Kuala Lumpur, 31 March 2020 – Following the cancellation of Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2020, GSMA CEO John Hoffman has released a statement on financial packages with several options to this year’s MWC Barcelona exhibitors. In the beginning of the year, elfo Sdn Bhd was set to exhibit at the biggest mobile event up until less than two weeks before opening day, GSMA had to make one of the biggest decisions in MWC history – to cancel the event to help flatten the curve caused by coronavirus concerns.
According to reports, the cancellation’s impact on the economy amounted to 492 million euros and about 14,000 contracts for part-time jobs in Barcelona and its neighbouring regions had to be put on hold. The event also projected more than 109,000 key decision-makers from over 198 countries and territories.
The GSMA was quick to connect with the parties involved, sharing that they were working on a package that will be beneficial to the stakeholders and would be announced by noon on the 25th of March, UK time.
The official announcement states that MWC Barcelona 2020 exhibitors with spend above £5,000 will have two of the following options:
- Option one: cash equivalent to 50 per cent of 2020 spend, capped at a maximum £150,000; OR
- Option two: a cumulative fees credit of 125 per cent of 2020 spend over three years as follows:
- MWC 2021: 65 per cent fees credit
- MWC 2022: 35 per cent fees credit
- MWC 2023: 25 per cent fees credit
“Our vision at the GSMA is to unlock the power of connectivity so that people, industry and society thrive. It has never been more critical to ensure the continuity of our convening, advocacy and technology efforts to advance the world,” stated GSMA CEO John Hoffman in an e-mail sent on last Wednesday.
On top of that, the purchase price of tickets will be fully refunded to the visitors via their original method of payment. MWC Barcelona 2021 rates will roll-back to those used in 2019.
elfo Director Johary Mustapha said, “We appreciate GSMA’s decision on making available the choices of refunds via future discounts to its loyal members. It is a great relief to emerging companies such as elfo, which is finding more ways to innovate especially during these troubling times of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we speak, we have also seen many countries implementing lockdowns as well as ‘Work-From-Home’ initiatives. Although it could be challenging for most companies to implement, we are glad that as a tech company, most of our operations are already on the cloud. Within this period, we will try and support our current customers and partners to the best that we can, guiding them in between these transitions.
Despite the cancellation, the team at elfo did not stop their efforts in moving the company forward. Johary, along with elfo Product Manager Sri Yosephin and elfo Marketing & Business Development Jesmin Merlin had attended the #unofficialMWC organized by Telemedia, gathering professionals who were affected by the cancellation. More than 850 delegates, networked with tech leaders at the event which was held in Barcelona. Optimistic about the promising future of the mobile communications and technology industry, elfo is looking forward to attending next year’s MWC Barcelona 2021.
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About MWC Barcelona
The GSMA Mobile World Congress Barcelona is the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry and incorporates a thought-leadership conference featuring prominent executives representing global mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors, and content owners.
About elfo
elfo is a martech company that offers wide range of Digital Solution tools for business clients. A spinoff of Forest Interactive, elfo brings a full range of knowledge with an extensive background in the vibrant tech landscape and access to vast array of networks with Mobile Network Operators, Content Providers, Government Agencies, Consumer Groups, Enterprise, and Content Partners across Asia, the Middle-East and the USA.
elfo Press Bureau
Address: Unit C-5-1, Megan Avenue 2, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, 50450, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia.
Phone: : +60111169166/ +60321622728 (Ext:236)
Email : [email protected]
Website : elfo.com
