FITUR 2009 Opens in Madrid with Record Highs in Turnout, Guests

The twenty-ninth edition of FITUR, which opened yesterday morning (Madrid time) and will conclude on February 1, is bringing together 11,137 attendees from over 170 countries and regions. In total, the Trade Fair takes 87,520 square meters distributed throughout 12 halls at the Feria de Madrid fairgrounds.

The IFEMA Executive Committee has stressed the participation, for the first time, of destinations such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gabon, Nigeria and Kuwait, as well as debuting representatives from Myanmar, Cambodia, the Philippines, Botswana, the Reunion Island and the British Virgin Islands, as well as government-funded bodies representing Kenya, Armenia, Georgia and Mozambique, who are returning after missing several editions.

In total, the international section of the Trade Fair accounts for 50 percent of the total offering. In addition to the growing participation of international destinations, the national section is coming apart at the seams as all Spanish Autonomous Communities are present at the event, along with the most competitive companies within this sector.