The city of dreams, the new living room of the childhood, closes record year for the Fira de Barcelona. The institution is expected to be completed by 2019 with revenues of 215 million euros, 12% higher than budget and 15% more than in the last two exercises. The more than two and a half million visitors that have passed through its facilities confirmed by an exercise of maximum volume of business and activity. All of this, “in a complex context and strong competition exhibition”, according to explained Thursday Pau Relat, president of the board of directors of the institution, “in which Fira de Barcelona has wanted to enhance its international positioning thanks to the growth in activity and surface exhibition”.

The recipe for success of the Fira de Barcelona —a consortium formed by the city Council of Barcelona, the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, which combines public ownership with a business management autonomous— passed by a significant contribution of external events organised by other operators; the good performance of the lounges of its own, and the bet by the activity in other countries.

a Thousand activities

officially Founded in 1932, this year have been held in their facilities —two large enclosures that add up to nearly 400,000 square metres of surface of exhibition— more than 150 classrooms, conferences and other events of a corporate character, social and cultural, as well as about 1,100 activities.

With the Mobile World Congress to the head, highlight the Smart City Expo World Congress, the Valmont Barcelona Fashion Bridal Week, or the lounge Pool & Wellness; also road shows such as Itma and a wide range of events in the medical field. “It is worth highlighting the financial strength and organizational Fira that, in addition to self-finance, we dedicate a large part of its resources to invest in technology, infrastructure, new products, trade fairs and initiatives that favour sustainable development”, notes the director-general of the body, Constantí Serrallonga.

In terms of foreign activity, Fira has co-organized this year, ten events in other countries: Pacgraf Cuba, HostelCuba, ExpoAntad & Alimentaria Mexico, Alimentaria & Horexpo Lisbon and the issues of Smart City Expo in Curitiba (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Puebla (Puebla, Mexico), Kyoto (Japan), Doha (Qatar) and Atlanta (USA). And collaborated on the design of the campuses of Santiago de Chile, Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), Accra (India) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).

With the aim to gain competitiveness and to strengthen its international position, has put in place a strategic plan backed up by the Catalan institutions through the society Fira 2000, which provides for the expansion of 60,000 meters of facilities located in the Gran Via de L'hospitalet, a 25% more, and renew the historic centre of Barcelona. According to a study by the Institute of Economics of Barcelona (IEB) University of Barcelona (UB), this intervention will generate an economic impact of 675 million a year from 2024, when it debuts, and up to 2028. In addition, it provides for the creation of 5.048 jobs per year, to 163 million euros per year in concept of wages and salaries and a tax revenue annual average of 129 million euros.

The Generalitat, the municipalities of Barcelona and L'hospitalet, the Metropolitan Area and the Provincial council, shareholders of Fira 2000, was approved to capitalize the company with 157,9 million between 2022 and 2026. This maneuver was essential to achieve the necessary funding to build the new venue in L'hospitalet: credit of $ 350 million for a work whose cost is estimated at 333 million euros.

In terms of remodeling of the facilities of Montjuïc, it is intended to be ready in 2029 with the occasion of the celebration of its centenary. As has been confirmed this week the mayor Ada Colau, this performance also will free up space now occupied by pavilions of the trade fair for the construction of flats of official protection and equipment (among them the growth of the Museu Nacional d'art de Catalunya), in addition to improve the connection between the abutting neighborhoods. To arrange for the remodeling of the area of Montjuic, the city council has announced a participatory process in the coming months. “More space means more opportunities for the territory”, says the president of the board of directors of Fira of Barcelona, Pau Relat.

weather Forecasts

beyond the expansion plans, the institution also expects to exceed the 205 billion sales in 2020. “Although we wanted to develop a budget, prudent with a socio-economic environment complex, the expectations are very favorable and corroborate the major events that will be held in our venues, the infrastructure projects underway and the future management of the International Convention Centre of Barcelona (CCIB) from 2021”, it is appropriate to Serrallonga.

In the framework of its strategy for innovation, Fira de Barcelona will launch in 2020 Barcelona Wine Week, dedicated to the industry of Spanish wine, and will work on a new project in line with its commitment to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) of the UN. Also expected to advance in their activities in other countries and co-organizing a total of 16 fairs.