300,000 visit 'successful' first post-Covid Barcelona Automobile fair

A total of 300,000 people visited the first post-Covid Barcelona Automobile fair at Fira Montjuïc, which was open to the public from October 2 to 10.

While pre-pandemic trade shows attracted around 800,000 visitors, Barcelona Automobile organizers are still pleased with what they have described as "a success" as it "reinforces the return to normalcy." Last year was the first in the fair's 102-year history that it was not able to open its doors.

"This is the first big fair open to the public in Europe since the pandemic hit," said José Miguel García, the Barcelona Automobile director. "We are very happy because a lot of people came and because it was in-person." 

This year's edition featured 22 brands and more electric vehicles than ever before. However, Barcelona Automobile president Enrique Lacalle previously stressed the importance of installing more charging stations if electric vehicles are "to become the most common" mode of private transport.

Protest against Felipe VI

Spain's King Felipe VI inaugurated the fair on September 30, two days before it opened its doors to the general public.

And as has been the case on all of the monarch's previous visits to Catalonia, his presence was greeted with a pro-independence demonstration.

Largely peaceful, a few hundred protesters cut off Plaça Espanya square to traffic, waved 'estelada' flags, and held banners that read 'Catalonia does not have a king'. Two Spanish flags were burned.