FITUR 2024 will exceed the international presence of its previous event by 7%

18-01-24

From January 24 to 28, the Madrid International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) will consolidate its position as a world leader in the sector. At a press conference held this Wednesday at the IFEMA fairgrounds, FITUR director Juan Arrizabalaga announced that the 44th edition will feature 9,000 companies from 152 countries, 20 more than last year's event, with the participation of 806 exhibitors.

These figures represent a 7% increase in the international presence with respect to the 2023 event, whose total number of attendees was over 220 thousand.

The undersecretary of tourism promotion of Ecuador, partner country on this occasion, Diego Andrade thanked the event for the opportunity to consolidate the Ecuadorian nation as the main destination for Spaniards in South America.

The event, which opens the calendar of international tourism fairs, will be the opportunity to carry a message of peace and culture regarding Ecuador as a valuable destination, as Andrade pointed out. "More than 113 thousand people flew from Madrid to Ecuador in 2023, through the more than 14 daily flights, which are made from Madrid to Quito and Guayaquil, with another 2 yet to be incorporated".

Not surprisingly, it is the host of the event. FITUR will provide visibility through forums, gastronomic and cultural presentations of the natural wealth, flavors and traditions of a nation halfway between north and south.

In order to provide greater representation of destinations, which this year total 96, IFEMA Madrid has set up a new pavilion. This brings to 9 the number of spaces that will host the latest trends in the sector, exchanges of best practices, business meetings and exhibitions of services, products and destinations.

The Community of Madrid arrives at FITUR 2024 at the best tourism moment in its history, with 29% more foreign visitors in the period compared to 2023, said Deputy Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports Daniel Martínez.

For 5 days, the city will once again be the capital of tourism, but also of sustainability, innovation, environmental responsibility and Ibero-American economic growth, cross-cutting themes of the 10 sections of the fair. The possibility of showcasing what is indigenous to each region means that FITUR transcends a purely professional business purpose to become an event of interest to the general public, bringing Ibero-American cultures closer together, fostering the exchange of knowledge and strengthening the historical ties between Europe and the Americas.

Integration with the life of Madrid is a kind of catalyst for FITUR to be not only an excellent letter of introduction for the Spain brand, but, in the words of Arrizabalaga, to discover the best Ibero-American ambassadors for this city, which generates more than 430 million euros that will have an impact on sectors such as transportation, hotels, commerce, trade, leisure and culture.

Hence, FITUR is considered one of the key events in the qualitative leap that Madrid has experienced in the ranking of the most attractive destinations in the world, from 47th to 3rd place worldwide, preceded only by Paris and Dubai. "Last year there was a 21.5 million impact on Madrid's hotel and catering industry, which demonstrates the importance of holding this fair for the city, by promoting its cultural and leisure offerings," said Almudena Maillo, Councilwoman Delegate for Tourism of the Madrid City Council.

FITUR 2024 will become the venue that sets the tone for the year in terms of tourism and culture, an event that will promote the growth of Ibero-America.