Fira de Barcelona has just announced a record-breaking year for its international activities, showcasing more shows and new products than ever before. Throughout 2024, this Spanish organizer and venue is set to stage 14 events, with eight of them being brand new. These events will span across countries like the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, China, and Saudi Arabia. They’re also ramping up their presence at the two venues they operate in China through a joint venture.
One of the standout events in Fira’s international expansion is the Smart City Expo World Congress. This, alongside trade fairs like Alimentaria, Tomorrow.Mobility, and IOT Solutions World Congress organized in Barcelona, is becoming a model for exporting to other countries.
First Half of 2024: A Busy Start
In the first half of the year, Fira has already pulled off six events. Notably, the first editions of Smart City Expo in New York City and Riyadh have been a hit. The smart cities show made a significant impact in Curitiba, Brazil, hosting its largest edition yet with more than 450 mayors, 50 countries, and 16,800 visitors. The expo will soon head to Argentina, landing in Santiago del Estero for its third edition.
What’s Next: The Second Half of 2024
The second half of the year kicks off with the Smart City Expo Latam Congress in Mérida, Mexico. This event will feature over 300 municipalities, 100 mayors, and numerous institutions and companies. Running parallel to this event will be the first edition of Tomorrow.Mobility, focusing on sustainable urban mobility systems. The Smart City Expo is also set to make stops in Bogotá, Doha, Santiago de Chile, and Hangzhou, China.
Big Debuts and New Ventures
China will host the first edition of Alimentaria in Chengdu this September. Meanwhile, Brazil will see the launch of two new events: Tomorrow.Blue Economy in Niteroi this December and the IOT Solutions Congress, which already took place in Sao Paulo in June. Additionally, Fira continues to co-organize annual events in Cuba, with this year’s Alimentos Cuba marking its fourth edition.
Strategic Growth and International Presence
Constantí Serrallonga, the director of Fira de Barcelona, emphasized that this year’s intense international activity reinforces the company’s strategy. “Over ten years, we have consolidated our international positioning with the aim of being useful to companies and helping to open up new markets and build bridges with countries with great dynamism and opportunities,” he said.
Since 2021, Fira de Barcelona has been managing two major exhibition centers in China: the Xuzhou Greenland Huaihai International Expo Center and the Nanchang Greenland International Expo Center. These venues together offer 240,000sqm of exhibition space and are set to host 66 events this year. Notable among these are the 21st China Livestock Exhibition at the Nanchang site, occupying 190,000sqm, and the International Intelligent Automobile and New Energy Exhibition at the Xuzhou facilities.
In summary, Fira de Barcelona’s record year of international activity highlights its strategic growth and expanding global footprint, reinforcing its role as a key player in the exhibition industry.
