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Barcelona, a centre
of innovation
Xavier Trias
Mayor of Barcelona and President of Fira
de Barcelona General Council
In an overall framework of economic recession,
the pinch of which is being strongly felt by both
firms and the public at large, throughout 2011
the Fira de Barcelona once again played a major
role as a driving force behind and boost to the
economy of the city and of Catalonia.
Efforts on the part of the Fira de Barcelona
moved in the right direction to contribute to
overcoming the difficult economic juncture we
are all currently experiencing: more innovation,
more internationalisation, excellence in service,
technological development and full support
for initiatives on the part of entrepreneurs
and of small and medium-sized firms, which
form the basis of our productive fabric. The
fact that the anticipated schedule was almost
completely met constituted a visible way to
convey a message of trust in and support for
the economic sectors. It is remarkable that at
such a difficult juncture the profit forecasts by
the fair institution have not only been met but
also surpassed.
MobileWorld Capital
On taking stock of the 2011 economic year,
we note the importance of the fact that last
July our city was chosen as Mobile World
Capital for the 2012-2018 period. In a context
of fierce competition with other major
European cities, this objective was attained
thanks to both the solidity of the project
presented and to unity and consensus as
regards the candidacy, in which the Fira de
Barcelona played a decisive role.
With the Mobile World Capital, a strong boost
will be given to mobile applications and to
Barcelona’s role as a centre of innovation, and a
contribution will be made to growth of the exist-
ing economic fabric. This strong boost will have
an impact on business competitiveness, on new
business opportunities and on the creation of
scope for skilled employment.
I should also like to highlight the Fira de Barce-
lona’s innovative efforts to institute a pioneering
show of great significance for our city, Smart
City Expo, which focuses on the application of
information and communication technologies in
a bid for the ‘intelligent city’ that gives priority to
energy saving, to efficiency and to a new model
of mobility and sustainability. The show, which
was a great international success with good
prospects for coming years, ran parallel to the
efforts on the part of Barcelona and its metro-
politan area to improve urban planning, services
and, in short, the quality of life of its citizens.
It is only fair that should refer also to the impor-
tance of other major events and congresses
held throughout 2011: the Boat Show, with deep
roots in our city, which celebrated its fiftieth
anniversary; Construmat; the Motor Show;
Piscina BCN; Expoquimia; Graphispag; Bizbar-
celona; EIBTM and Carbon Expo, among many
others. Furthermore ITMA, the world’s most
important textile technology event, was held for
the first time not only in Barcelona but also in
Spain as a whole. The textile industry has strong
links with the Catalan economic tradition and
we hope that one day the event will be organised
again in our city.
Linkswith the citizenry
The Fira de Barcelona's international vocation
was strengthened throughout 2011 with the deci-
sion to go beyond our frontiers andmeet market
and globalisation challenges by setting several
projects inmotion in Asia and Latin America, in
the fields both of organising shows and of offering
services, technology,management and assess-
ment to other organisers and fair venue.
As Mayor of Barcelona and President of the
Fira de Barcelona General Council it gives me
great pleasure to note how the institution has
established strong links with the citizenry.
Today, more than ever, the synergies between
Barcelona and the Fira respond to a will to
cooperate and work together in the endeav-
our to build bridges of confidence and create
expectations for the future.
Aworldwide point
of business reference
Francesc Xavier Mena
Minister for Business and Employment
Government of Catalonia and first vice-president
of the Fira de Barcelona General Council
Once again, the Fira de Barcelona more than
met its objectives, moreover in an atmosphere
of macroeconomic uncertainty in which the
exhibition and fair dynamics of other places has
witnessed how the present juncture has led
directly to a drop in the number of activities.
In this context, I should like to stress the twofold
value of the task conducted by our fair institu-
tion in 2011, a year of great activity which has
undoubtedly contributed to once again making
Barcelona a worldwide point of reference.
Throughout the year, the Fira de Barcelona
organised 65 shows and events, generating an
income of over 114 million euros, a figure that
surpasses expectations by 2.3%.
For the fact is that the Fira is a major driving
force behind the Catalan economy and a promi-
nent business platform associated with the
value of the trademark of Barcelona, the capi-
tal of Catalonia. The support it gives to firms, to
their internationalisation, innovation, creation
of synergies, cooperation... is perfectly in tune
with the road map drafted by the Government
of Catalonia to boost the competitiveness of
our economy.
Modern-day agoras
In this context, and especially in these times
of economic uncertainty, the Fira de Barcelona
has intensified its efforts aimed at strengthen-
ing shows, fostering contact between exhibitors
and visitors, and fomenting sectorial rendez-
vous. Indeed, fairs and shows have become our
modern-day ‘agoras’.
Prominent among the many fairs and shows
organised by the Fira de Barcelonar in 2011 are
the Boat Show, which celebrated its 50th anni-
versary, and key events for the Catalan economy
like the Motor Show, Construmat, Piscina BCN,
Expoquimia, Bizbarcelona, Graphispag and
Sonimagfoto. I should also like to welcome two
newcomers to the Fira: FM&BS, Facility Manage-
ment and Business Services, designed to meet
firms’ externalisation needs, and Smart City,
which placed the Fira de Barcelona and the city
in the international field of new urban services
and technologies.
Internationality
Worthy of special mention are the efforts on the
part of the Fira de Barcelona to internationalise this
country’s business institutions and firms.This is an
indispensable tool withwhich to foster the growth
of our firms and overcome current economic dif-
ficulties.The Government of Catalonia is andwill
always be an ally to the Fira de Barcelona and, con-
sequently,we give our full support to this strategy.
Furthermore, we must congratulate ourselves
for Barcelona’s having been selected as the
Mobile World Capital, a success shared by many
people and institutions, both public and private,
the fruit of work well done which we must learn
to exploit as a means by which to reactivate the
Catalan economy and create job opportunities,
to attract investments and place both Barcelona
and Catalonia in a better world position.
The Fira de Barcelona:
impetus and leadership
Miquel Valls i Maseda
President of the Barcelona Chamber
of Commerce, Industry and Navigation
and second vice-president of Fira de Barcelona
General Council
The time has come to assess the events organ-
ised by the Fira de Barcelona in 2011. We cannot
overlook the fact that it was a difficult year for
firms, marked by a particularly unfavourable
economic juncture. Even so, the outcome is
a positive one, since the institution managed
to fulfil its planned schedule and close the
financial year with profits of over 114 million
euros, 2.3%more than had been anticipated
at the beginning of the year. The Montjuïc and
Gran Via venues provided the venue for 65 fairs
and shows and for 50 further events, thereby
consolidating the Fira is leadership in the pro-
fessional and industrial spheres.
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