FITUR 2003 is round the corner
The 23rd edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) will unfold Jan. 29 through Feb. 2, 2003 at the Juan Carlos I Fairground in Madrid. The meeting will gather over 9,000 companies from 170 countries comprised in a surface of 140,000 square meters, a 12 percent increase compared to last year’s event.
FITUR showcases the proposals of as many as 170 nations, with 81 of them directly represented at the fair. It’s worth mentioning the opening of new official stands like those from Australia, Switzerland, Slovakia, Malta, Kazahastan, Serbia, Macao and Kenya. On the other hand, the Iberian-America exhibiting area will include this time around such new Caribbean destinations as Aruba and Curaçao.
All this information is compiled on a Web site (fituronline.com) now offering ampler details good enough for preparing attendance to the tradeshow beforehand. The site also eases accreditation pre-arrangements and other conveniences as transportation and lodging info for professionals.
The FITUR offer is made in a sector-divided way in order to ease professional visits. This year’s novelty will be the Residential Sector in Pavilion 3 aimed at responding to the positive evolution of this particular segment that in Spain –with 3 million second residences- has opportunities galore.
Among the existing specialized sectors, FITUR Congress will be lodged in the Meeting and Incentive Travel Hall with 165 specialized Spanish sellers in a market glutted with more than 200 international purchasers.
The Jan. 27 session is scheduled to be devoted to euro-zone buyers, while Jan. 28 will be reserved for the world’s other purchasers. On the weekend previous to the meeting, optional pre-tours will get underway to allow buyers to learn about some of the most outstanding congress destinations.
The Active FITUR section will present this time around the most amazing array of products and services from Spanish companies and institutions dealing with nature, adventure and culture modalities. All this information will be culled in the Active Tourism Guidebook issued both in Spanish and English. For its part, the 8th Contest of Active Tourism’s Products will include this year a slot reserved for international offers in this segment.
Finally, FITUR Know-how in the Tourist Connoisseur Hall will stand for a good reference to tourist know-how and cutting-edge technology applied to this sector, let alone its contribution to better exporting capability and competitive improvement among tourist enterprises.
As far as the FITUR Technical Sessions are concerned, an obliged mention goes to the 6th Iberian-American Conference of Tourism Ministers and Entrepreneurs on Jan. 28, the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Forum on Jan. 29, presentations at the Spanish Tourism Technology Hall and the WTO lectures, both scheduled for Jan. 30.
Alliances
Cuba to boost event tourism
With a view to step up event tourism to the utmost, Cuba’s International Conference Center and Havanatur, S.A. Travel Agency, with operations in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe, have joined forces.
Currently, around 10 percent of the traveling flow coming to the island nation attends scientific and professional events. Forecasts made by World Tourism Organization point to this trend to remain very much on the rise in coming years.
Aware of this opportunity, the Cuban archipelago is ready to unfurl an onslaught in this direction based on its experience in conference planning, the level of its human resources, ideal infrastructure and on the fact that 60 percent of its hotel accommodations are slotted in the four-star and five-star categories.
With a view to show off that Cuba is more than just sun and beach, local authorities confirmed their intention to “do whatever is necessary.”
Festivities
Parade of Lights on the Cayman Islands
Just like every year on the Cayman Islands, Dec. 21 is reserved for the Cayman Parade of Lights, a gorgeou
