During its thirty-third staging, the International Tourism Trade Fair welcomed more than 200,000 visitors, with the number of professionals rising to 116,000 in total
The show concluded with a 7% increase in foreign visitors, based on the prominent presence of professionals from Latin America and Africa, as well as from Spain's most important tourist-producing markets, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and China
Madrid, 28th February 2013 -(ASIA TODAY)- The International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, has closed its doors with a series of favourable participation figures that confirm the show's status as a key event for the tourist industry. Between 30th January and 3rd February 2013, the dates on which FITUR took place, more than 200,000 people passed through the halls at Feria de Madrid. In the case of members of the industry, the number of visitors increased by 1.3% compared to the previous year, which represents a total figure of 116,000 trade visitors. The number of professionals attending the event from abroad increased by up to 7%.
The fulfilment of different objectives established by the exhibitors at FITUR 2013 was due to the climate of confidence and optimism that currently exists throughout the tourist industry, which achieved a figure of one billion tourists in the year 2012, as recalled by the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation, Taleb Rifai, during his welcome address at the trade fair.
Trade Opportunities at the Leading Tourism Event
FITUR brought together some 8,979 companies from 167 countries and regions, encompassing all kinds of tourism activity. From Spain itself, all of the Spanish Regions took part at FITUR, based on some favourable results. In this respect, the Head of the Department for Culture and Tourism at the Regional Government of Castile-Leon, Alicia García Rodríguez stated that "we are very satisfied with the results we achieved, based on almost 500 trade meetings, of which at least a half will definitely lead to new customers". For his part, Alberto Ortiz de Saracho, the Market Head for Spain, Portugal and Latin America at the Department of Tourism and Trade at the Andalusian Regional Government, highlighted the high level of trade and business activity that surpassed their expectations. Similar declarations were made by the Coordinator for National Promotion of Asturias, Noemi Cataño, who presented her satisfaction "at the workshops and work meetings that took place at the stand. Furthermore, companies presented their latest new products and tourist packages, both of which were warmly welcomed". Both José Manuel Merelles, Head of the Communication Department at Turgalicia, and Miguel Pérez Valiente, the Supervisor of the Madrid Tourist Office, agreed on rating their attendance at FITUR very highly, whilst praising the brisk trade and business activity that took place at their stands.
Within the business realm, FITUR also served "to improve and enhance our relations with the parties who habitually work with us", according to Martarita Müller, Head of Sales at Coral Hotels, who also observed that "the show offered us new business opportunities based on a previously-organised programme of appointments involving professionals from Spain, France, Germany, Holland, the Scandinavian countries, Italy, Belgium and Russia". The Spanish Urban Spas and Thermal Baths Association, Spatermal, also achieved its objectives, according to Almudena Hernández Barbero, who stated that "the number of high-level contacts and collaboration projects that emerged during this staging of FITUR were numerous, especially in the markets of Jordan, Portugal and Italy". For his part, Marcos Franco, the Chief Marketing Officer at Transhotel, highlighted: "we are extremely satisfied with the intensive volume of work carried out at our stand with Spanish and foreign suppliers and customers, which enabled us to secure agreements about how to implement certain already-signed contracts and even design collaborative projects for the future. Furthermore, forums such as FITUR enable us to exchange opinions, discover different points of view and identify new trends within the industry, as well as establishing what our customers and suppliers need". For her part Janet Neesham, the Head of the New Zealand Agency, Pacific Destinationz Limited, perceived the show as "a good opportunity to discover travel buyers from markets such as Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Colombia, mainly".
Other foreign participants also expressed their opinions regarding the show. In this respect, FITUR serves as a faithful reflection of the market and, as such, it must adapt each year to the needs of the industry and those of tourism professionals. Some exhibitors, such as Dolores Pérez, the Head of the Israeli National Tourist Office, believe that "this year 2013 staging marked a turning-point towards new and necessary directions for the trade fair". Eduardo Santander, the Executive Director of the European Travel Commission (ETC), declared that "we are very satisfied with our participation at FITUR 2013. Thanks to the numerous professionals and media representatives in Madrid, Destination Europe 2020 achieved widespread media coverage, enabling us to fulfil the communication and networking objectives we had set ourselves".
