The Mobile World Congress (MWC) of 2022 has already closed its doors. A good edition, conclude its organizers, satisfied for having exceeded expectations. Although the spotlights these days have been more on the ukrainian war, which, as is logical, dominates the news scene and has reduced the relevance of the rest of the news. Thus, the great event of mobile technology has not monopolized the media interest of other occasions, but that does not mean that it has lost an iota of its importance, as world showcase of technological advances and how great economic driver of the city of Barcelona. What’s more, after two years of the pandemic – let’s remember: the 2020 edition was canceled and the 2021 edition worked at half throttle – the return of the incessant activity that characterizes Mobile to the pavilions of the Gran Via venue of the Fira de Barcelona It was the most awaited image. He called it “exciting” John Hoffmann, CEO of the GSMA and ‘father’ of the MWC. And without detracting from the economic figures that give prestige to the hall, the intangible, that emotional part to which Hoffman referred, is also very important. That the Mobile has welcomed more than 60,000 visitors this year and what companies from up to 160 countries have exhibited their novelties in it is one of the best balances possible, which erases in one fell swoop the worst fears that the show faced. In the technological section, the MWC has been that of the expansion of 5G, robotics and artificial intelligence, and the landing of the metaverse (still incipient). Mobile is back. He has overcome the challenge and has done it with flying colors.
Barcelona has also benefited. Hotels (10,000 places reserved) and restaurants have received a boost in activity very welcome, and an economic return of 240 million euros to the city is estimated. It is almost half the impact of before the pandemic, in 2019, when the record of 100,000 visitors was exceeded, but it must be taken into account that the organization of this year’s edition has still been marked by the restrictions due to the coronavirus. Everything suggests that the room will continue to grow in 2023, with the permission of the pandemic. It would be wrong to think that the influence of the MWC in Barcelona is restricted to the week that the fair lasts. The image of the city endures beyond, after the congressmen return to their countries. The success of the fair itself, but also the good memories that visitors take away from their stay in the city, places the name of Barcelona as a cosmopolitan and quality tourism destination. Not only in the tourist field: it has also served as a pole of attraction for innovative technology companiesdirecting the local economy to sectors with high added value.
The tandem Barcelona and MWC It has been operating with excellent results since 2006, a link that seems to have been strengthened after the coronavirus crisis. Not even when the tensions of the ‘procés’ moved to the street did they break that bond. The contract ends in 2024 and no formal conversations about its renewal have transpired. Barcelona’s interest in continuing to host the fair is evident, as is also the fact that it is a very juicy cake for other metropolises (we only have to remember the “we will go for it” of the Madrid president, Isabel Díaz-Ayuso, in 2019). However, the GSMA will hardly find a greater willingness and alliance between administrations at all levels to host its technology fair as it will find it in the Catalan capital.