"Now is the time to discuss where we are going and what the goals"

Barcelona Meeting Point is presented in its twelfth edition with a difficult task restoring confidence to the real estate market, and therefore also to the consumer, in very difficult times for the sector. Enrique Lacalle, President of the Chamber, analyzes us in detail what can make BMP to potential investors, and what are the factors that have to bear in mind today and in the next few years in the Spanish and international real estate market.

Enrique Lacalle, President of the Barcelona Meeting Point.

With regard to international exhibitors, we have increased the number of participating companies and will have special areas dedicated to Panama, 'Guest country' of BMP 2008, area of Brazil ' Live & Invest in Brazil', and Central Europe and the East. So the Hall number 8 is complete and, indeed, the Symposium conferences have had to move to the Congress because they did not fit in the living room professional as they have been held in recent years.

With regard to national exhibitors, if that has si que ha habido been a decrease in the number of exhibitors compared to the year passed what has led us to concentrate all exhibitors of general public in a single Palace. In this way, they will be more tight, we must reduce the corridors, but we believe that for them and for the visitors lounge it will be best to find all the product focused on a single room. However, it is important to emphasize that we will have the same square meter than in 2005, when in Spain there was no real estate crisis, concentrated in pavilions 1, 5 and 8.

As I said before, this year the international part of BMP will weigh more important than ever. Grows the professional exhibition in internationality, which confirms that we are a very valued meeting point. The area of Panama will feature more than 50 exhibiting companies from this country that presents tremendous potential for foreign investors, the best apartment of 110 square metres worth 120,000 euros, with return of the rentals of up 12 percent, with available funding.

On the other hand, will have for the second year the area of ' Live & Invest in Brazil', the largest Brazilian real estate exhibition abroad, with Sao Paulo as 'guest city' of BMP. São Paulo is a very important metropolis, the second most populated planet with 11 million inhabitants, which represents 60 percent of GDP in Brazil. The average annual revaluation of the square metre built in Sao Paulo is 15 percent. It is the economic capital of Latin America, hosting the Latin American headquarters of the main multinational.

On the other hand, will have exhibitors from Central Europe and the East from Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Poland, very attractive countries for investment. And this year, for the first time, BMP will exhibitors from the United Arab Emirates, country which has been experiencing an unlimited economic growth in recent years.

There are Spanish businessmen who have for years by investing in international markets of Central Europe and the East, reason by which we have been three editions of Central Europe Meeting Point and a Bucharest Meeting point. But, as a result the current situation, it is true that many investors are looking for alternative markets with high returns are not Spain. That is why we work so hard to attract these markets to our room so that they can find new investors and partners for their projects.

We are working on it. Possible meetings meeting point would be Sao Paulo, which is our guest this year, city and even Dubai.

With regard to the Symposium, this year the rooms are located in the Palace of congresses of Fira de Barcelona. The Symposium lunches change format and they will no longer be open to all conference attendees, but will be much more restricted, offers, only by invitation, and they meet certain groups of entrepreneurs and investors and with direct and specific goals. An example is Panama and those interested in that country; In short, we have sought to make tailor-made. Also, the BMP Symposium offers practical ideas to deal with the crisis. These ideas can be summarized in five points. On the one hand, BMP carefully examine alternative growth markets to invest to offer high returns. From Panama, 'Guest country' BMP 2008, which will be a seminar on November 5, Brazil, also discussed in another seminar 6, or Central European and Eastern, (November 6), to Russia, the United Arab Emirates and India (the GRI session)(November 4). None of these markets has been affected by the real estate or financial crisis, and they offer very interesting investment opportunities that will be analyzed in detail in the Symposium.

In addition, given the credit crisis we are experiencing, the Symposium offered alternative sources of funding such as, for example, the 'Family Offices' (late of November 4), the REITs and European funds (November 5) or the multilateral banks for development (November 6).

On the other hand, following the issue of the financial crisis, IESE has organized a session on refinancing to study the restructuring of liabilities of the real estate companies (November 4).

In addition, to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, IESE has organized another session that will analyze the experience of past crises (November 4).

Finally, the Symposium of BMP will offer a series of keys to future, analyzing how will be the cities and buildings in a few years (the 22@Barcelona seminar and ULI, Tuesday, 4 November). Will also help us to glimpse how the future will be the seminar that has organized 'The future that awaits us after the housing crisis' ULI (morning of Wednesday, 5 November). And, finally, the EPF has organized a session on sustainability, within the BMP Symposium on ' the next EU directives on energy consumption and water in buildings: good news for the supply of energy, water and an opportunity for property investors ' (November 5).

"The real estate market has a future: buyers must, and business, despite the time, also"

Despite the time, this business has a future and will continue, as stones, and what I have said many times, in the medium and long term never disappoint, as well as being necessary, all citizens know this. "To bad weather, good face", more determined move forward with professionalism, equipment, and illusion. That is the challenge. I believe that this spirit will achieve their goals, as there are potential buyers and business, despite the time, also.

Today, more than ever, we must discuss where we go, what recipes and what objectives should be to establish.

I think that they are facing the crisis more smoothly than other sectors.

I think that not