FITUR 2014 Opens with over 9,000 Companies from 165 Countries

Some 9,000 companies from 165 countries are attending the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Spain, which opened today and will run through January 26 at the fairgrounds in Madrid.

The organizers said in a press conference that the exhibition will reach 54,000 square meters, down some 2,000 square meters from 2013.

Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism, Isabel Borrego, said the fair corresponds to the role of the sector in the Spanish economy and confirmed that nearly 60 million visitors in 2013 put the country back on the third spot in the world, trailing only behind France and the United States.
The figure, she said, ensures that Spain was relocated ahead of China, while in terms of incoming tourism is the second nation in the globe.

A highlight of the first meeting of the sector in 2014 will be the room given to new technologies, including the first demonstration in the world Google Glass, the latest travel-related app. Also the first Guide Apps (applications for mobile phones) Touristic will be displayed.

Although the turnout of an estimated 200,000 people in public is expected, Luis Eduardo Cortés, President of the Executive Committee of the trade fair of Madrid said Fitur, says the event is meant to step up its business profile meeting.

In this regard, Mr. Cortés said that the 34th edition of the tradeshow will count on the attendance of 125,000 professionals, of which some 30,000 are foreigners from 100 countries, prepared for several business forums already underway.