Barcelona gears up for 'biggest, most exciting' ISE audiovisual fair

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the world's largest audiovisual trade show, returns to Barcelona for the fifth consecutive year from Tuesday, February 4 to Friday, February 7. 

It is set to be the biggest edition yet according to Managing Director Mike Blackman. 

The exhibition space will be up 20% on last year, occupying "all nine halls" of the Fira Gran Via venue, a "big increase over last year," Blackman tells the Catalan News Agency (ACN). 

"What's on offer – features, conferences, etc. – make it the biggest and most exciting that we've hever had." 

Blackman explains that they are seeing an increase in registrations, with the "most optimistic" forecasts indicating that more than 100,000 could attend. 

And while he would not be drawn on exact figures regarding the economic impact, he also expects it to also increase substantially, between 15 and 20%. 

That would place it in the range of €538 million to €560 million, given that last year organizers put the figure at €468 million. 

ISE 2025 will have 1,600 exhibitors, 60% from Europe, with significant numbers from North America, Asia, the Middle East and India, according to Blackman. 

Tourist flat ban won't affect ISE 

A ban on tourist flats in Barcelona would not harm ISE and its relationship with the Catalan capital, Blackman says.   

"Barcelona has enough hotel capacity," he explains. 

The debate around housing and tourist apartments is "a European problem, not just a Barcelona problem." Blackman says. 

"The advantage Barcelona has is that you do have enough hotel accommodation, and you have hotels at different price levels that can actually offer what our attendees want." 

He also points out that people traveling to Barcelona for ISE "are coming here not as tourists; they're coming here on business." 

"They're spending money locally in the community. They're not here just to take. They're not going for cheap solutions. They're here to meet their customers or their suppliers and I think this benefits everybody." 

"Barcelona's been nice to us" 

Blackman admits that he receives offers "all the time" to move ISE to another city, but praises the good relationship with Barcelona. 

"Barcelona has been nice to us. The people, the administration, the partners we have here, this is what matters," says Blackman. 

Catalonia has also opened up new markets for the congress. "A big plus is Latin America which we didn't even have on our radar" the Managing Director says, adding that a "lot of people" are coming from the region. 

Looking to the future, he believes ISE can expand even further with the opening of Fira Gran Via's new Hall Zero exhibition hall. 

"One of the reasons to leave Amsterdam was it grew too small for us," he explains, adding that looked at "many venues across Europe" before settling on Barcelona. 

"My team is already planning how we use Hall Zero in 2027."