UN Tourism has returned to the FITUR international trade fair to advance the sector’s shift towards greater accessibility and growth propelled by investments and innovation.
On the eve of FITUR 2025, UN Tourism gathered high-level delegates to celebrate its 50th anniversary, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to making the sector a pillar of peace and understanding. Looking to the next 50 years, UN Tourism once again used the platform of the leading tourism trade fair to advance priorities for the present and the future, with a focus on supporting new ideas and technologies and boosting investments into the sector.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “As UN Tourism celebrates 50 years, FITUR meets for the 45th time. Together, we have helped shape global tourism, building bridges between the public and private sectors, promoting dialogue and cooperation and advancing shared priorities around innovation, sustainability and resilience.”
Within the framework of FITUR 2025, the UN Tourism leadership held a series of high-level meetings with delegates, including Ministers of Tourism, business leaders and representatives of its Member States.
FITUR 2025: Tourism investments take centre stage
In Madrid, UN Tourism welcomed key stakeholders for a special Investment Breakfast, hosted in partnership with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF). The event brought together experts to focus on the key opportunities and challenges for growing investments into the sector across the region.
On this occasion, UN Tourism presented the latest additions to its growing portfolio of “Tourism Doing Business” Investment Guidelines. The two new publications focus on the investment landscape of Panama and also Brazil, partner country of FITUR 2025.
Making tourism more accessible to all
Further advancing its commitment to making tourism and its benefits available to all, UN Tourism and AccessibleEU hosted a special side event at FITUR (23 January).
Organized in collaboration with the ONCE Foundation, the European Network for Accessible Tourism and ILUNION Acesibilidad, the event “Accessible Tourism: Harnessing the Benefits of Inclusive Destinations for Companies and People” celebrated the progress made in this field, making clear the advantages to destinations of being more inclusive. The event also assessed the challenges standing in the way of opening up destinations to visitors of all abilities, with a particular emphasis on infrastructure and the use of innovation to boost accessibility.
UN Tourism Affiliate Members: New allies welcomed
UN Tourism welcomed its growing network of Affiliate Members to FITUR 2025, further strengthening ties right across the diverse sector. A special “Affiliate Members Corner” was held, focusing on “Targeting Traveler Segments”. The event assessed key growth areas and other areas of potential for destinations looking to diversify their tourism offerings.
At FITUR, UN Tourism signed new Memorandums of Understanding with Affiliate Member CIFFT (Audiovisual Tourism Advertising), designed to advance creativity.
