain,” she said.

“Ceará is waiting with open arms for the COCAL Congress, which will bring all of Latin America together at the Ceará State Events Center, one of the best-equipped event venues in Brazil. Participants are invited to discover the natural wonders of our state,” said Eduardo Bismarck, Secretary of Tourism of Ceará.

Along the same lines, Fortaleza Secretary of Tourism Denise Sá Vieira Carrá invited all COCAL Congress participants to enjoy the city, “with its hospitality, its beauty and attractions, and its vocation for major events.”

Enid Câmara de Vasconcelos, president of the Brazilian Association of Event Companies (ABEOC), remarked: “The COCAL 2026 Congress represents a strategic milestone for Brazil and for the Latin American events sector. Hosting this gathering in Ceará reinforces the role of events as an essential driver of business, tourism, and economic and social development.”

For ABEOC, she added, this congress “is an opportunity to expand connections, generate business, share knowledge, and consolidate events as strategic drivers of development.”
The ABEOC president expressed her hope that “this congress will leave a lasting legacy, promote integration, innovation, and sustainability, and contribute to a sector that is increasingly professional, collaborative, and prepared for the challenges of the future.”

A Market in Global Expansion
The MICE segment already accounts for 25% of global tourism activity. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the outlook is very encouraging: in 2024, the region reached a combined GDP of US$6 trillion, with sectors such as innovation and renewable energy driving demand for high-level corporate events.

In this context, Brazil is positioned as the region’s leading force. Between 2022 and 2024, the country climbed ten places in the global ranking of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), reaching 15th place. It was the undisputed leader in Latin America and the third most relevant destination in all the Americas, trailing only the United States and Canada, with 112% growth in international event hosting, across activities in 42 Brazilian cities.

This progress directly impacts the profile of international visitors. Currently, business tourism accounts for 49% of foreign visitors arriving in Brazil—a high-spending audience that energizes the economy year-round and gives momentum to sectors such as technology, health, sustainability, and innovation.

Fortaleza, as the host of this COCAL Congress, symbolizes this new phase for Brazil in the global events market and positions the country’s Northeast as one of the continent’s most promising regions for international gatherings.

About the 42nd COCAL Congress 2026
COCAL is the leading Latin American congress in the sector. Founded in 1984, the Federation of Congress and Related Event Organizing Entities of Latin America brings together national associations from the MICE industry and works on joint training and promotion of destinations across the region. The annual congress is a space for negotiations, experience exchange, and the definition of sector-wide strategies.

The 2026 edition will be the ideal showcase to present Fortaleza and its event infrastructure to Latin American MICE sector leaders, projecting Brazil onto the international stage. The presence of event organizers and decision-makers will facilitate the planning of future international events, stimulate cooperation among different destinations, Brazilian companies, and international operators, as well as generate economic impact and strengthen the country as a powerful player in the global business tourism market.