Interview with Jordi Mas, President of Mercat de la Boqueria and CEO of Crear Mas
2026
In November 2025, Mercat de la Boqueria and TC Group Solutions launched a pioneering project that marks a turning point in the management of high-traffic public spaces. Through the implementation of TC LinkSpace, TC Group's new pedestrian traffic analytics solution, Barcelona's most iconic market became one of the first public spaces to deploy an intelligent network of sensors capable of measuring and analyzing, in real time, the movements of millions of visitors.
In this interview, Jordi Mas, President of La Boqueria, shares the challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities generated by this initiative, as well as his vision of how people counting technology and footfall analytics can transform the management of markets, cities, and public spaces in the years ahead.
Data that challenges intuition: The first insights from the project
Although the system has only been operational for a short time, the first results have already provided valuable insights for market management.
According to Jordi Mas, one of the project's earliest conclusions highlights the importance of working with real data rather than assumptions.
Why was it necessary to implement an advanced traffic measurement system in a market like La Boqueria?
“Modern management requires metrics. With more than 25 million visitors per year, having our own accurate data on entrances, exits, and movement throughout the market is essential for understanding visitor behavior and making better decisions.”
What has surprised you the most during the first months of operation?
“We believed that the highest concentration of people occurred in one specific area of the market, but the data showed us it was actually the opposite. Now we finally have a reliable metric.”
This discovery confirms a fundamental principle in the management of high-traffic environments: perception does not always match reality. Thanks to the information provided by TC LinkSpace, La Boqueria can accurately identify high-density areas and act more efficiently.
From global decision-making to zone-based management
One of the most significant benefits of people counting technology is the ability to manage the market with a level of detail that was previously unavailable.
Jordi Mas summarizes this transformation clearly:
How will this data help improve market management?
“Until now, we operated at a macro level. Today, we can work at a micro level and make far more personalized decisions.”
The insights generated by the system will enable the market to optimize commercial campaigns, plan targeted initiatives in specific areas, and adapt space management according to actual visitor mobility patterns.
Furthermore, the knowledge generated by the project will benefit not only market management but also individual vendors.
“For the first time, merchants will truly understand what is happening around them. We are moving from intuition to real awareness.”
From retail to smart urban management: A pioneer project for markets and cities
The complexity of the La Boqueria project makes it a benchmark for other public spaces.
Installing 78 sensors across nearly 5,000 square meters required overcoming technical, regulatory, and administrative challenges. According to Jordi Mas, the project's success was built on one key factor:
What was the main challenge during implementation?
“The key was understanding among all stakeholders and a shared commitment to making the project succeed. The collaboration between the market, public institutions, and TC Group Solutions allowed us to adapt the project to the specific needs of the environment and overcome every obstacle encountered during the process.”
Digitalization, predictive analytics, and the future of space management: Can this model be replicated in other spaces?
“What we are doing at La Boqueria can help hundreds of markets and public spaces better understand how people move and how to make better decisions.”
Beyond retail, this technology opens new possibilities for:
Municipal markets
Public buildings
Tourist attractions
Transportation hubs and stations
Smart mobility projects
Smart cities initiatives
La Boqueria's experience demonstrates that access to reliable pedestrian traffic data is no longer a competitive advantage but an essential tool for managing complex spaces more efficiently and sustainably.
Through the insights generated by TC LinkSpace, La Boqueria will be able to anticipate visitor patterns, optimize commercial actions, and adapt market operations to real mobility dynamics.
