Barcelona signs proposal to continue hosting the Mobile World Congress until 2023 with all-party support
Every party with representation in the 41-seat Barcelona City Council, except for one small party holding 3 seats, were present at the signing of the official proposal that will be sent to the Mobile World Congress' organisers in order to continue hosting the event until 2023. The MWC is the world's main event of the mobile phone-related industries and since 2006 has taken place each year in Barcelona. The current contract expires in 2018 and there are other cities that want to host the event besides the Catalan capital. The 2015 edition attracted 93,000 visitors in Barcelona, 9% more than in 2014. Most of those who attended were executives from international companies staying for 4 or 5 days in town. It was estimated that the 2015 edition had a €436 million impact on the local economy and generated more than 12,600 temporary jobs. Furthermore, Barcelona has been named the Mobile World Capital, a long-term project to make the Catalan city a hub for this industry, hosting standardisation organisations, multinationals and international research centres focused on related technologies.
Barcelona (ACN).- Every party with representation in the 41-seat Barcelona City Council, except for one small party holding 3 seats, were present at the signing of the official proposal that will be sent to the Mobile World Congress' organisers in order to continue hosting the event until 2023. The MWC is the world's main event of the mobile phone-related industries and since 2006 has taken place each year in Barcelona at the end of February or in early March. The current contract expires in 2018 and there are other cities that want to host the event besides the Catalan capital. Barcelona is basing its bid on the great success of the past editions, its experience attained, its leading role as a smart city at world level, the quality and large number of its hotels and restaurants, the upgraded trade fair facilities, the improved transportation (with the metro reaching the trade fair pavilions in 2016), its geographic location, its airport – which has the highest number of short- and medium-distance flights in Europe and an increasing number of inter-continental connections, etc.
The 2015 edition attracted 93,000 visitors in Barcelona, 9% more than in 2014. Most of those who attended were executives from international companies staying for 4 or 5 days in the Catalan capital. It was estimated that the 2015 edition had a €436 million impact on the local economy and generated more than 12,600 temporary jobs. Furthermore, Barcelona has been named the Mobile World Capital, a long-term project to make the Catalan city a hub for this industry, hosting standardisation organisations, multinationals and international research centres focused on related technologies.
The next Mayor of Barcelona was present at the signing ceremony and supported the bid
The incumbent Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias – who lost the elections held on 24 May – signed on Tuesday the renewal offer that will be sent to GSMA, the company organising the Mobile World Congress. Trias wanted to show the full support and commitment that the city, and particularly the recently-elected City Council, has for this event. He invited all the political parties with councillors to attend the signing of the proposal and particularly the candidates for the next Mayor of Barcelona.
Trias sat next to Ada Colau, the alternative left and green candidate who won the elections and whom is the mostly likely person to become Barcelona's next Mayor by mid-June. Colau had already pledged her explicit support for the renewal offer last week. However, her presence next to Trias on Tuesday at the signing ceremony sends a clear message of support to the Mobile World Congress' organisers.
The other attendees were Carina Mejías, the candidate from the anti-Catalan nationalism party Ciutadans; Alfred Bosch, from the social-democrat Catalan independence party (ERC); Jaume Collboni, from the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC); and Ángeles Esteller, from the People's Party (PP). The only party absent was the radical independence and alternative left party CUP, which has only 3 representatives in the 41-seat City Council.
The General Director of Fira de Barcelona and Vice President of the Mobile World Capital Foundation, Agustí Cordón, were also present, as was the current Deputy Mayor for Economic, Business and Employment Affairs, Sònia Recasens.