ICE Barcelona drives €255M economic impact for Catalonia

The 2026 editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona generated €255 million in direct, indirect, induced, and fiscal contributions to the Catalan economy, according to an economic impact study by Equimore. This represents a 34% increase from the €191 million recorded in 2025. The event supported 7,087 jobs and drew 62,988 unique visitors, over half of whom traveled from outside Spain.

Visitor spending accounted for €129 million of the total impact, benefiting sectors such as hospitality, transport, and leisure. WorldGaming noted that the international audience helped fill hotels and restaurants during the city’s low season.

Looking ahead to the event scheduled for January 18–20, 2027, at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, organizers announced the introduction of a dedicated Digital and FinTech Transformation Hall. This new section will focus on the technological infrastructure supporting gaming operations, including cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, payments, and data tools.