*Last updated 19/04/2021

We are adapting as necessary whilst leading consistently with our role as convenors of a critical ecosystem. We are grateful to count so many leaders as part of our loyal MWC family and respecting the considerations and resources required to participate in an event like this; we remain committed to communicating frequently.

Registered exhibitors and attendees are permitted entry to Spain

GSMA and Ministry of the Interior of the Government of Spain have announced details of an agreement to allow all MWC21 Barcelona registrants – including exhibitors, attendees, sponsors, and partners – to enter Spain to attend our in-person event. Whilst there is a current denial of entry to Spain for any national from a country outside the EU, exceptions apply to specific groups of people, including 'highly qualified workers'. The decision from the Spanish government now includes MWC21 Barcelona registrants in this category.

Learn more

Travel service provided at no charge to MWC21 participants travelling to Barcelona

We’re proud to announce that Gray Dawes Travel, a leading independent travel management company, is our new business travel partner.

Gray Dawes Travel will help with a range of travel-related advice and support covering Covid-19 considerations and PCR testing; travel documentation and visa forms; quarantine and border restrictions and travel itineraries. Travellers may also choose to work directly with Gray Dawes to book their flights.

This support is provided at no charge to MWC21 exhibitors, attendees, sponsors, and partners prior, during and post MWC21 Barcelona.

Learn More

When we made the decision to cancel MWC Barcelona 2020, none of us anticipated just how significant an influence the global pandemic would continue to have on our lives one year later… I want to thank the people of Barcelona for your spirit of generosity and we look forward to hosting a safe and vibrant MWC21 in Barcelona. … With a number of expert partners, we’ve designed Committed Community, our most rigorous health and safety plan to date. Using the latest technology and scientific insights, the multi-layered plan creates a safe environment so we can bring together the mobile ecosystem, even in our new normal.

John Hoffman CEO GSMA Ltd

A Committed MWC Community

We thank everyone, including our trusted partners, for contributing to the safety of all attendees and Barcelona residents. Our partners include Fira Barcelona, the transportation and hospitality industries, the Spanish and Catalan governments, as well as the Catalan medical authorities.

Together, we’re mitigating risks to maintain a safe and controlled environment at MWC Barcelona and across the city.

Our measures span every step of our attendees' trip, from beginning to end: flying into the city, travelling to and around Barcelona, as well as attending, networking, and exhibiting at the venue.

Our Multi-Layered Safety Approach: Committed Community

Our multi-layered safety approach, Committed Community, applies the latest technology and scientific advice to create an environment that addresses the risks associated with Covid-19.

No matter how you travel – with our trusted partnerships, we provide layers of precautionary procedures, at every step of your journey, including and not limited to required frequent testing and monitoring.

Our multi-layered safety approach includes prevention, protection, mitigation, monitoring and maintaining safety. Layers include frequent testing, contact tracing, touchless environments, re-vamped catering, occupancy monitoring, upgrades to facility infrastructure, increased medical staff – and personal commitments like adhering to social distancing.

The plan was developed in coordination with and approved by the Catalan health authorities, responsible for the regulations governing MWC21, including the Department of Business and Knowledge of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Technical Committee of the PROCICAT. According to the Sectorial Plan of Fairs and Congresses, the plan satisfies the directives and recommendations for event organisers.

Check In To Get In is the first step in our multi-layered plan. Participants will download My MWC, a bespoke app designed for MWC21 Barcelona. It is a digital badge that will activate and allow entrance to the event once registration, self-declaration and testing is completed. Registration for MWC21 will open in the coming weeks.

Before You Arrive

Flying into Barcelona

For all attendees flying to MWC Barcelona, here are the necessary steps to take prior to travelling.

Before flying, all passengers from a country or zone of risk (except for children under 6 years old), must have a PCR or TMA for SARS-CoV-2 with a negative result – carried out in the 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain. Remember, passengers may be asked for proof of the test result at any time. For more information, consult the Ministry of Health FAQs

Before travelling, (including children of any age), you must fill in a Health Control Form (FCS) associated with your trip and receive a QR code. To access the form, or to download the Spain Travel Health app on your mobile, simply go to www.spth.gob.es

You must submit the form 48 hours before the flight. Once submitted, you will receive an email with a QR code that will allow you to access the destination airport.

Upon arrival at the airport, present the QR code for your trip at the arrivals control. It will be scanned so you can access the terminal and collect your luggage
Your PCR, or TMA for Sars-CoV-2 will be checked

Temperature checks will also be administered upon arrival at Barcelona airport

If you are interested in any other Covid-19 related information and measures at Barcelona Airport, have a look at the following AENA website.

In and Around Barcelona

Regardless of mode of transportation, our partnership with local transport entities and the Barcelona Hotel Association will help create an environment where all attendees can feel safe.

Local transport health and safety measures include:

Hydro-alcoholic gel dispensers at stations
Compulsory wearing of protective face masks
Constant air renewal inside the trains and increased ventilation on buses
Enhanced procedures for cleaning vehicles and facilities, including new innovative techniques to improve disinfection processes with UV light
Installation of signs to facilitate adherence to social distance

Plan your transport journey by consulting the estimated level of occupancy on the TMB app.

Barcelona Hotel Association health and safety measures include:

Protection kit on arrival which includes masks, gloves and sanitizing gel
Contactless payment system
Express check-in and check-out online
Breakfast, lunch and dinner served by hotel staff to avoid direct contact with guests
Temperature checks, social distancing, hygiene protocols and ongoing training

Safety Measures at Fira Barcelona

To enter the venue during the official build up period, at our MWC21 event – and during dismantling, attendees, staff, visitors, and suppliers will be required to have a valid, negative rapid test result. The test result will be valid for 72 hours. No remaining partial hours will be permitted for access to the venue. The test must be repeated every 72 hours, with participants notified through the My MWC app of upcoming expiration.

