Under the new brand “Guatemala. Amazing and unstoppable” the Central American country will be a FITUR 23 Partner at one of the most important editions of the International Tourism Fair, which, organised by IFEMA MADRID, will be held from 18 to 22 January 2023 at the Spanish capital’s Trade Fair Centre, and in a context marked by the acceleration of world tourism activity.
The new brand that Guatemala is presenting at FITUR 2023 encompasses the industries of tourism, economy, investment and culture for the first time and invites you to get to know the country from a Guatemalan culture viewpoint, with the essence of its typical textiles, the shell of time and the vibrant and dynamic colours of a developing society. With this Country Brand, Guatemala pays homage to the richness and traditions that characterise the country, as well as the ancestral wisdom, the historical cultural heritage and the biodiversity of its forests, volcanoes and rivers.
Guatemala is one of the most diverse countries in the world, being one of the main natural destinations that stands out for its pre-Hispanic Mayan heritage, where its past is mixed with its present. This natural, cultural and historical heritage can be discovered in every corner of the country, making it the ideal destination for leisure holidays and business trips. The destination offers many activities, since the qualities of the territory generate a wealth for the development of tourism in this country, where there are mountains, 37 official volcanoes, rivers, lakes and lagoons that are the perfect setting for adventure and nature activities, surrounded by communities that enrich the trips by showing their culture. In addition to this, Guatemalan culture stands out mainly because of the quality of its people, always friendly and helpful, making any trip a fabulous experience.
Among the destinations that Guatemala will present at FITUR 2023 is the most cosmopolitan city in Central America, Guatemala City; in addition, Antigua Guatemala, the main icon of the Hispanic colonial heritage and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; Petén, the perfect destination for discovering the Mayan World, its findings and ancient history; Altiplano, the region where the living Mayan culture can be appreciated through its people, traditions and customs; Izabal, a Caribbean full of Garifuna culture, extraordinary gastronomy and music; Las Verapaces, noted for its great natural wealth or Pacific, which offers volcanic sand beaches perfect for surfing and theme parks of internationally renowned prestige.
New features and a great offer at FITUR 2023
This edition of Fitur 2023 will also be one of the most powerful and strategic, showing the strength of the tourism ecosystem in the world, through the participation of companies, countries and destinations and ten large sections that will allow professionals to learn about and discover the business opportunities offered by these segments in communication with tourism activity. Among them, and as a novelty, FITUR Sports, which in collaboration with the Spanish Association of Manufacturers and Distributors of Sporting Goods AFYDAD will highlight the potential of sports tourism as a driver of sustainable tourism development; FITUR Cruises dedicated to “blue tourism”, which is enhanced with a large programme of proposals and B2B and B2C activities designed to promote the meeting of the cruise industry with ports, tourist destinations and the public, and FITUR Mice, which offers its agenda of professional meetings for meeting tourism, expanding its scope for the corporate and associative buyer.
FITUR Techy will offer a full programme of debates and conferences under the title “Journey to the Centre of Tourism” to talk about technology and sustainability and address issues such as the role of Artificial Intelligence, Circular Economy and Digital Twins in the tourism sector; FITUR Know How & Export, will focus on data management, digital transformation and sustainability, with SEGITTUR; FITUR Talent will focus on the evolution and management of talent in organisations and companies in recent years, in the programme organised by Educación 3.0; FITUR Woman, in collaboration with Women Leading Tourism, will focus its debate on the role of women in the world of work in the tourism industry and the importance of female leadership; FITUR Lingua will highlight language tourism and its potential markets through a programme designed by FEDELE; FITUR Screen will connect the film industry and tourism through the Spain Film Commission; FITUR LGBT+ will focus on the tourism offer generated for this segment of LGBT travellers, and the FITUR Next Sustainability Observatory will focus on the challenge of regenerating natural spaces and show how the tourism industry can contribute to this task. .
FITUR’s online format will be found in the FITUR Liveconnect platform, which once again hybridises the fair, expanding networking opportunities and allowing for the preparation and follow-up of face-to-face participation beyond the setting and dates of FITUR.