The congresses at Fira de Barcelona generate more than 6.1 billion annually
Its economic impact has skyrocketed since the pandemic with the acquisition of new salons
Just days before the Mobile World Congress (MWC) kicks off, Barcelona is gearing up for one of the winter season's flagship events, with over 100,000 attendees filling hotels and restaurants. This is the most vivid description of the business generated by the congresses hosted by Fira de Barcelona, but the trade fair institution has put it in black and white and quantified the economic impact of the various shows held at its different venues. Fira de Barcelona's activity generated more than €6.1 billion in 2024, according to a report prepared by the Barcelona Institute of Economics (IEB) at the University of Barcelona (UB). This figure represents a 28% increase compared to 2019, the year before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many considered the trade fair sector doomed.
Conferences have not only survived, but Fira de Barcelona has managed to attract new ones in recent years, such as SeafoodFira de Barcelona, dedicated to the seafood industry, and Vitafoods, representing nutraceutical companies, are among the events that have seen the growth of conferences like Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), which arrived in the Catalan capital in the midst of the pandemic and have accelerated their growth in recent editions to overcome the setback. "The increased impact is a consequence of the good work carried out in recent years and the growth and scale of the trade shows held in our venues, many of them global leaders in their sectors," said Pau Relat, president of Fira de Barcelona. Some controversial events have also arrived, such as the International Casino Exhibition (ICE), representing the gaming industry. Despite maintaining a low profile since its arrival two years ago, it is becoming one of the highest-earning conferences in Barcelona and is approaching the impact of the city's other two major trade shows, MWC and ISE. This economic impact falls particularly heavily on the service sector. Commerce, transport, and hospitality are the main beneficiaries, accounting for more than 39% of the revenue generated by congresses and trade fairs. It also benefits other sectors such as the food industry and machinery manufacturing. According to the study, the multiplier effect of spending associated with Fira de Barcelona is 1.78. That is, for every euro spent, there is an increase of 1.78 euros in production in the Catalan economy. In this regard, Fira de Barcelona's activity generates more than 49,000 full-time jobs, of which nearly 80% are in service-related activities. Overall, the total economic impact of its trade fairs and congresses represented a gross value added (GVA) of 2.96 billion euros, equivalent to 1% of Catalonia's GDP. "These figures, together with record annual results, with more than €350 million in revenue in 2025, encourage us to continue working towards the growth of the trade shows and to strengthen the institution's role as a strategic element in the economic and social development of the region," stated Constantí, CEO of Fira de Barcelona.
The expansion in Hospitalet, 675 million more
With conferences like MWC and ISE growing in size and requiring more square footage, the main exhibition center in Hospitalet de Llobregat is expanding with a new pavilion, Hall Zero, which will add 25% more space. The report prepared by the University of Barcelona indicates that, when it becomes operational in 2027, it will generate an additional economic impact of approximately €675 million.