In February 2020 the organizers of the Mobile Congress of Barcelona, one of the most important international fairs that are held in Spain, suspended the event before the threat posed by the Coronavirus. Just one month later Europe progresses massively the state of alarm, the borders were closed and the population was confined.
The Mobile was the first Great Congress that was canceled in Europe, and Fitur, the International Tourism Fair that welcomes Madrid, the first to be held in Pandemia in May last year. Now congress tourism entrusts its recovery to this 2022, despite the threat posed by omicron.
Thus, several institutional representatives were pointed out yesterday, which will be held in Madrid next week and where some 90,000 people are expected to come, half last year, but far from the 255,000 that was reached in January 2020.
«It is necessary to assume the current situation as part of the change in all sectors; We have to learn to coexist with this situation, "said Fitur's organizing committee and also president of Iberia, Javier Sánchez-Prieto, during the presentation of this 42 edition.
The director believes that, unlike last year, the high level of vaccination will now facilitate security. "This year will look more like the 2019 fair than the years of pandemic," he said.
FITUR will require all the participants this year the European digital certificate, also called the Covid passport, and those of third countries, the documentation that allows entry into Spain. The entrance to the IFEMA enclosure with FPP2 mask is also required for the first time.
"From Madrid we want to launch the message to the world that we can live with the pandemic and that the fairs can not be stopped and that we have the capacity to organize events like this in a safe way," according to the President of IFEMA, José Vicente de los Mazos.
Before the pandemic Spain was the fifth European country in business tourism, congresses and events. This type of activity is the one that is slowing to recover. Teleworking and restrictions on mobility that has been in many countries (and continue) practically to date have complicated the work trips and holding great events.
Last December, the World Tourism Organization (OMT) has already celebrated its annual assembly also in Madrid. In the case of Barcelona, the Mobile returns after two years, since last year an edition but semipresentation was made and very sweetened. "Many things have changed in the last two years, but our determination to reunite the sector is unwavering," according to the GSMA Executive Director, organizing organization, John Hoffman.
"During the pandemic we have all learned that making forecasts is risky, but what we see is that at the moment when there are no restrictions to travel, tourism and activity grow", in the words of Javier Sánchez Prieto.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés, also confided that the recovery arrives this 2022, despite the threat posed by this new variant. The World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out yesterday that it calculates that 50% of Europeans will be infected in omicron in the coming weeks.
"Aerial capabilities and reserves anticipate 2022 that have to consolidate the path of recovery", although "with all possible caution and considering that we are still in a pandemic."
Date Of Update: 11 January 2022, 20:20
