Skift Take
If the city does manage to host such a large number of visitors, with no side effects, it would be a substantial milestone for Europe, not just Spain.
Matthew Parsons
Barcelona recalls the cancellation of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February 2020 as the first indication that Covid-19 was a genuine, immediate cause for issue– a month before most of the world locked down.
Sixteen months later, the Spanish city sees the return of the yearly telecoms market event– albeit in a much pared-down version– as cause for hope, as vaccination rates speed up and Europe appears to be beginning to leave the worst of the pandemic behind.
Holding the Congress is “definitely a step forward”, John Hoffman, CEO of MWC arranging body GSMA, informed Reuters on Friday. “It’s the resuming of organization.”
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The Mobile, as it’s likewise called, will be the first big innovation conference staged in Europe given that the pandemic began and will range from June 28 to July 1.
Hoffman expects the variety of guests will range between 30,000 and 40,000– a far cry from the more than 100,000 who flocked to the last edition in 2019, which GSMA approximated offered Barcelona a $500 million boost.
This year, GSMA has presented a series of health measures.
A current unfavorable COVID-19 test, face masks and a digital badge will be required to access the place, while a contact-tracing app will track any infections.
Barcelona’s deputy mayor Jaume Collboni said the city was not concerned about potential MWC-related coronavirus break outs as other occasions, though smaller sized, have taken place just recently and infections have actually dropped in Spain.
For the tourism-dependent city– strike hard by the collapse of worldwide visitors and the fear that the MWC could move elsewhere– the return is a welcome relief.
“Just holding (the MWC) is a success,” said Collboni. “It’s really important to send a double message: the city is reactivating and will continue battling to be a leader in the technology sector”.
Barcelona hotel owner Josep Maria Malagarriga was optimistic on the sector’s healing despite MWC’s main agency just reserving 11 hotels this year, when it would normally contract over 400.
Tenancy for Monday at his Hotel Continental Palacete is at 50% and with prices still significantly below usual rates, he said.
The market hopes that this year’s occasion, with a program split between physical, virtual, and hybrid activities, will provide a plan for future service gatherings.
GSMA CEO Hoffman added he was confident next February’s edition– to be held throughout MWC’s routine slot– would be larger as “people have a need to be together”.
(Reporting by Joan Faus and Luis Felipe Castilleja; modifying by Clara-Laeila Laudette and Keith Dam)
This post was written by Luis Felipe Castilleja and Joan Faus from Reuters and was lawfully accredited through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
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