Mobile World Congress (MWC 2020), has been cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. The GSM Association (GSMA), which organizes the show, have officially confirmed the cancellation.
The cancellation is hardly surprising and comes after more than a week of exhibitors and companies withdrawing from the event.
In a statement, GSMA CEO John Hoffman said,
With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event.
The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision.
The GSMA and the Host City Parties will continue to be working in unison and supporting each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future editions.
Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world.
MWC 2020 was due to run from Feb. 24 to Feb. 27. GSMA had stepped up sanitary precautions to reassure visitors — advising against handshakes, introducing body temperature scanners and a protocol for changing microphones, and restricting entry to recent arrivals from China.​
Some delegations had replaced Chinese staff with colleagues from other countries or sent their China representatives ahead of time to avoid being barred.
MWC regional sales manager Brandi Majewski sent the following email to exhibitors today:
“I wanted to share the following news that regrettably MWC2020 has been cancelled.
“I am sure that you will all have many questions and I will endeavour to come back to you as soon as I can with more information.Â
For now I am truly sorry that I will not be seeing you on site in a few weeks’ time and I’ll work to speak with you all in the coming days.”