On this occasion we might also highlight the show's special focus on both Africa and Latin America, two markets for which FITUR serves as a veritable "hub" in terms of gaining access to the European and Asian markets. Thus, the European Head of Tourism for Puerto Rico highlighted that "Fitur enabled us to hold meetings with Spanish tourism companies, who regard Puerto Rico as an extremely dynamic tourist destination. This also helps us to create employment in our country, in which respect we must say that we are extremely proud of this staging of Fitur 2013". For his part, David Rivas, the Executive Director of the National Tourist Institute of Venezuela, stated that "Fitur is one of the most important events for Venezuela within the Spanish market and the European market in general. Over two days at the show, our tour operators and hotels managed to fulfil their expectations".
Furthermore, Adriana Antonio, the Head of the Bolivian Tourist Department declared that "Fitur went pretty well for us; in fact, it is some years since the fair was so good. The truth is that taking part at Fitur has once again proven to be a highly productive move for us." For his part, Javier Aranda, the Head of Mexican Tourism in Spain, declared that "Fitur is a very important event due to the fact that it provides access to buyers from different countries, as well as the fact that Spain helps us promote investment, based on the considerable volume of Spanish capital within the hotel industry in Mexico, an aspect that we would like to continue boosting at other destinations of interest throughout the country".
New Areas of Business Designed to Boost Market Activity
Since its very first event, FITUR has pursued the objective of adapting its exhibition to new market trends and encompassing business areas that present the strongest growth potential. In this respect, we might mention the forums that were inaugurated on this occasion, known as FITUR KNOW HOW & EXPORT and FITUR Wine-Based Tourism Accommodation, which witnessed a very warm reception from members of the industry. FITUR KNOW HOW & EXPORT focused on Spanish tourism know-how and the industry's export capacity, being organised in collaboration with SEGITUR and the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute (ICEX). This event featured the participation of some 28 companies. In the words of Antonio López de Ávila, President of Segittur, FITUR KNOW HOW & EXPORT "is a showcase that enables other countries to see what Spain has to offer, based on a forum where participants can present their products and services".
For its part, FITUR Wine-Based Tourism Accommodation presented twelve hotels that have their own vineyards, representing the wine-based tourist segment. This is a long-term project that has a bright future, thanks to the warm welcome this initiative enjoyed at FITUR.
The show also maintained its commitment to present specialised sections that are both useful to professionals and which focus on different business areas. In this respect, we might highlight FITURTECH, which was organised in conjunction with the Hotel Technology Institute (ITH) under the heading of "The Next Travel Generation". On this occasion, this section presented the latest new developments with regard to technologies applied to the field of tourism, as well as featuring the presence of the Spanish astronaut, Pedro Duque, from the European Space Agency (ESA), who talked about ESA's Manned Flights Programme. For its part, FITUR GREEN was also staged once again, organised jointly with the Hotel Technology Institute (ITH) and in collaboration with the UNWTO and HABITAT FUTURA. As part of the packed conference programme that was organised on this occasion, we might mention the Green Hotel & & Tourism Solutions Meeting, which was inaugurated by the Spanish Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, focusing on the key aspects of sustainable hotel management.
Furthermore, the third staging of FITUR LGBT took place, focusing on a segment that represents 10% of tourism throughout the world and 15% of overall tourism expenditure. Juan Pedro Tudela, the Co-Founder of Diversity Consulting, believes that gaining access to this market of considerable potential is quite simple, given that "it is very well defined and it represents a market with high loyalty rates if the right message is employed".
