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.

Fira de Barcelona is looking towards a near future where it will be able to compete at the highest level of European and international exhibition centers. The organization is beginning to consider the new possibilities that will open up when it acquires the 60,000 square meters of the new Hall 0 at its Gran Via facilities in Hospitalet de Llobregat, and with the expansion in Montjuïc, coinciding with the centenary of the 1929 Barcelona International Equestrian Exposition. The institution is also working on attracting trade shows related to the world of medicine and biomedicine, following the success of the congresses it has hosted in recent years at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB).

Despite taking place in the digital age, the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) conference has an unmistakably analog character. Not only because you have to enter with a printed badge—now that you can show a QR code on your phone screen almost everywhere—but, above all, because what's on display must be experienced physically: the screens must be seen and the speakers must be heard.

Consolidating the impact of Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) beyond the days of this trade fair in Barcelona, ​​the most important in the audiovisual sector, which began today, Tuesday, and runs until this Friday, is the objective behind the creation of the ISE Foundation, in which the Barcelona City Council and the Catalan Government participate. It is a similar model to the one established following the Mobile World Congress (MWC), Mobile World Capital Barcelona, ​​in which the Spanish government also participates.

The peak season in Barcelona has been moving earlier for years, before summer and Easter. The Mobile World Congress (MWC), since its arrival in 2006, and especially after its expansion when it moved to Hospitalet de Llobregat, has evened out the seasonality of hotel activity and created a new peak at the beginning of the year with its 109,000 visitors. This has been further enhanced by the arrival of other trade shows such as Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), which will hold its fifth edition in the city starting this Tuesday. ISE doesn't attract as many delegates as MWC, but its attendance is growing year after year. The industry estimates that for every ISE booking, three are made for MWC. The audiovisual trade show, directed by Mike Blackman, welcomed more than 85,000 attendees last year and is registering 10% more bookings for this week's edition. The trade fair alone books around 8,000 rooms through its booking agency. "It's very good for hotels, both because of its scale and because it's held in February. Historically, it was a very bad month, and MWC and ISE have made it a good one," says Manel Casals, director of the Hotel Guild. Hoteliers know this and have been preparing for a week of high occupancy. This is the case at the Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower, popularly known for the UFO that Richard Rogers placed on its roof. "It's not quite MWC, but it's getting close," confirms sales manager Silvia Bullich. However, unlike what happens with MWC attendees, those attending ISE are staying longer. Those attending Mobile World Congress, who already know the city after so many years, aren't coming the weekend before or are delaying their return to do some sightseeing, something that those attending ISE are doing, with stays of between four and five nights, and some even between six and seven nights.

Integrated Systems Events (ISE) is launching a new initiative this year: theSparkThe new ISE space will debut at the 2026 edition of the world's most influential audiovisual trade show, designed to connect creativity and technology within an immersive experience that aims to be a game-changer for the industry. From February 3rd to 6th, the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via venue will host this new platform, reinforcing Barcelona's role as the European capital of creative innovation. Spark was born in response to a shared need within the creative sectors: a meeting point where disciplines such as [missing information - likely "video" or "video"] converge. gaming, he broadcastDesign, live events, and digital media are all interconnected, transcending traditional industry boundaries. The initiative aims to create an ecosystem where technology is not just a tool, but a catalyst for new forms of storytelling, production, and audience engagement.

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the premier audiovisual trade fair, opens its doors this Tuesday, February 3rd, at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, ​​showcasing all the latest innovations and conferences in the audiovisual industry until Friday, February 6th. This will be the fifth year the event has been held in Barcelona, ​​and Managing Director Mike Blackman (Georgetown, 1958) describes himself as a lover of the city. He considers leaving Amsterdam and establishing ISE in the Catalan capital to have been "the right decision" and, for now, isn't considering any alternative.

Barcelona will once again host one of the most important dialogue spaces between Europe and Latin America in the audiovisual and digital sector. This Wednesday, February 4, 2026, within the framework of Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the European Latin American AV Forum (ELAF) will be held for the third consecutive year. The event is establishing itself as a key platform for fostering strategic alliances, technological cooperation, and business opportunities between the two continents. What began as an ambitious initiative at ISE 2024 has rapidly evolved into a leading international forum. ELAF It is not just a space for debate, but an engine of economic and technological impact between Europe and the emerging markets of Latin America. The forum stands as a catalyst for new opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.

"Catalonia plays in the big leagues." This is how Jaume Baró, Secretary of Business and CEO of Acció, explained the situation of the Catalan audiovisual sector in the world during the presentation of the study on this industry, which the Generalitat (Catalan government) prepares annually as a prelude to the ISE audiovisual trade fair, the most important in Europe for this sector, which celebrates its sixth anniversary this year in the Catalan capital. The event will take place from February 3 to 6 at the Gran Via venue of Fira de Barcelona, ​​under the slogan Push Beyond ("go further").

The world's largest audiovisual trade show, Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), expects to attract more than 90,000 people to its next edition in Barcelona, ​​which will take place from February 3 to 6 and will focus on boosting the creative industries and cybersecurity. With the motto Push Beyond "Going further," the show plans to hold its biggest edition ever, with an expected increase of at least 7% in visitors, up from 85,351 last year, and a 9.7% increase in exhibition space on Barcelona's Gran Via, reaching 101,000 square meters. The ISE estimates that last year's show generated an economic impact of €520 million for Barcelona, ​​11% more than the previous year, and expects to surpass that figure this year, as announced Wednesday by the show's CEO, Mike Blackman, at the press conference announcing the event. The show, which will fill all the pavilions of the venue, will grow from 1,605 exhibitors to 1,710 in 2026, featuring names like Samsung, LG, Epson, Blackmagic, Microsoft, and the organizers of the Tomorrowland music festival. Spain will have 150 exhibitors, including companies such as 3Cat, Simon, Mediapro, and SONO. Blackman stated that they are working closely with the Barcelona City Council to strengthen their relationship with the city and emphasized that geopolitical tensions have not impacted the growth of international visitors, especially from Latin America. In fact, registrations from this region have increased by 17% in 2026, while total registrations are already 7% higher than the previous year. The markets with the strongest presence are Spain, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and the United States. Among the new features of the show is "Spark," an event dedicated to the creative industries that aims to connect professionals from live events, video games, and marketing to explore audiovisual narratives and immersive environments. In addition, the CyberSecurity Summit will be held, focusing on analyzing the cybersecurity challenges facing the audiovisual industry and chaired by Pere Ferrer, former Director General of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police). Artificial intelligence will also play a leading role, as ISE has organized the EdTech Congress Barcelona within the event, which will explore how this technology can be integrated into the education system. The event will feature a total of 340 speakers.