Six cities are competing to host the GSMA Mobile World Congress event for five years from 2013. Amsterdam, Cologne, Milan, Munich, Paris, and the incumbent, Barcelona, have been named as the candidate cities who are vying to become the home of Mobile World Congress for the five-year period from 2013 through 2017. The GSMA says it expects to identify a shortlist of finalist cities in January 2011, and to complete the evaluation process and announce the host city in mid-2011.

“The mobile industry continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace and the GSMA is also advancing its business to meet the changing requirements of constituents across the global communications industry,” says GSMA CEO, John Hoffman. “The Mobile World Congress has grown significantly since it was started in 1987, and we look forward to shaping the future of the event with one of these outstanding candidate cities.” 

Mobile World Congress 2011, which takes place in Barcelona from 14 – 17 February, is expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors. The four-day conference and exhibition attracts executives from the world’s largest and most influential companies across the mobile industry and adjacent sectors, as well as government delegations. The Mobile World Congress has been held in Barcelona since 2006 and the city will continue to host the event through at least 2012.