The 46th edition of the International Tourism Fair (Fitur), in which the tragedy of the railway accident from the south of Spain, closed on Sunday with a “positive” balance, since it revalidated its capacity to attract people, with just over 255,000 visitors in its five days.
Fitur, which this year had as a partner country Mexico, brought together more than 10,000 companies from 161 countries, of which 111 attended with official representation; and there were 967 regular exhibitors.
During the first three days intended for professionals, it consolidated the figures of the last edition of 155,000 visitorswith a 12% increase in international visits, in line with the 11% growth of the international exhibitors, the organizers of the event reported this Sunday.
During the weekend, when Fitur opens its doors to the public In general, about 100,000 people have passed through the venue.
A “historic” display of Mexico
As a partner country, Mexico has made “a historic display”, it has been “a success”, the executive vice president of the Madrid fairgrounds, Ifema, where FITUR was held, said in statements to the media. Daniel Martinez.
- “There has not been such a deployment of a guest country institutionally powerful and business like the one Mexico has developed this year,” he insisted.
“We are happy that Mexico has reaped the best fruits of Fitur, the first international tourism fair in the world,” he added. “We have no choice but to start Fitur 2027 starting tomorrow, with Puerto Rico as a guest country,” he concluded.
Mexico exhibited its World Cup pride and had football as the protagonist of the colorful stands that Mexico City, Guadalajara and Montereythe three Mexican cities that will host thirteen of the 104 matches of the 2026 Soccer World Cupdeployed this week in Fitur.
The Mexican Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodriguezadmitted to the press on the opening day of the fair that it is his largest display, with a special focus on the variety of Mexican culture.
Economic impact of 505 million, 3.7% more
Fitur generated this year a economic impact for the city of Madrid of 505 million euros.
“We are very happy. Despite Fitur having passed in the context of the tragic train accident in Adamuz (in which 45 people died), has been a success,” he stated Martinezwho highlighted the economic impact in Madrid of this new edition, 3.7% more than in 2025.
Fitur thus opens this year “confirming the excellent moment that the tourism sector“, which is reflected in the data for 2025, when, according to UN Tourism1.5 billion international arrivals were exceeded worldwide.
Spain reached the figure of 97 million tourists foreigners, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.
The 46th edition opened its doors last Wednesday, January 21, with a minute of silence for the victims of the railway accidents, while the Kings of Spainduring the official opening of the fair, the next day, they signed the book of condolences.
The condolence book was located in the stand of Andalusiaregion where the tragedy occurred.
The institutional relevance of Fitur was also confirmed in the more than 70 institutional visits by ministers and vice ministers of tourism from around the world and tourism authorities, who highlighted the strategic role of the fair as a global forum for dialogue, cooperation and international projection of the sector.
Different tourist destinations, companies and institutions They presented their newsstrategies and projects.
In this framework, the Knowledge Pavilion It was presented as one of the great axes of the fair, with 8 auditoriums, 10 conference programs, more than 200 sessions and more than 250 speakers.
Along with this, the different sections of Fitur -such as Cruises, experience, Language, LGBT+, Screen, Sports, Talent, TechY, Woman either Know How & Export– contributed to enriching and diversifying the fair proposal.
