PRESENTATIONS
10 | 11
Striving for reactivation
As an overall evaluation, it is worth mentioning
that the Montjuïc and Gran Via venues hosted
through 2013 more than 60 shows and
congresses, 70 corporate activities and more
than 450 events, all of them developed in the
hosted shows, which reveals, once again, that
trade shows are not only a place for buying and
selling and a business area, but also spaces for
knowledge and networking.
Fira hosted major events, now affected by
the economic crisis, such as the Barcelona
International Motor Show, Construmat or
The International Boat Show. In all cases, worth
of mention were the efforts made by all
these events to promote their sectors and to
turn innovation and internationalization into
opportunities for companies.
Also noteworthy for its impact was the new edition
of the Mobile World Congress, which for the first
time took place at the Gran Via venue, and other
important shows like Smart City Expo, Piscina
Barcelona, EIBTM, Carbon Expo and Tissue World,
hosted for the first time by Fira, together with
Sonimagfoto, Bizbarcelona or SITC, among others.
Fira’s main concern has
been to support companies
and economic sectors in their
efforts to overcome the
crisis and start on the path
towards reactivation,
with the continuity of all
the shows, innovation and
internationalization
Diversifying the activity
It is also worth mentioning the importance
of the medical and technological congresses
hosted in 2013, which have had been highly
responsible for the good results obtained by Fira
de Barcelona and have represented the strategy
of diversifying business activity and reinforcing the
role of the institution as a major fair trade and
congress platform, as a great space for business,
knowledge and entrepreneurial culture, which
contributes also to the projection of Barcelona
and its brand.
A specific aspect of the institution’s strategy
throughout the year has been the new scope
of international business, started in 2011,
by taking several Fira shows to other cities in
America, Europe and Asia; participating
in international events; and vindication
the institution’s technological and trade fair
experience, by providing advise to other
operators, thus contributing to the expansion
of domestic companies and to the support of the
productive economy.
