Fitur surpasses expectations with record numbers
Fitur, the International Tourism Fair organised by IFEMA Madrid, reported nearly 255,000 attendees, reaffirming the continued growth in the sector and the event's leadership position.
The 45th International Tourism Fair took place from Janaury 22 to 26. A significant growth was in attendance during the first three days, which welcomed 155,000 professionals.
These figures reflect the strong recovery of the global tourism industry in 2024, with 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals, according to UNWTO, as well as record numbers for both Spain and Madrid, which saw 94 million and 16 million visitors, respectively.
Furthermore, these Fitur figures anticipate the forecast that, in 2025, both travellers and tourism spending will continue to grow, driven by strong demand. Worldwide, tourism-related revenues have reached $1.9 trillion, with Spain and Madrid following this trend.
Tourist spending figures have risen to 126 billion euros nationally and 16 billion euros in the Madrid region. Moreover, these figures from Fitur anticipate that by 2025 both traveller numbers and tourism spending will continue to grow, driven by strong demand.
Alongside these outstanding attendance figures, and with a total of nine halls, Fitur 2025 hosted more than 9,500 companies across 884 stands. This year, Fitur has brought together 156 countries from around the world, with 101 of them participating with official delegations. This influx also has an economic impact of 445 million euros on Madrid.
Under the theme "Proud. We Are Tourism," Fitur has celebrated an edition in which all stakeholders have advocated for sustainability criteria to ensure balanced and viable global growth in the medium and long term for both the planet and local communities. Additionally, experts have emphasized how diversification, seasonality reduction, and the integration of new technological tools are driving an inclusive and competitive tourism model that ensures a more sustainable future for all. This model is promoting different types of tourism that contribute to this development, including sports, film, and language tourism.
Progress toward this sustainable tourism model is also essential to preserve the right to travel for future generations, ensuring that travel remains an accessible and enriching reality.
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