King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain officially inaugurated the 45th edition of Fitur, the country’s premier tourism fair, on Wednesday. The event, held at Madrid’s IFEMA Center, will run until Sunday and has drawn participation from 156 countries, with over 250,000 attendees expected.
The royal couple toured various pavilions, including a special visit to the Valencia region’s stand, paying tribute to the resilience of its people following the devastating floods in October. The fair also saw the presence of several regional leaders, including Catalonia’s President Salvador Illa, who attended the event for the first time.
This year’s Fitur features 9,500 tourism-related companies, marking an increase of 500 compared to the previous year. A total of 884 exhibitors have set up stalls across nine pavilions, showcasing diverse sectors such as Fitur Cruises, Fitur Screen, Fitur Sports, and Fitur Tech. These segments highlight cruise tourism, the film industry, sports tourism, and the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainable tourism practices.
During their visit, the king and queen met with tourism ministers from various countries and toured Brazil’s pavilion, which is this year’s partner nation. Notably, Mexico withdrew from the event in October following a diplomatic dispute after King Felipe was not invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
The royal tour lasted approximately 90 minutes and concluded at the Morocco pavilion. Discussions during the fair focused on promoting Spain’s tourism industry globally, particularly as the country saw a record number of international visitors in 2024. Plans for expanding the Costa Blanca Airport terminal were also discussed, including the creation of a dedicated area for flights from the UK and other non-Schengen zones.
Fitur serves as a vital platform for Spain’s tourism sector, offering opportunities to showcase the industry on a global stage and explore new avenues for growth. The event continues to attract millions of participants annually, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of international tourism promotion.
