Mobile World Congress sees 4,000 fewer visitors amid the outbreak of war against Iran
The suspension of flights has affected the arrival of members of Congress, especially those coming from Asia.
L'Hospitalet de LlobregatThe Mobile World Congress (MWC), as an international event, is always exposed in global turbulenceThis year's edition has been impacted by the war against Iran, resulting in 4,000 fewer delegates compared to previous years. with last yearAttendance reached nearly 105,000 attendees "despite the disruptions to travel worldwide," as explained by the GSMA, the organizer of MWC, in its summary of this year's event. Following the US and Israeli attacks the previous weekend, just days before the Mobile World Congress began, some attendees faced difficulties reaching Barcelona due to the cancellation of numerous flights caused by the closure of Middle Eastern airspace. This affected not only travelers from the Near and Middle East, but also those with layovers, as is the case with many flights originating in Asia. It's worth noting that some of the main companies at this congress (Xiaomi, Huawei, LG, Samsung, and SK Telekom) are Asian. They will likely face similar difficulties returning home. The impact was especially noticeable in the first few hours of the first day, Monday, but it diminished as attendees filled the stands and pavilions of Fira Gran Via. "That's 105,000, a slightly lower figure than last year; therefore, we must assume that there were obviously some visitors who came from certain regions or who were affected by the airspace closure and ultimately couldn't attend," said the CEO of Fira de Barcelona, Constantí Serral. However, Serrallonga assured that they are very "happy" with the results, since anything that involves exceeding 100,000 visitors is a "spectacular figure." Thus concludes the twentieth edition of MWC in Barcelona, which has consolidated itself year after year as the most important trade show held in the Catalan capital. “Twenty years in Barcelona and MWC continues to surprise and exceed expectations. From the beginning, the GSMA and the host city's organizations have shared a common vision: to build something that matters to the world,” reaffirmed GSMA CEO John Hoffman, who praised the infrastructure, ecosystem, and commitment. With 2,900 exhibitors and more than 1,700 speakers, Mobile World Congress revolved around the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, the future of the space economy, and the 6G horizon. This is yet another example of how the event has evolved from the Mecca of mobile phones to become the global showcase for advances in connectivity and new technologies, with 58% of attendees coming from sectors other than mobile.
Congress attendees were able to see firsthand the diverse array of robots presented at this year's event, including animated plush toy versions, as well as mobile phones with robotic arms, foldable devices, and computers with 3D screens. Among the numerous cutting-edge innovations, minimalist mobile phones, also known as foolsThey have also carved out their own space at Mobile World Congress, aiming to reduce daily device usage.
With the growing influence of adjacent industries, the GSMA has dedicated a space for the first time to companies from other sectors such as aviationwhere connectivity is key. New solutions have been presented to make flights more efficient, as well as trip planning, such as the AI-powered chat developed by Vueling. Satellites have also made their mark at the congress, with the exhibition of new space-based connectivity technologies.
Local Impact
Catalonia has improved its performance at this year's Mobile World Congress. The 106 Catalan companies and technology centers that participated in the event in spaces provided by the Generalitat (Catalan government) expect to generate €23.1 million in business volume or investment raised as a result of the congress, according to data from Acció (Catalan Association of Business Confederations). This figure represents a 2% increase compared to last year. Furthermore, they report that nearly 30% of all Catalan companies have already closed deals during MWC, and that they held 2,500 meetings and visits during the four days of the congress.
This impact has also been seen in the second edition of Talento ArenaThe event, organized by Mobile World Capital (MWCapital) and dedicated to digital talent, attracted over 25,000 attendees this year, a 25% increase compared to last year.