By Netpal Travel Bureau
FITUR 2022, the International Tourism Trade Fair, has been organised by IFEMA MADRID. It has held a special tourism recovery edition since January 19-23. The strong results highlight the efforts by the entire tourism industry value chain to generate new opportunities to look forward to 2022 with strong expectations for the forecast recovery.
This edition has been critical for recovering levels of business and turnover, has made Madrid the hub for the global international tourism community and has enabled to convey a message of confidence and strength to the whole world.
The figures for FITUR 2022 have exceeded all initial expectations. The trade participation over its first three days rose to 81,193 attendees from 127 countries, doubling the figures for the 2021 edition, in addition to general public visitors at the weekend that, even before the final closing figures are estimated at about 30,000 people, giving a grand total of 111,193 attendees. Dominican Republic has deployed extraordinary resources and organised activities as FITUR Partner Country 2022.
Figures for representation by companies, countries and destinations brought FITUR 2022 almost back to the levels of pre-pandemic editions
Online professional engagement at FITUR from around the world also achieved record figures. The FITUR LIVE Connect platform complements the Fair to provide a hybrid format over a more extended season and broader geographic scope. It had 33,286 registrations, 10percent above initial forecasts.
All these arrivals at FITUR have generated an economic impact for Madrid of approximately €150 million, announced by Madrid Regional Government’s President, Isabel Diaz Ayuso.
Tourism Ministers from 21 countries took part, with four official delegations. The UN World Tourism Organization was actively involved. There was an increased presence of Spanish authorities from all levels of government, headed by Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Spain and the President of the Government.
Reflected in the extensive international media coverage, FITUR 2022’s impact has also been with 3,981 accredited journalists from forty countries, almost twice as many as in May 2021.
FITUR’s impact channels on social media has also doubled, with more than six million impressions and 90,000 interactions with the Fair’s profiles, as a result of the 1,200 posts published on its channels to broadcast the event.