Barcelona to continue as the venue of Mobile until 2030

Barcelona will continue to be the “global mobile capital” until 2030, as confirmed by the GSMA, the association of mobile telephone carriers. The role of the Catalan capital as host of the event has been key in its choice.

Since 2006, the first year it was held in Barcelona, the Mobile has not stopped growing and has become the must-see technological event of the mobile ecosystem. In addition, it also includes a number of programmes and activities throughout the year promoted by the Mobile World Capital which benefit both local citizens and the sectors of mobile telephony and technology throughout the country, such as Barcelona Digital Talent, the Collider and mSchools.

In the words of John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA, “Barcelona is much more than the city where the MWC takes place. It has caused it to evolve to encompass an entire ecosystem. The city’s hospitality, its people, and the true collaboration we experience at all levels means that Barcelona is an essential part of what the GSMA wants to create through the MWC.”

Jaume Collboni, first deputy mayor of Barcelona, also reacted to this “very good news for the city and for the city council’s commitment to the digital economy and the talent to transform the city.”

The economic impact of Mobile

The Mobile World Congress is the biggest revenue earner in Barcelona, along with the Alimentaria food convention. According to sources of the Periódico de Catalunya, it racked up 473 million in its pre-pandemic edition, in 2019.

During that year, the 155 fairs and congresses that were held in the city had an economic impact of 4.7 billion euros. In this regard, Collboni notes, “for Barcelona, the big events are a catalyst of opportunities, both for promoting the city and for improving our infrastructure, attracting tourism and generating economic development and jobs.”