Presentation
Fira de Barcelona
Barcelona's trade fair tradition dates back to the Universal Exhibitions of 1888. In 1920, the first general trade show was held and, in 1929, the Universal Exhibition, which led to the creation of the Montjuïc exhibition centre.
Fira de Barcelona, which was officially constituted in 1932, is of major strategic importance for the Catalan and Spanish economy, as a platform for commercial promotion and international exposure of companies. It provides an exceptional meeting and exchange place for the different economic and social sectors.
One of Fira's main identity features is the support it provides exhibitors, visitors and the productive fabric. The institution has full consensus in Catalan society which values the importance of having a modern, innovative and competitive trade fair, adapted to the challenges of globalisation.
SHOWS. Fira de Barcelona has a portfolio of 70 trade shows (annual, biannual, biennial, triennial and quadrennial), brings together 30,000 companies (direct and represented) and receives 2,5 million visitors.
15 of the shows are international benchmarks ranked among the three leading events in their speciality in Europe.
It is a leader in Spanish industrial-professional trade shows organised in Spain and its estimated contribution to the economy of the city and its surroundings is over 2,500 million euros.
VENUES AND FLOOR SPACE. Fira de Barcelona's exhibition floor space totals 405,000 m2, one of the largest areas in Europe, divided into two exhibition centres: Montjuïc (165,000 m2 of floor space, 50,000 of which are outdoors) and Gran Via (240,000 m2).
STRATEGY OF MANAGEMENT, GROWTH AND INTERNATIONALISM. The Fira de Barcelona model - publicly owned with autonomous company management - has proven to be very effective.
Its expansion strategy, together with internationalisation, is based on promoting the growth of trade shows and audiences, innovating by launching new shows, increasing the potential of new business lines, attracting major international events, ensuring excellence in service to exhibitors and visitors and investing in know how and value-added activities and products.
Internationalisation is one of Fira's priorities, with the aim of ensuring the presence in its venues of large international shows and events, as well as of foreign exhibitors and visitors, thereby reinforcing its position as one of Europe's best platforms for major events.
41% of exhibitors and 25% of visitors at the trade shows are international. Fira has a wide network of delegations abroad, with representation in 38 countries.
The institution also works to develop new opportunities for overseas business, especially in Asia and Latin America, geared to increasing the participation of Fira exhibitors in events in other countries; replicating some shows that are held in Barcelona and selling services, technology, management and advice to other organisers and exhibition centres.