Barcelona welcomes MWC

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) turns the city on its head over the four days the doors will be open from February 26 to March 1. Indoors, the figures are overwhelming. In an area of 240,000 square metres, equivalent to 40 football fields, there will be more than 108,000 attendees from 200 countries; 2,900 people on duty at food service centres with 70 outlets, with cuisine from around the world including halal and kosher; with more than 60 tons of food in 175,000 servings, including a whole ton of ham, requiring a brigade of 16 professional ham slicers; 225,000 sandwiches, 367,000 coffees, 135,000 pastries and 430,000 litres of beverages; all of which adds up to 13,000 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs.

Everyone is smiling although some more than others. Last week the hotels cut prices as bookings stod at only 90%. Many visitors prefer flats with Airbnb, prices here as well have dropped.

Barcelona’s restaurants, bars, clubs discos and leisure centres on the other hand predict and even more profitable week ahead, in fact a 4.5% increase on last year. The estimate is for average daily expenditure per visitor of €275. Food suppliers such as Mercabarna are fully prepared to cater to whatever needs MWC generates and face a 40% increase in demand for top line products such as lobster, crayfish, top of the range oysters and other seafood and the choicest cuts of meats.

This year the city will breathe easier in the transport sector as well, an area that has caused concern in past events. Taxi services have been liberalised during congress days and public transport extended.