FITUR celebrates 40th anniversary in 2020 and surpasses all expectations

The International Tourism Trade Fair FITUR celebrated its 40th anniversary at a dinner presided over by His Majesty the King of Spain, and a large number of tourism ministers from around the world and representatives of Spain’s principal tourism authorities.

To mark its 40th anniversary, FITUR 2020 recorded its highest ever attendance figures for its trade-only days of 23-25 January with 150,011 participants from 140 countries.

With extended opening hours during the weekend of 26 and 27th January Fitur 2020 recorded its best ever figures: 255,000 visitors, 918 main stand holders, 11,040 companies, 165 countries and regions, and international attendance of 56%. The figures for this year’s event have enhanced FITUR’s economic impact on Madrid, valued at 333 million euros.

The Best Stands Awards this year have been also announced. Those of Euskadi Basque Country, the Valencia Region and Aragón were awarded in the Autonomous Regions and Institutions category. The stands of Korea Tourism Organisation, Senegalese Tourism Promotion Agency and the Costa Rica Tourism Institute in the Countries and Regions category. And those of Iberia, Meliá Hotels International and Paradores in the Business category, in which VP Hotels also received a special mention. On the other hand, the aex equo winners of the Sustainable Stand Award, a new category this year, went jointly to the Andalusia Hall and the Paradores stand.

During this event, CEO of CBN Travel & MICE and World Travel Online as the long standing supporting and media partner for Fitur in China, Dr. Adam Wu had cordial discussion with Maria Valcarce, the Director of Fitur about deepening co-operation by organizing a China Tourism Forum during Fitur 2021.

As a supporting media, the World Travel Online (WTO) interviewed a series of VIPs representing numerous destinations exhibiting at Fitur that all expressed strong desire of attracting more visitors from China.

Over 160 million Chinese travelled overseas in 2019 to destinations from Asia to the Americans, from Antarctica to Africa hence，Fitur is an ideal platform for many foreign destinations to showcase their unique destinations.