FITUR 2011 Opens in Madrid

International Tourism Fair opens in Madrid
The 31st edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) opened in Madrid Wednesday at the IFEMA exhibition center. About 10,500 exhibiting companies from 166 countries and regions are expected to participate in the exhibition, which will run until Jan. 23. In addition, more than 124,000 professionals and about 7,500 journalists are expected to attend the fair.
In this year's edition, destinations such as the Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Pakistan, are making their first appearance, while New Zealand, Namibia, Lebanon and South Africa are among the destinations with new official delegations.
The exhibition is only open to industry professionals during the first three days, but the last two see the doors thrown open to the public, who can visit and perhaps discover a new and fascinating destination for their next holidays.