2012 Mobile World Congress contributed more than 300 million Euros to Spain’s economy

2012 Mobile World Congress hosted more than 1,500 exhibiting companies and occupied 70,500 net square metres

The GSMA reported that more than 67,000* visitors from 205 countries attended the 2012 Mobile World Congress. This is a new record for the mobile industry’s premier event. The four-day conference and exhibition attracted executives from the world’s largest and most influential mobile operators, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies and media and entertainment organisations. Government delegations from across the globe also attended. More than 50 per cent of this year’s Mobile World Congress attendees hold C-level positions. More than 3,500 were CEOs.

“The 2012 Mobile World Congress was a phenomenal success, by any measure. The record numbers that attended this year’s event underscore how central mobile is to the lives of people around the world,” said John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd. “This is also illustrated by the breadth of companies that participated at Mobile World Congress, with representation from not only the traditional mobile industry players, but companies from vertical sectors such as automotive, health and finance, among others. It’s exciting to see the powerful role mobile has in driving innovation in new markets.”

The 2012 Congress hosted more than 1,500 exhibiting companies and occupied 70,500 net square metres of exhibition and business meeting space. More than 3,300 international print, online and broadcast media attended the event. They analysed and reported on the many significant industry announcements made at the Congress.

According to a preliminary economic analysis just completed, the 2012 Mobile World Congress contributed more than 300 million Euros to the local economy. This represents an increase of more than 25 million Euros over the economic impact of the 2011 Mobile World Congress. It is driven by the growth in attendance and in exhibiting companies, as well as the increased footprint of exhibition and hospitality spaces. “The Mobile World Congress is an important contributor to the Barcelona economy, and as a key pillar of the Mobile World Capital Barcelona, it is a positive factor in driving new opportunities for companies and individuals in the city and region,” said Hoffman.