The economic impact of Mobile amounts to 561 million euros

BarcelonaThe arrival of thousands of congress attendees each year for Mobile World Congress (MWC) is noticeable in the city with the appearance of accreditation booths at hotels and restaurants, but also with queues of black vans and taxis transporting them from one place to another. Despite their obvious presence for four days at the beginning of the year, the expenditure generated by this event is more difficult to account for, and the calculations are not made public until months later.

In the edition in which Mobile finally managed to leave the pandemic behind, matching the number of attendees it had reached in 2019, the technology show also increased its economic impact. With 109,000 congress attendees from more than 200 countries, the event's economic contribution climbed to €561 million in 2025, 12% more than in the previous edition, when the €500 million mark was surpassed for the first time.

Based on a report by the GSMA, the organization responsible for organizing the fair, the analysis analyzes the additional expenditure generated in the economy during the fair's days, as well as the taxes charged by the administrations for holding it. Also included are the temporary jobs needed to operate the exhibitors at Feria de Hospitalet de Llobregat and all the ancillary services to support congress attendees, especially drivers. In 2025, an estimated 13,000 employees were hired.

"The MWC and Barcelona are a perfect partnership, united by innovation, collaboration, and a shared ambition. The strength of our partnership continues to generate mutual success, and we are proud to continue contributing to the prosperity and opportunities of the city," explains the CEO of the GS. Since the first edition of Mobile in Barcelona in 2006, it has generated €6.9 billion and 173,000 jobs.

Waiting for Hall Zero

After overcoming all doubts about its continued presence in Barcelona and the paralysis caused by the pandemic in the trade fair sector, the focus is now on its 20th edition in Barcelona and the expansion of Fira de Barcelona. Packed to capacity with more than 2,900 exhibitors this year, the show returned to the Montjuïc exhibition center. There, it debuted the Talent Arena, a new MWC initiative to promote technological professions. It seeks to replicate the success it achieved with 4 Years From Now (4YFN), a parallel event that was born within MWC and has ended up boosting the city's entrepreneurial sector.

Hoffman, the show's most visible face, never tires of repeating that MWC's impact on Barcelona goes beyond its economic impact. Proof of this is the exhibition that just opened at the Palau Robert, where some of the technologies on display at this year's show, which featured artificial intelligence but also robotics and supercomputing, are being presented to the general public. Attendees will be able to try out the offerings presented by the Barcelona Computing Center (BSC), EIT Urban Mobility, and Vueling. Admission is free and the show is open until the end of August.