Last Sunday was the closing day for the International Tourism Fair, a special edition highlighting the urgent need for recovery in the global tourism industry. Tourism Ministers from 28 countries, the World Tourism Organization, and Spanish national and regional authorities took the unique opportunity provided by FITUR to announce their strategies and extraordinary measures to boost Tourism’s recovery.
The figures achieved by FITUR confirm that it has been a turning point: 5000 companies and 55 countries, over 62,000 attendees (42,000 trade visitors and more than 20,000 general public visitors, estimated today after the closing of its two general public days). In addition to these numbers, there were more than 40,000 online visitors as this was the first hybrid edition of the Fair, which has helped widen FITUR’s international scope, with almost a hundred countries taking part.
IFEMA MADRID’s resolve to stage Europe’s first in-person international fair has been welcomed by the sector and has contributed decisively to arousing optimism about the coming summer season.
Last Sunday was the closing day for FITUR 2021, a special edition highlighting the urgent need for recovery in the global tourism industry. The Fair’s importance was confirmed by the Tourism Ministers from around the world, the World Tourism Organization, and Spanish national and regional authorities who took part. This was the first fair held in Europe since the pandemic, and they took the opportunity to present their plans and incentives for the revival of tourism for this coming summer.
FITUR 2021, Tourism Recovery Special edition has come to an end. IFEMA MADRID has organised it with the aim of bringing the tourism industry value chain together on the starting line on the road ahead towards recovery in the international tourism sector. Exhibitors at FITUR’s seven halls (44,000 sq. m) also expressed their satisfaction with the way it has helped arouse optimism and hope among industry professionals.
This edition of FITUR was attended by 5000 companies from five continents, with 55 countries, 37 of them with official delegations, and the seventeen regions of Spain and Ceuta & Melilla. This year’s attendance was over 62,000 (42,000 trade visitors and an estimated more than 20,000 general public visitors over the weekend). Visitors arriving in Madrid for FITUR generated an estimated economic impact of approximately €100 million in the city.
These figures are in addition to the more than 40,000 online visitors at this pioneering hybrid edition of the Fair. Moreover, this innovation has helped widen FITUR’s international reach, with almost a hundred country delegations and improved business networking opportunities.
Strong Institutional Support
FITUR has also had solid institutional backing, with support from Spain’s Royal Family, which, once again, put the finishing touch to the opening day with the presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain. The Government of Spain also supported the event by declaring FITUR attendance as essential travel for qualified trade visitors from abroad and declaring the Fair an Event of Exceptional Public Interest. Furthermore, the President of the Government of Spain chose FITUR to present the European Union Digital COVID Certificate, and the Spanish Tourism Council held a meeting.
FITUR has also been the leading institutional event for tourism. After thirteen months of the pandemic, there were meetings of tourism ministers from 28 countries and 371 authorities, including Spanish ministers, presidents, tourism ministers of all the regions of Spain, and mayors of different towns and cities.
