During its thirty-third staging, FITUR, the International Tourism Trade Fair, will bring together more than 9,500 companies representing 167 countries and regions, as well as all of the Spanish regions January 30 – February 3, 2013.
The event is organised by IFEMA and kicks off the international fair calendar for the year, enabling tourism professionals from across the globe to establish the foundations of their business strategies for the year.
The participation figures at FITUR 2013, which will incorporate one hundred new companies on this occasion, provide the best proof of the favorable climate within the worldwide tourist industry at present, an industry that continues to serve as one of the main sources of development in many nations. In this sense, as far as foreign participation at FITUR 2013 is concerned, the organizers may highlight the growth of Africa, based on the incorporation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represented through the Chamber of Commerce in the country’s capital city. The return of Libya also may be highlighted, as well as the stable presence of companies and institutions from Latin America, for whom FITUR constitutes the leading trade showcase. These are two of the continents on which tourism recorded its highest growth figures during the year 2012 according to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.
Two New Areas of Business
With a view to boosting tourism business, FITUR has incorporated two important new features. The fair will present the forum known as FITUR KNOWHOW & EXPORT, an initiative on the international scene that seeks to add value to the business dealings and innovative activities of the industry’s companies. The forum is promoted by the fair with the aim to promote the tourism expertise, know-how and management skills of Spanish companies who are able to present their products and services to buyers from other markets, serving as export models.
The second new feature at FITUR 2013 is the Wine-Based Tourism Accommodation, which will bring together a selection of hotels specializing in wine-based tourism. The segment offers growth potential, based on a balance between culture, the environment and wine and culinary opportunities, all of which make wine destinations highly attractive options.
Workshops
During the staging of the fair, FITUR will rely on its workshop formula, which has proven to be an effective tool when it comes to facilitating business meetings between tourist companies and foreign buyers, especially in two fast-expanding markets such as those of Africa and the Americas.
INVESTOUR Africa is a forum being held on January 31, in which participants will be introduced to a series of African tourism projects, with a view to promoting a sustainable tourism model that generates opportunities for businessmen and potential Spanish investors. Guest countries will come from East and Central Africa, encompassed within the regional blocks known as EAC (The East African Community) and CAEMC (The Central African Economic and Monetary Community).
The second staging of INVESTOUR for the Americas will also be held on January 31 and seeks to place participating companies from the Americas into contact with professionals from the rest of the world in order to encourage trade and exchange.
The Third Hosted Buyers Workshop facilitates a series of previously-arranged meetings between exhibitors and a selection of foreign buyers invited to the fair by FITUR.
Monographic Forums
FITUR will also feature a series of monographic sections, with their corresponding exhibition areas and/or conference programmes, all of which cater for the growing development and specialisation of the tourist market. FITURGREEN focuses on energy-saving and efficiency measures within the realm of hotel management. Within the framework of its conferences, FITURGREEN will tackle aspects such as energy service companies and the hotel industry; the profitability of energy certification for hotels; and practical case studies as the best means of selling a sustainable hotel.
FITURTECH will present the latest new developments regarding technology applied to tourism. This section will also feature the special presence of the Spanish astronaut, Pedro Luque. The forum will host the staging of different sessions on aspects such as hotel web optimization, security in times of crisis and cloud computing, among others.
The third consecutive staging of FITUR LGBT, which is promoted by Diversity Consulting, caters for a segment that represents 10 percent of the tourist market throughout the world and 15 percent of overall tourist expenditure. This section will present some of the key recommendations that will enable professionals to enter or adapt to this market.
Alongside these sections, the International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, will also present RECEPTIVO ESPAÑA, a monographic section that seeks to boost a clearly growing tourist segment.
A Forum for Analysis and Debate
FITUR offers an enviable forum for analysis and debate regarding the current situation within the world tourist industry, enabling professionals to not only establish contacts and plan their trade strategies, but also gain an accurate idea of the latest trends and developments.
On the day before the inauguration of FITUR, the Twenty-Sixth Latin American Conference of Tourism Ministers and Businessmen, CIMET, will take place, bringing together tourism professionals and representatives from this continent.
During the course of the fair, the decisions will be announced for the Best Stand Competition, encompassing all of its different categories (Spanish Bodies, International Bodies and Companies). The winners will also be announced for the Best Active Tourism Product, encompassing the Nature-Based Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Cultural Tourism and International categories. Also announced will be the winners of the FITUR Jorge Vila Fradera Forum, which recognizes the best pieces of academic research carried out within the field of tourism.
FITUR 2013 will take place in Madrid January 30 – February 3, 2013.
FITUR, www.fituronline.com