Madrid Expected to Reap Nearly 200 Million Euros out of Fitur 2016

Revenues from Fitur 2016, the 36th edition of the International Travel Fair, for Madrid is estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of “180 and 200 million euros”, in an edition that will stand out due to the recovery of the national market and the participation for the first time of a special partner: Andalusia.

“The fair consolidates a national tourism reality of recovery. So the city of Madrid, which over the past months has benefited from the improvement of tourism results, has foreseen an economic impact between 180 and 200 million euros related to all of the activities to be taking place within the framework of one of the main tourism fairs of the world”, the director of Fitur, Ana Larrañaga, has underlined in an interview given to Europa Press.

One of the main new elements this year round in the participation of Andalusia as the new 'Fitur Partner' in a project aimed at linking two important brands: Fitur and a destination that is both national and internationally renowned due to its comprehensive and committed tourism offer.

The doors of Fitur 2016, to be inaugurated by Queen Letizia, will be open for thousands of attendees to walk its halls and stands in order to learn the latest trends of the travel industry, boosted by good results in an edition that grows for two years in a row.

The Spanish travel industry has faced up to the crisis and become stronger after it. Fitur speaks high of it. "Since November 2013 we’ve seen an inflection point and it has also been felt in terms of tourism with an overall improvement", Mrs. Larrañaga explained.

According to the director of the fair, Fitur still stands out as a benchmark for travel fairs worldwide, such as London’s or German ITB, since it counts on the significant participation of Iberian-America for cultural and business reasons.

The Fair will be backed by higher security level because of recent international incidents like the terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Indonesia or France.

Mrs. Larrañaga explained that the security measures are going to meet the requirements established by the Department of the Interior in terms of events with significant participation of people.

So, in an effort to apply these measures in a swift and dynamic way, the number of access controls is going to be doubled with the equipment required for these steps to be more efficient. "I’m sure that everything is going to be smoothly", the director said.

Last year, the fair was attended by 222,551 people, a figure that is expected to be left behind this year round due to the 3 percent increase in the number of exhibitors and 8 percent in terms of companies, up to 9,500 entities, to be distributed throughout eight pavilions with higher national and international participation.

This year round, the number of exhibitors with their own stand has gone up to 713, which represents a 3 percent growth if compared to the previous edition and 2 percent increase in the net exhibition surface, with 57,850 sq. meters of occupancy.

The sections launched last year (Fitur Health and Fitur Shopping) will be consolidated and the LGTB segment is going to be enhanced with higher participation of the lesbian sector by means of sessions and actions related to this profile of gay women.

Mrs. Larrañaga thinks that it’s important to highlight the recovery of the outbound tourism. According to data provided by the Ministry, Spanish tourists have spent some 16,000 million euros around the world. “This number is in line with the best historic year we recall: 2007,” the director pointed out.

This fact states the recovery of the national tourism and helps everything be more dynamic. "The outlook of the fair is very good in keeping with the forecasts issued by public and private organizations, which have said that 2016 is expected to be economically positive", she said.

The national area in the Fair counts on 85 new exhibitors, with a significant increase of technological companies (40 new entities), as well as the Health Tourism section with twelve new representatives, thus totaling 25 companies.

The international area has also reached a new level, with a 3 percent increase and 77 new exhibitors –including Burkina Faso that participates with its first official representation, y Latvia with its business representation--, as well as 16 returns, a list that comprises the Netherlands, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Belize and Guinea, which participated with companies last year and now come with official representations.

Likewise, Europe has grown up in this edition, with significant entrepreneurial presence, as well as Africa, with the introduction and consolidation of new destinations from that continent.

Fitur has put its smart money on innovation and social networks. A new 'app' has been launched, so visitors can check the information on sessions, participants, presentations and exhibitors, as well as different specific sections like FiturTech, FiturGreen and Fitur Know How and Export, which are aimed at facilitating and improving the tourism competitiveness by means of the 'online' thread.

Furthermore, the director highlighted the delivery of the WTO innovation awards and the forum on technology and sustainability, as well as hundreds of business meetings scheduled between international buyers and exhibitors, and the wide range of sessions and activities.

Source: Europa Press