Positive results (will be confirmed with an additional PCR) and subsequently will be handled as per protocol established by public health authorities, if confirmed.

Testing and Tracing

We are partnering with a leading provider of medical services in Spain and arranging for MWC relevant testing centers so we can address the testing needs of our attendees, staff, visitors, and suppliers. Rapid tests will be available at MWC relevant testing centres (pricing details to be announced)
Multiple MWC relevant testing centres will be available to support rapid testing
All tests will be performed by qualified personnel, working alongside the Catalan Health Authorities
Whilst in the venue, temperature checks will also be conducted at all access points
We will use technology for contact tracing to mitigate and manage potential exposure and will share relevant data, if requested, by health authorities

Social Distancing and Occupancy Monitoring

Using a combination of technology (Occupancy Monitoring) and on-the-ground support, the number of attendees within the venue will be monitored and controlled for effective social distancing and density control
We will monitor occupancy capacity along multiple dimensions, including perimeters, hall capacity, concurrent capacity, density and overall limits using a combination of technology and cameras
We will also minimise crowd density with additional access and exit points
Attendees, staff, visitors and suppliers must wear a FFP2 (Filtering Facepiece Respirators) mask, adhere to social distancing requirements, complete a daily health questionnaire assessed via the My MWC app – and make regular use of the 1,300 disinfectant dispensers placed around the venue

Hygiene and Ventilation

The venue will feature a fresh-air injection/external ventilation to significantly improve air-flow and meet the highest standards of air recirculation
The venue will be disinfected regularly, including stands, product samples and audio-visual equipment
There will be hand sanitizer stations throughout the venue
We will observe a touchless policy, including entry to the venue and cashless payments

Other Personal Safety Measures

We have increased the number and types of medical facilities on site and adapted them to meet Covid-19 requirements
The onsite medical facilities have been adapted to incorporate Covid-19 protocols, including the addition of isolation rooms to facilitate assessments
We will have increased medical personnel onsite to conduct assessments, administer PCR or rapid tests and to coordinate where necessary with Catalan health authorities
Face-to-face interaction areas onsite at Fira Barcelona, registration, ID verification, info points and other usual customer services, have been moved to online
Details of insurance options for the MWC attendee community will be forthcoming

Official Medical Services Provider

MWC21 Official Medical Services Provider, Quirónprevención

The GSMA and Fira de Barcelona are delighted to share that Quirónprevención is the official medical services provider for MWC Barcelona 2021. The internationally trusted company is headquartered in Barcelona. It will work with the GSMA, Fira de Barcelona, and all MWC21 and 4YFN stakeholders to ensure everyone's health and safety involved for MWC21. Quirónprevención will staff the onsite medical testing facilities and coordinate with Catalan health authorities.

Ensuring safety with our certified partners

Creating an environment that promotes peace of mind during MWC21 is made possible by working closely with independent certified partners – the experts who help us ensure we meet, if not exceed, the highest safety standards.

Fira Barcelona Fira has received the Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel Tourism Council for its protocol against Covid-19. These measures were designed in collaboration with the specialist risk management consultancy Aon – and with the advice of the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, a benchmark epidemiological centre.
TMB’s Metro and Bus networks TMB is officially accredited with the Applus certificate as safe for their protocols and procedures involving cleaning, disinfection and control.
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport Received the certification of the Airport Health Accreditation program of the Airports Council International (ACI), a program evaluating compliance with sanitary measures recommended by ACI, the Aviation Organization Civil International (ICAO), EASA, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Check In to Get In Your Commitment to Keeping Others Safe

During these exceptional times, we’re going above and beyond to create a safe environment.

But we’re also relying on you to contribute. Along the way to MWC21, you’ll need to take steps like completing your registration online or downloading our My MWC app to access your Digital Badge. To help you, we’ve created Check In To Get In, an easy way to check off the requirements that will keep everyone safe.

Your first safety requirement is registration. Given our emphasis on health and safety and creating a touchless environment for MWC21, all attendees must register online. 

All attendees have the option to participate in BREEZ. This year, BREEZ, our online facial recognition technology, will play an even greater role than ever before in ensuring touch-free access – as there will be no physical registration desks upon arrival.

Keeping You Informed

As we approach the event date, we’ll be providing updates, new advice and the latest news. Stay in the loop by checking back regularly or Register your interest for our MWC21 communications.

We are also pleased to share an additional safety net for international attendees. Our partner, Fira Barcelona, is providing contingency health insurance related to Covid-19 for the entire duration of MWC21, including official build-up and dismantle days. Details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Note to Our Exhibitors

Planning in a pandemic is complicated. Global circumstances remain dynamic and so we must behave accordingly, which means constant evaluation and fine-tuning. We are adapting as necessary whilst leading consistently with our role as convenors of a critical ecosystem.

As you evaluate your participation in MWC, we have worked on options and developed ways to modify your MWC experience. To discuss these options in further detail, contact your account manager or [email protected].

Any questions about our health and safety measures?

We appreciate that not everyone will attend in-person, therefore MWC21 Barcelona will be a hybrid event for the first time. The in-person and virtual options are provided so that all friends of MWC Barcelona can attend and participate in a way that works for them.

The GSMA will abide by every step outlined in our health and safety guidelines and will enforce compliance throughout the event to ensure that exhibitors and attendees also comply.

Find out about Covid-19 health check requirements, preparing for your flight, getting your ID checked and how we’re working with our partners to ensure rigorous health and safety measures.

We’re constantly updating our advice as we approach the event, so stay informed with our FAQs page.

FAQ Page