- From 27 February to 2 March the Mobile World Congress brought attendance close to pre-pandemic levels to Barcelona.
- Artificial intelligence and 5G took centre stage at a congress that works as a commercial showcase.
- Hotels, restaurants and services had one of their best weeks: major events are best exploited when prepared for.
From 27 February to 2 March 2023, the Mobile World Congress brought attendance close to pre-pandemic levels to Barcelona, with artificial intelligence and 5G as the protagonists. After editions shaped by restrictions, the congress regained much of its usual pulse.
For Barcelona, the Mobile is not just another event. It is one of the city’s great international showcases and brings together companies, executives and professionals from all over the world within a few days. That it returned almost to its former scale was a sign that the economy of major conferences was getting back to normal. Beyond the attendance figures, what matters for businesses is the knock-on effect: each visitor arriving in the city generates demand for accommodation, food, transport and services that lasts throughout the week.
What was seen at the congress
Artificial intelligence and 5G took centre stage. Beyond the technology announcements, a congress on this scale works as a commercial showcase: it brings together manufacturers, operators and service companies that close contacts and contracts for the whole year, and that use the occasion to gauge where the sector is heading.
For companies outside technology, the interest of the congress is indirect but real. The trends presented at this time of year end up reaching work tools, sales channels and customer expectations, and it pays to follow them closely without being carried away by novelty for its own sake. There is no need to work in the technology sector to benefit indirectly from this kind of event: many local service providers, from logistics to communication or design, find opportunities for new customers in them.
The conference economy
For the city it was confirmation that the conference economy was back. Hotels, restaurants and professional services were having one of their best weeks of the year. A major event also moves transport, retail, security, interpreting and space hire, in a chain of activity that extends well beyond the exhibition site.
That concentration brings advantages and demands. The city gains visibility and revenue, but must absorb a peak in demand for mobility, accommodation and services within a very few days. For local businesses, the key is for the week to translate into income and relationships, and not just into overcrowding. It is worth not confusing a peak in activity with a stable trend, however. A business that sizes its structure with only the busiest weeks in mind may find itself with fixed costs that are hard to sustain for the rest of the year.
What local businesses can do
For Barcelona businesses, these weeks call for planning ahead on staff, stock and prices, and for thinking about how to turn the flow of visitors into relationships that last beyond the congress. Seasonal contracts, reinforced shifts and orders from suppliers are decided weeks beforehand, not during the event.
It is also worth watching service capacity: an excellent week can be spoilt by a poor experience. A restaurant that cannot cope or a service that fails in front of international customers leaves an impression that is hard to correct. And after the congress, orderly follow-up of new contacts is usually what makes the difference between a good week and a lasting result. A sensible way of preparing is to analyse the experience of previous editions: which products and services were most in demand, which hours were critical and which supply or staffing problems appeared, and to adjust planning accordingly.
The return of major events is good news, but they are best exploited when prepared for.
This article is general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice, and it does not take anyone’s particular circumstances into account.
