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Decisive impetus
Construmat, the Motor Show and the Boat
Show are some of the established events that
took place in 2011. But I should like to take
the opportunity here to highlight the choice of
Barcelona as capital until 2018 of the Mobile
World Congress, excellent news for both the
city and Catalonia. Consequently, on behalf of
the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce I should
like to congratulate all those responsible for
organising the candidacy campaign.
Hosting the world’s most important mobile
phone event constitutes a decisive boost to the
city’s information economy and digital technolo-
gies sector. It is reckoned that the latest edition
had an economic impact of 220 million euros
and was attended by 60,000 congress-goers
from all over the world. This will therefore be a
tremendous boost to the Barcelona trademark.
Working together
The successful candidacy was fruit of joint efforts
on the part the Ministry for Industry, Tourism and
Commerce;Government of Catalonia; Barcelona
City Hall; Fira de Barcelona; Barcelona Tourism.
Public-private collaboration led to the creation of
a strong candidacy with a leadership vocation in
exhibition events worldwide, further evidence of
the fact that we know how to join forces and work
together to attain a common goal.
I should also like to stress the fact that in 2011
the Fira de Barcelona fostered internationalisa-
tion of its activities. This took the form of export-
ing shows to other cities, such as Hostelco as
part of Hotelex, the leading Asiatic hotel facilities
fair, held in Shanghai, and the anticipated hold-
ing of Construmat China in Beijing.
Furthermore, the Fira has managed to devise
new shows, which will be held for the first time in
2012, such as Seafood Barcelona, linked to the
fishing industry; Expomóvil Comercial, related
to the spare parts sector; and MIHealth, the
first health management and clinical innovation
forum. These are all good examples of how the
institution places itself at the service of firms and
constitutes an international platform fromwhich
to promote the different sectors in this country.
At the present time, more than ever, we must
adapt to the current economic situation and
take advantage of every business opportunity
that may arise. The Fira de Barcelona is a good
example of this.
Supporting firms and
economic sectors
Josep Lluís Bonet
President of the Governing Board,
Fira de Barcelona
When assessing the 2011 financial year, we
have no option but to refer to the impact of the
recession which, with as much persistence as
severity, has struck and continues to strike our
firms particularly the small and medium-sized
ones and the business fabric as a whole, our
institutions and much of society.
The Fira de Barcelona once again worked
untiringly to face the recession and continue
supporting firms, sectors and then productive
economy. Ensuring that the Fira schedule was
fully met, facilitating participation on the part of
exhibitors and fostering contacts with potential
buyers all formed part of a strategy based also,
as we have mentioned elsewhere, on anticipat-
ing future needs with more innovation and more
internationalisation. Despite the unfavourable
juncture, the Fira closed the financial year with
increased activity and greater profits: 114 mil-
lion euros, 2.3%more than expected.
Aworldwide point of reference
Special emphasis must be laid on the fact that
after a long process, in the summer of 2011
Barcelona was chosen as Mobile World Capital
for the 2012-2018 period, thereby becoming
a worldwide point of reference in the mobile
communications industry. For the Fira this
meant, moreover, acknowledgement of its work
since 2006, when it hosted the first Mobile
World Congress.
Barcelona Mobile World Capital will be the
nucleus of a set of major initiatives, beginning
with the congress itself, which will reveal the
technological, social, cultural and economic
importance of mobile communications. The
position as capital will constitute a consider-
able boost to technological innovation, to
the creation of an industrial fabric based on
knowledge, and to high-quality employment.
We are talking, therefore, about a strategic
commitment to Barcelona, to Catalonia and to
Spain as a whole.
Fira is working constantly to ensure that Bar-
celona will be one of Europe’s best platforms
for major events that generate synergies and
economic activity. Of great help here is the
sum of the impact of the Barcelona trademark
and exhibition and show experience. Besides
the aforementioned Mobile World Congress,
Carbon Expo and EIBTM, events of global
importance, in 2011 the Fira de Barcelona
hosted ITMA, the foremost international textile
technology event held for the first time in
Spain. This coincided with the inauguration of
the two new pavilions in the Gran Via venue,
which now has 240,000 gross m
2
of exhibition
area and is the flagship of our competitiveness
in the European exhibition field.
I must also stress the fact that throughout 2011
events were held of the importance of the Inter-
national Boat Show,which celebrated its 50th
anniversary in an economic environment of great
complexity, together with shows closely associ-
ated with our development, such as theMotor
Show and Construmat, both affected by the nega-
tive economic juncture though with initiatives and
measures with which to contribute to recovery.
And this without overlooking other such prominent
events as Piscina BCN, Expoquimia, Graphispag
and Sonimagfoto, amongmany others.
New challenges
2011 witnessed the incorporation into the Fira
de Barcelona programme of shows that respond
to new social, economic and business needs,
and form part of our institution’s innovative
strategy. Shows like FM&BS, Facility Manage-
ment & Business Services, which focuses on
externalising services to firms, and Smart City
Expo, a new area for debate on innovative, sus-
tainable solutions for cities.
During the year, significant advances were
made in the strategy to endow the interna-
tional dimension of the Fira with new meaning
by taking it to Asia and Latin America, with
the purpose of offering this country’s firms a
dynamic scenario in which to make their pres-
ence felt abroad, thereby counterbalancing the
fall in demand at home. Fira has traditional
international vocation has thus acquired a new
perspective charged with potential.
Trade fairs are dynamic institutions that change
of necessity to adapt to new requirements. Com-
mercial exchange, human contact that enhances
understanding, information, dissemination,
knowledge and debate are elements inseparable
from the concept of business. And, moreover, the
Fira de Barcelona is clearly aware of its links with
and services to the territory, as well as of its com-
mitment to firms, the city and the country.
GOVERNING
BODIES
GENERAL
COUNCIL
President
Xavier Trias i Vidal de Llobatera
First vice-president
Francesc Xavier Mena i López
Second vice-president
Miquel Valls i Maseda
Members
M. Àngels Barbarà i Fondevilla
Albert Carrerras de Odriozola
Josep Cercós i Martínez
Enric Enrech i Artal
Alberto Fernández Díaz
Joan Gaspart i Solves
Marc Guerrero i Tarragó
Núria Marín i Martínez
Jordi Martí i Grau
Josep Morell i Miró
Jordi Portabella i Calvete
Pau Relat i Vidal
Pau Villòria i Sistach
Fira de Barcelona
| Report 2011