Tourexpi
The 45th
International Tourism Fair, organized by IFEMA MADRID, closes its doors
with outstanding participation and attendance figures. FITUR has exceeded
expectations, reaching a first estimate of nearly 255,000 visitors, with
significant growth in its first three days, which welcomed 155,000
professionals.
These
figures reflect the strong recovery of the global tourism industry in
2024, with 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals, according to UNWTO,
as well as record numbers for both Spain and Madrid, which saw 94 million and
16 million visitors, respectively. Furthermore, these FITUR figures
anticipate the forecast that, in 2025, both travelers and tourism spending will
continue to grow, driven by strong demand. Worldwide, tourism-related revenues
have reached 1.9 trillion US dollars, with Spain and Madrid following this
trend. Tourist spending figures have risen to 126 billion euros nationally and
16 billion euros in the Madrid region. Moreover, these figures from FITUR
anticipate that by 2025 both traveler numbers and tourism spending will
continue to grow, driven by strong demand.
Alongside
these outstanding attendance figures, and with a total of nine halls, FITUR
2025 consolidates its leadership in participation, hosting more than 9,500
companies across 884 stands. This year, FITUR has
brought together 156 countries from around the world, with 101
of them participating with official delegations. This influx also has an
economic impact of 445 million euros on Madrid.
Under
the theme "Proud. We Are Tourism," FITUR has celebrated an
edition in which all stakeholders have advocated for sustainability
criteria to ensure balanced and viable global growth in the medium and long
term for both the planet and local communities. Additionally, experts have
emphasized how diversification, seasonality reduction, and the
integration of new technological tools are driving an inclusive
and competitive tourism model that ensures a more sustainable future for
all. This model is promoting different types of tourism that
contribute to this development, including sports, film, and language
tourism.
Progress
toward this sustainable tourism model is also essential to preserve the
right to travel for future generations, ensuring that travel remains an
accessible and enriching reality.
With Brazil
as the Partner Country, the Fair was inaugurated on January 22 by Their
Majesties, the King and Queen of Spain. The event saw the participation of
all stakeholders in the tourism industry's value chain, who presented the
latest trends, showcased the sector's dynamism through numerous business
transactions, and exchanged knowledge and best practices to continue shaping
the sustainable development of the industry.
IFEMA
MADRID is already working on the 2026 edition of FITUR, which will
take place from January 21 to 25, with Mexico as the Partner Country.
Image
Credit: © FITUR
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