The Círculo Ecuestre hosted a visit this Monday from Pau Relat, president of the board of directors of Fira de Barcelona since 2018, as part of the luncheon-colloquium ‘The new Fira de Barcelona on the horizon 2029’. In a meeting that brought together members and representatives from the economic sector, Relat shared his vision on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the trade fair institution in the next three years, at a key moment to consider its evolution and its role as a driver of activity, economic revitalization, and international projection for Barcelona and Catalonia.
The event was presented by the president of the Círculo Ecuestre, Enrique Lacalle, and also featured the participation of Elisenda Vallejo, head of the Economics section at La Vanguardia, who moderated the event and interviewed Relat, guiding a conversation focused on transformation, ambition, and the strategic horizon for 2029.
Relat framed the current moment as particularly decisive and, at the same time, as one of the best in the history of Fira de Barcelona. He emphasized that the institution combines, on the one hand, a world-class calendar of events and, on the other, record financial results that validate its recent trajectory. In this regard, he pointed out that Fira exceeded €350 million in revenue in 2025, with an unprecedented EBITDA of €60 million. He attributed these figures to the direct result of the work carried out and, in his opinion, they allow for an investment cycle destined to shape Barcelona for decades to come. As an example of this international presence, he noted that in the first three months of the year alone, Fira will host four leading global trade fairs: ICE, ISE, Mobile World Congress, and Alimentaria. This concentration of major events reinforces the city's global standing and its ability to attract activity, talent, and business.
The expansion of the Gran Via venue was a central theme of the meeting. Relat explained that the growth of these flagship events has meant that, in just a few years, the space has become too small. He justified the need to add 60,000 square meters with the future Hall Zero, designed to be an iconic feature and position the venue among the most recognizable in Europe. With this expansion, Gran Via will reach 300,000 square meters and will allow, as detailed, room for expansion for congresses and fairs that are already a benchmark in their sectors, such as Mobile or ISE, in addition to boosting the growth of large own halls such as Alimentaria, and increasing operational flexibility to be able to host two events at the same time. The project anticipates an investment of 360 million euros and aims to be fully operational by 2028.
Relat noted that Barcelona already ranks among the top six European exhibition centers, a ranking dominated by large German venues, and argued that combining the Gran Via expansion with the Montjuïc transformation opens the door to competing at the highest global level and moving closer to the top three.
Secondly, the remodeling of the Montjuïc venue, linked to the centenary of the International Exposition that Barcelona hosted in 1929, was discussed at the colloquium not only as a modernization project, but also as an urban and symbolic opportunity. Relat described the anniversary as an occasion to celebrate history, adapt and modernize the exhibition heritage, and, above all, “to undertake a transformation of Montjuïc mountain to better integrate it into the city's ecosystem.” From Fira's perspective, the project will be rolled out in phases, with the first stage running until 2029 and a budget of €250 million. During this phase, the Alfonso XIII Palace will be converted into an auditorium, pavilions 4 and 5 will be adapted as a multifunctional space, and the building known as Palau del Vestit will house the future Fira Innovation Hub, designed to promote the establishment of startups and strengthen the link between trade fair activity and innovation.
All these works are part of a first phase that will conclude in 2029. A second phase will then address the remaining renovations necessary to complete the project.
In the more political aspect of the dialogue, when asked about competition with Madrid, Relat championed a “positive” strategy based on creativity, value creation, and a long-term vision. He argued that “Fira’s project seeks international leadership to attract the world’s most important trade fairs to Barcelona in sectors of the productive economy that will be relevant in the next ten to fifteen years, helping them grow, supporting their transformation, and ensuring they leave a legacy, while promoting internationalization and digitalization processes.” Along the same lines, he emphasized that Fira is a tool at the service of the country’s productive fabric and that its mission is to contribute to competitiveness, not so much to fuel territorial rivalries.
The meeting also addressed the Circuit de Catalunya, whose full management Fira assumed in 2025. Relat explained that the institution took over an asset considered underutilized with a strategic commitment aimed at ensuring its impact benefits the region. He detailed the plan to diversify its activities around four main areas: sustainable mobility, sports beyond motorsports, festivals and music events, and the organization of trade fairs and congresses. After the first year of management, he stated that the three established objectives have been met: the payment of a fee to the Generalitat (Catalan government) to improve the operating account, the implementation of the diversification plan, and profitable management. Meanwhile, on a day marked by the confirmation of Formula 1's renewal in Barcelona until 2032, Relat affirmed that F1 "will continue" and expressed his hope that it will do so "for many more years."
In the final segment, Relat moved beyond the strictly trade fair context to address two highly topical debates: the Rodalies commuter rail crisis and absenteeism. Regarding Rodalies, the Fira president called for an honest approach to a problem he defined as structural and, therefore, without an immediate solution, appealing for a realistic discourse from all stakeholders and citing the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) model as an example of what has worked. As for absenteeism, he described it as a serious phenomenon that also cannot be resolved in the short term and stems from deeper causes, including the lack of stability in the education system. In his remarks, he called for a return to a culture of hard work, responsibility, meritocracy, and honesty, and defended the need for major national agreements to define the model that will be built for future generations.