Kursaal presented the balance of activity for 2022 this morning, a year that began with reduced capacity until February, but which has shown a magnificent recovery in activity, according to those responsible. The conference center hosted 303 events with 343,009 attendees, and with a turnover of 4.1 million, very close to the record achieved in 2019, to which adding the turnover of the Miramar Palace (also managed by the Kursaal) would amount to a total of 4.8 million euros. The activity of both companies had an economic impact in Gipuzkoa of 50.5 million euros.
With these data in hand, which were presented by the Kursaal manager, Iker Goikoetxea, it can be said that the Kursaal has returned to pre-pandemic figures. “The heart of the Kursaal is beating strongly again”, Goikoetxea congratulated himself, who emphasized that the 4.8 million euros in turnover achieved represent an 80% year-on-year increase.
The Palace reached a consolidated operating treasury surplus of 803,009 euros, and this despite the increases in costs derived mainly from the increase in the price of energy, recovering in one year 88% of the deficit accumulated in the two previous years of the pandemic And that the energy bill (electricity and gas) was a blow of half a million euros, well above the 200,000 euros of the 2021 financial year.
These magnificent results are supported by the good performance of key segments of the activity: on the one hand, in the cultural chapter, both due to the number of concerts offered (158) and its turnover, 20% higher than in 2019. On the other , in the growth in the commercialization of services (audiovisual, lighting, communications, technical personnel) associated with events, which rose 1.7% compared to 2019, establishing a historical record in both cases.
And, of course, thanks to the significant recovery in congress activity, with 2022 being the third best year in the last decade in terms of the number of congresses hosted, with a significant international component.
The deputy general of Gipuzkoa, Markel Olano, and the mayor of San Sebastián, Eneko Goia, who accompanied Goikoetxea, expressed their satisfaction with the good results of the Kursaal (owned by both institutions). The first celebrated the “year of recovery, after two very tough exercises” and recalled that “we are talking about a space that is very dear to the citizens of Gipuzkoa”. Recalling that almost half of the congresses held were of an international nature, Olano stated that “the Kursaal is an antenna that allows us to be seen and for the world to know us.”
Goia recalled that if one takes into account that in the first months of 2022 there were still some restrictions due to the last blows of the Covid and that the restaurant (Muka de Aduriz) was only operational for six months “we can say that last year was even better than 2019”, the best year in the history of the Kursaal.
With an eye on the future, the Kursaal manager assured that “although it is a bit dizzying to make forecasts after such a good 2022, 2023 will also be positive.” Goikoetxea did not reveal anything about the eventual expansion of the building, a matter that he referred to the Strategic Plan 2024-2027. “At the moment there is nothing concrete, it will have to be studied,” he said.
To this balance of results is added, on the other hand, an element that is critical in the provision of services: the high degree of customer satisfaction, whose surveys of the organizers give Kursaal and Miramar an average score of 8.75 , thus maintaining the good score received in recent years.
As in previous years, the Kursaal is committed to continuing to make a significant investment effort. In fact, the accumulated investments in the 2020-2022 period were 2.1 million euros and for this 2023 an ambitious plan of 4.3 million is planned, which will make possible, among other things, the renovation of the Kursaal Conference Center of the seats in zone A and the installation of photovoltaic solar panels.
Likewise, it will allow the beginning of the first phase of the remodeling works of the Miramar Palace. It will mainly undertake the repair and consolidation of the Main Pavilion, including restoration work on the roofs and façade. Likewise, work will be carried out to improve accessibility and the air conditioning system and the exterior carpentry will be renewed. Likewise, the main floor will be adapted, always respecting its own essence, contributing to the improvement of the spaces, making them more competitive to host all kinds of acts, congresses and events.
own programming
Culture has been one more year, one of the pillars of the palace’s activity. In 2022, a total of 158 cultural shows were held with 254,020 spectators, of which 25 were proposed by Kursaal Eszena, the Kursaal’s own programming, with a total of 24,617 attendees.
Consolidated soloists and bands on the international scene such as Patti Smith, Wilco, Rufus Wainwright or The Divine Comedy starred in the popular music section. At a more local level we have emerging talents such as Amaia, or the renowned Mikel Erentxun who offered the first concert of the Amigos de Guardia anniversary tour in Kursaal.
The classical music and dance events featured the Vienna Radio Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop, the Arts Florissants Orchestra and Choir, Il Giardino Armónico, the tenors Javier Camarena and Piotr Beczala, the National Dance Company and Scapino Ballet Rotterdam. Thanks to the support of private sponsors, who have continued to bet on Kursaal Eszena, and of institutions, it has been possible to continue offering a diverse and rich cultural offer to citizens.
The private promoters who program on the Kursaal stages also brought concerts to remember such as those by Fito & Fitipaldis, Pablo Alborán, Los Secretos, Loquillo, Jorge Drexler or Serrat. Likewise, it was possible to enjoy the comedy shows by Carlos Latre, Estirando el Chicle, Dani Martinez or Alex Clavero among others.
And as usual, to these shows we must add those of the subscription season of the Euskadiko Orkestra, the concerts of the Musical Fortnight or the Jazzaldia, as well as the cinematographic projections of the Zinemaldia.
the congresses
Congress activity gained momentum in 2022, doubled activity compared to last year and recovered pre-pandemic figures. The events have also had a very international profile since 46% of the congresses held had this character.
One of the milestones in the congress activity last year was the International Conference on Ocean Energy & Ocean Energy Europe 2022 (ICOE-OEE), the main global event on ocean energy, which brought together from October 18 to 20 about 700 professionals and researchers from the sector.
Other professional meetings include the 14th International Symposium of the GEICAM Breast Cancer Research Group, the SOSORT International Congress of the Scoliosis Orthopedic Treatment and Rehabilitation Society, the GEP-SLAP International Congress of polymers, the International Symposium of the World Society of Victimology, the International Congress of Professional Training WFCP 2022 and the ECSA 59 congress among others.
The meeting of the Club de Creativos and the San Sebastián Gastronomika congress were other of the congresses held, both currently based in Kursaal, and which again hosted a pre-pandemic format, closing this edition with great public attendance.
Looking ahead to 2023, and to date, there are important congresses scheduled, including the SEMFYC Congress, the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine, the 39th CIRCOM Annual Conference, organized by EITB and which will bring together more than 250 representatives of European public television or the international conference ICCMR16 (International Conference on Catalysis in Membrane Reactors) organized by Tecnalia.
238 events in Miramar
The Miramar Palace has registered an excellent level of activity, hosting 238 events in 2022, with a total of 17,466 attendees, and has achieved self-financing in the second full year under the management of the Kursaal Center.
Science, technology and training have focused the contents of the congress activity held at the Miramar Palace. Among the congresses held last year, the Chemontubes 2022 Congress, the Qens/Wins 2022 Congress, the Statistical Learning Congress (BCBL), the Duisburg University Congress and the IX International Digital Health Congress 2022 stand out. Not to mention the extensive program of the Summer Courses, which, of the total of 138 courses taught in the last edition in the territory, 99 have been developed at its headquarters in the Miramar Palace.
Other of the segments with great growth in the past financial year were social events, as well as film shootings, which have been an important source of income.