The thirty-sixth edition of the International Tourism Fair, FITUR, will be held from 20 to 24 January 2016 in Madrid. The event, as usual, opened the international circuit events in the travel industry, will highlight its capacity as a privileged meeting point for the global tourism industry and as a business tool to promote synergies and promote trade agreements and contacts .
The commitment and confidence of tourism enterprises and government agencies in FITUR has developed in tune to the momentum going through tourism both globally and specifically in Spain. In this sense, according to forecasts of the WTO, Spain will reach 68 million international tourists in 2015, an increase of 6.2% foreign tourists who visit us, allowing our country to maintain third place in the world for the number arrivals, and the second by revenue.
FITUR 2016 final preparations for its next edition with very positive expectations, in line with the results of your last call, which set a record for participation in the path of living. FITUR 2015, which brought the tourist offer of 9,419 companies from 165 countries, 222,551 visitors, 125,084 of whom were professionals, with an increase of 12% international visitors were recorded.
According to market trends
One of the keys that has marked the evolution of FITUR has been the ability that the Hall has proven to recognize market trends and reflect them in its offer. With this premise over recent years have joined the Fair new monographic sections, according to increasing market segmentation and the emergence of new business opportunities. The latest additions, FITUR FITUR SHOPPING and health, which were launched successfully in the last edition -reuniendo proposals 24 and 15 companies, respectively, are expected to strengthen further participation in the next edition, both enterprises and public .
In continuity with this line, the Fair once again provide a differentiated exhibition area for FITUR LGBT, which celebrates its sixth edition. In this space will be located the particular supply and tourism demand segment GAY-LGBT, a sector that accounts in Spain 6.100 million in revenue, according to LGBT Capital, whose potential for development and growth has paralleled the celebration of FITUR LGBT, which since its inception has grown by 300% of participating companies. This time will also have special role the lesbian segment.
Business and networking platform
The other sections are equally effective in helping tourism professionals to find the keys to successfully meet the challenge of innovation, technology and sustainability throughout the value chain of the industry and tourism management . In this respect, FITUR KNOW HOW & EXPORT promoted by FITUR and SEGITTUR, will celebrate its fourth edition with the aim of boosting the international projection of knowledge and management of Spanish tourism companies. Moreover, organized by the Technological Institute Hotel, ITH, together with FITUR stand FITURTECH, bringing together the latest ideas in technology and in the field of tourism applications, a clear commitment to tourism in third generation and FITURGREEN, supported by WTO that promote sustainability through energy saving measures and efficiency in hotel and touristic management. Given the success of the last edition, with more than 5,000 citations pre-established in the B2B buyers international- and 200 meetings, business Hall will host FITUR B2B Workshop Hosted Buyer. In this way, participants will have an individualized schedule appointments and preprogrammed, which provide opportunities for exchanges and trade agreements between the participating companies and the wide selection of international buyers invited by the Organization.
FITUR 2016 will again be held initiatives established track record as the Investment Forum and Tourism Businesses in Africa INVESTOUR, now in its seventh edition and stage of compulsory participation for those Spanish and international companies interested in investing in projects in the African continent from a view to promoting sustainable tourism model that serves as an engine of development for the region. This time, moreover, FITUR, UNWTO and Casa Africa, organizers of the meeting, supported by the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies, CEAV, will invite its retail and wholesale network to participate in the forum, and thus assess business opportunities in Africa, an area in the tourist development last year received 56 million tourists and generated revenues of 36,500 million dollars.
Large gatherings of the tourism sector
FITUR continues outlining an intensive program of seminars and professional meetings, which bring together tourism experts in different subjects to discuss in depth the situation being experienced by the tourism industry and explore new possibilities and opportunities for business. Thus, among the events to be held within the framework of FITUR include, among others, the eighth Tourism Leadership Forum organized by EXCELTUR, which will address the theme of “Innovative policies to connect to the digital economy”; the XIX Ibero-American Conference of Tourism Ministers and Entrepreneurs (CIMET); the events organized by the WTO, of which is the ceremony of the XII UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in tourism, in addition to the set of knowledge and innovation forums related to different sections of the monographic Fair.
Source: FITUR
