15 October 2026

Barcelona Study Tour October 2026

15/16 October 2026 | Barcelona, Spain

Do you find it hard to keep up with the latest developments in media? Would you like an insider’s view of how some of the most interesting publishers are actually doing it?

Join us in Barcelona — home to some of Spain’s most forward-thinking media businesses — for behind-the-scenes access to four organisations doing things worth paying attention to. On 16 October you’ll meet B2B and consumer publishers, hear directly from their teams, and discuss what you’ve seen with peers from around the world.

The tour is hosted by Juan Señor, President of INNOVATION Media Consulting, and Nikki Simpson, FIPP Operations Director and Founder of the International Magazine Centre.

If you’re coming to FIPP Congress in Madrid, we’ve made it easy — hop on a first class train with your fellow Study Tour attendees on the Thursday afternoon and we’ll take it from there.

We’re delighted to be visiting:

• Abacus Grup — A co-operative business owned by its members, Abacus has a community of more than 1M people and works across media, books, audiovisual content and retail to promote cultural diversity, Catalan culture and education for a better world.
  • Connecting with future readers to drive a thriving media industry in Catalonia, Spain and Europe. 
    Abacus Grup publishes a range of consumer titles and bookazines aimed at the Catalonian market, and with a wide readership across Spain. Join Deputy Director General Victor Meseguer and Editor-in-Chief Claudia Pujol for a tour of the Abacus building, followed by a presentation on how the offshoot of their flagship title Sapiens is driving their future success.
• Diari ARA — A local publisher with editions in Catalonia, Andorra, Girona, Tarragona, Lleida, Balearic Islands and Valencia, Diari ARA has grown an audiences-first approach as pioneers of reader revenue in Spain.
  • Expanding through reader revenue 
    Diari ARA’s General Manager Pablo Casals and Head of Sales Víctor Caballé discuss how they’ve grown their reader database, their verticals and niche publications, all focusing on reader revenue and leading with an audiences-first approach. 
• Time Out Market Barcelona — Time Out Market Barcelona brings the best of the city together under one roof – the city’s best chefs and restaurateurs, drinks, and cultural experiences, all based on Time Out’s editorial curation.
  • A tour of the Time Out Market, Barcelona, including lunch in their hospitality suite
  • Find out about Time Out Market Barcelona, the story behind the growth of Time Out Markets across the world and how Time Out pivoted from a London magazine to a global digital media, entertainment and hospitality brand. 
• + One more to be announced soon

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The programme includes company visits, talks, roundtables, and networking, plus:

• One night’s accommodation on Thursday 15 October, with breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Friday
• First class train from Madrid on the Thursday afternoon (if attending Congress)
• An evening tour of Casa Batlló — Gaudí’s extraordinary building in the heart of the city — and farewell dinner

💷 Tickets: £1,500 + VAT

Congress attendees receive £100 discount (use code MADRID2026). Spaces are limited to 15 people — book early.

Agenda

Thursday 15 October

3pm — First class train from Madrid (if attending Congress)
6.30pm — Arrival and hotel check-in
7.30pm — Welcome drinks, hosted by FIPP

Friday 16 October

8.00am — Breakfast
8.30am — Morning briefing with Juan Señor and Nikki Simpson
9.00am — Abacus Grup
11.00am — Diari ARA
1.30pm — Time Out Market Barcelona (lunch included)
3.30pm — Fourth publisher (to be announced)
5.30pm — Tour of Casa Batlló
6.45pm — Dinner and farewell drinks