FITUR 2023 ready to consolidate global tourism recovery
IFEMA Madrid hosted the presentation of the 2023 edition of the International Tourism Trade Fair - FITUR -, which finally leaves behind the restrictions that marked the last editions of this event, marked by masks, capacity control and the COVID passport, among other anti-pandemic measures.
What will be the 43rd edition of FITUR will represent the impressive recovery in world tourism activity that has taken place in recent months. The data confirm a significant growth of the fair, managing to match the pre-Pandemic occupancy figures of its record year - 2020 -. In addition, a total of 8,500 participants, 131 countries and 755 exhibitors are expected, which will mean revenues of more than 400 million euros for Madrid.
Thus, direct participation, one of the parameters of greatest impact, will reflect an increase of 32% over the last edition of 2022, and 50pc in terms of international participation - FITUR grows in participating companies Asia Pacific by 163pc; Middle East, 60pc; Africa, 88pc; Europe, 42pc, and America, 30pc. As for the public, the International Tourism Trade Fair expects between 80 and 90 thousand visitors from the general public on the weekend, and some 120,000 professionals.
For the presentation of FITUR 2023, which will be held January 18-22, José Vicente de los Mozos, president of the Madrid fairgrounds, Javier Sánchez-Prieto, president of Iberia and of the FITUR Organizing Committee, Mónica Bolaños, Guatemala's ambassador to Spain, Miguel Sanz, director of Turespaña and María Valcarce, director of FITUR, gathered in IFEMA's press room to highlight the resilience of the fair during the worst of the pandemic.
In fact, Sánchez Prieto himself expressed his appreciation to IFEMA Madrid, on behalf of the entire tourism sector, for "its commitment throughout the years of the pandemic, which were undoubtedly decisive in the reactivation of our industry. De los Mozos, for his part, recalled how FITUR has been "the only major tourism fair in the world that has managed to hold its events every year without interruption," and that "FITUR 2023 is here to consolidate the strong recovery of international tourism activity.
A tourism recovery that invites optimism for the year 2023. According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourism is on track to reach 65pc of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022, as the sector continues to recover from the pandemic. Regarding Spain, FRONTUR and EGATUR report that, in the first eleven months of the year, international tourists who have visited our country exceeded 67 million, representing 85% of the figures for the same period in 2019.
FITUR is not lagging behind in this recovery, and innovates and brings novelties to continue contributing to the tourism industry. This is the case of the launch of the FITUR Sports section, which addresses one of the tourism products of growing importance for both destinations and companies, FITUR Cruises, which expands its scope to cover the B2B and B2C areas, FITUR Woman, which will focus its debate on the role of women in the world of work in the tourism industry and the importance of female leadership in rebuilding a better sustainable and inclusive tourism, or FITUR Talent, which will highlight talent and training as drivers of tourism development, among other initiatives.
The FITUR 2023 Partner Country will be Guatemala, which will present as part of this 43rd edition its new brand for tourism promotion, "Guatemala. Amazing and unstoppable. The Central American nation will position its main tourist attractions, destinations and wealth worldwide, in what is one of the best venues for doing so, along with different activities scheduled during the international fair, with the aim of publicizing the wide range of offerings of the Central American nation, which boasts a wealth of ancient cultural and gastronomic riches.
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