The kings inaugurated this Wednesday the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) at the Ifema venue in Madrid together with the president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, as the guest country of the 44th edition of the largest event in the tourism industry. in Spain.
As is tradition every year, Mr. Felipe and Mrs. Letizia have participated in the opening session of the macrofair along with a large delegation of authorities who have accompanied them on their tour of different pavilions, amid great expectation.
On this occasion, the presence of the Ecuadorian president stood out, in his first official trip abroad since he took office two months ago due to the climate of insecurity in which the South American country is immersed due to the confrontation between the Army and crime gangs. organized.
Visit to company and country exhibitors
The walk of the kings and authorities, including the president of Congress, Francina Armengol, and the president of the Senate, Pedro Rollán, will last for more than an hour and a half and includes stops at company and country exhibitors, such as Ecuador and Puerto Rico.
Also those of four autonomous communities, Madrid, Asturias, the Balearic Islands and Murcia, and those of Ceuta and Melilla.
At the inauguration, the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and a dozen regional presidents are with the kings, including those of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno; Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page; that of Extremadura, María Guardiola, and that of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo.
Don Felipe and Doña Letizia have arrived at pavilion 10, where they have been received by Noboa and by the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, also visiting Spain on the occasion of Fitur, as well as by the president of Ifema, José Vicente de los Waiters.
The inauguration of Fitur comes just before the National Statistics Institute (INE) publishes official data on foreign tourist arrivals on February 2.
According to estimates that the Ministry of Industry and Tourism presented last week, Spain is going to break its record of visits with more than 84 million arrivals, one percent more than in 2019.
Fitur begins a record-breaking edition, in which it expects 250,000 visitors
Fitur opens its doors with the expectation of receiving, until Sunday, nearly 250,000 people, including professionals and the general public.
This year, the fair reflects the growth that the sector has experienced after the pandemic with a record edition in which 9,000 companies will participate – five hundred more than in the previous edition – and 152 countries – twenty more -, with Ecuador as the host destination.
Nine pavilions
With 809 exhibitors deployed in nine pavilions at the Ifema exhibition center in Madrid – one more than last year – Fitur is the first of the major sectoral events on the international calendar.
The advance in Fitur’s figures is a reflection of the growth that the sector has experienced in 2023, after years of stagnation during the coronavirus health crisis.
According to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the year 2023 closed with a recovery of nearly 90% of pre-pandemic levels, with global revenues of around $1.4 trillion.
Prominence of technologically oriented companies
In this edition of Fitur, technologically oriented tourism companies will take center stage, which this year grow by 23% in number, to almost a hundred, and will have a reserved space in pavilion 8 of Ifema.
There will also be a focus on tourism offers that emphasize accessibility, inclusion and sustainability.
Ecuador will also play a leading role, serving as the host country in the 44th edition of Fitur and will have a large stand of 760 square meters.
Professionals and visitors will be able to appreciate the gastronomy, music and other cultural expressions of the Latin American country through the offerings of 48 co-exhibitors and representatives of the country’s 16 autonomous governments.
Ecuador aims to increase the arrival of Spanish tourists by 10% with its presence at the fair, while ensuring that the episodes of violence experienced in the country in recent weeks are far from the main tourist routes. gx/apcCategories Community of Madrid , Economy , Spain CoverTagsFitur , Tourism.
By Nadeem Faisal Baiga
