This year, Barcelona will once again become the world capital of the real estate sector during the BMP event,(Barcelona Meeting Point). Between October 25th and 28th, the Fira de Barcelona will host the 22nd edition of a more than consolidated forum that serves as a meeting point for professionals, estate agents and, of course, clients and investors. According to the organisors' forecasts, the participation of more than 260 companies in the field of real estate market and the attendance of more than 16,000 visitors is expected. Engel & Völkers will once again be present at the event as the leading sponsor and will be located at the stand CL01.
This collaboration is part of our strategy to reinforce the image of Barcelona as the leading city for hosting international real estate events in Southern Europe. The 2018 edition of the BMP will be divided into four large sections: Exhibition (with the Engel & Völkers' and other firms' booths), Symposium (with the participation of more than 100 internationally renowned speakers), Startups (space dedicated to more innovative business strategies) and Networking (section in which the advantages of Barcelona as a city to do business will be enhanced).
Engel & Völkers will bring its entire catalogue of properties to the Fira de Barcelona so that visitors can take a closer look at the variety and quality of real estate options available in Barcelona, Sant Just, La Cerdanya and Andorra. We will also be strengthening our Developments and Commercial divisions, the two areas with multiple possibilities to discover. For example, in the first section you will find the best solutions in terms of new-build and renovated properties, with great examples in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. The Commercial division specialises in assets, such as office complexes, industrial buildings, hotels and other buildings for business activities.
Of course, Engel & Völkers will take advantage of its participation in the 2018 BMP to highlight its latest plans, as well as to present its next initiatives. In Spain, our real estate company already has 78 property shops and Market Centers located at strategic points in the main cities, such as Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. During next year, we plan to open new and modern establishments in a series of provincial or regional cities, such as Seville, Cádiz, Murcia, Zaragoza, Almería, Gran Canaria and Salamanca, as well as Fuerteventura. The strategic expansion plan is in permanent review so we never lose sight of the market.
At an international level, Engel & Völkers has subsidiaries in 33 countries on four different continents, totaling more than 800 locations around the world. This strong presence in the main global markets resulted in 2017 with a turnover of 667.8 million euros, a historical record in the more than 40 years of the company's existence. In fact, in some of our property shops in Spain, we exceeded one million euros in commissions during last year. This is a remarkable example of the profitability that awaits investors and / or estate agents who are encouraged to collaborate with us.