FITUR 2013: A Meeting Forum for the Industry
FITUR consolidated its appeal as a leading event for the tourist industry, as reflected by the attendance of more than 40 tourist ministers from around the world. In this respect, the show sought to create a series of meeting and business forums designed to enhance the participation of members of the industry and provide a boost for the tourist industry. FITUR's B2B Meetings are an excellent example of the initiatives that were implemented in order to generate a sense of synergy. INVESTOUR Africa brought together some 248 participants, including 13 African Tourism Ministers and 42 companies, 37 of them Spanish. On this occasion, around 180 tourist projects in 32 African countries were presented. The participants expressed some high levels of satisfaction, having fulfilled their expectations and come into direct contact with potential partners for their tourism projects. In this respect, we might mention Angela Andrews, a businesswoman from Gambia and representative of West African Tours: "I have come to Investour mainly for the opportunities offered by its B2B meetings, including those of getting to know companies from other markets, establishing contact with these companies and showing them what we do, so that they might also work alongside us". The INVESTOUR Africa initiative enabled the participants to discover different destinations throughout the continent. As Youssou N'Dour, the Minister for Tourism and Leisure of Senegal, declared: "Geographically, Spain serves as the gateway to Africa. As the Secretary General of the UNWTO stated, Spain is among the world's leading tourism nations and this is very important, because we believe that, based on these opportunities, Spain can help Africa organise its industry better, invest better and create better infrastructures throughout the continent ... And vice versa: Africa can offer its cultural and tourist diversity and a large volume of people interested in Spain. For example, based on package tours, tourists can visit Spain - the Canary Islands, for example - and then cross over to an African country nearby". For her part, UNWTO's Regional Director for Africa, Ousmane Ndiaye, highlighted Spain's tourism know-how: "Spain has a know-how that can be very easily marketed in Africa, not only within the field of tourism, but also in other fields that could be important to tourism, such as, for example, new forms of energy, an area in which Spain is very much at the forefront".
The Third Hosted Buyers Workshop and INVESTOUR Americas featured a total of 1,580 scheduled meetings between 184 participating companies, which represented a 73.5% increase compared to the last event in 2012, based on the presence of 118 buyers from 30 different countries. Thus, we might highlight some of the favourable comments made by different representatives from Latin America, such as those of the Assistant Head of Tourism in Colombia, Enrique Stellabatti, who stated that "participants generated a considerable amount of business, which is very important for our country".
FITUR completed its trade exhibition with a packed programme of conferences, debates and expert panels, thus serving as a key forum for analysis with regard to the tourist industry. The Thirty-Third International Tourism Trade Fair kicked off the day before its inauguration with the staging of the Sixteenth Latin American Conference of Tourism Ministers and Businessmen (CIMET), which was inaugurated by the Spanish Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria. The event brought together some 10 Latin American tourism ministers, as well as one hundred owners and heads of chains and hotels, who sought to define the best ways of exporting their know-how to Latin America.
During the course of FITUR, the UNWTO organised various conferences, including a Conference on Accessibility within the Realm of Tourism, which was staged in collaboration with the Spanish National Organisation for the Blind, ONCE. Meanwhile, the Iberian Business Travel Association (IBTA) chose the show as the ideal setting for the staging of the Fifth National Business Travel Congress. Furthermore, Turespaña presented its Strategic Marketing Plan for different continents within the framework of FITUR. This Plan established Spain's priorities for the next few years regarding markets, products with the greatest potential, demand segments and positioning strategy.
The show also served as an ideal setting for the UNWTO General Assembly to announce at the Zambia and Zimbabwe stand that its next meeting will take place between 24th and 29th August at Victoria Falls, which lies on the border between the two countries. An agreement was also signed between Atlético de Madrid and the Football Club of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, a country that sponsors the Madrid team. Finally, IFEMA - FITUR was presented with the Gold Medal for Tourism Merit by the State Tourism Department of Portugal.
The General Public Plays a Starring Role at FITUR
Another of the important new features during this staging of FITUR consisted of the FITUR GET-AWAYS, an initiative that, for the first time, enabled exhibitors to sell their products and destinations directly to end consumers, based on discounts of between 20% and 40%. This initiative was very warmly welcomed, both amongst visitors and amongst companies and bodies taking part at the event, given that it offered them yet another tool to help them make the very most of their participation at FITUR.
As on previous occasions, different activities were organised aimed at travel enthusiasts, such as the Fourth MINUBE-FITUR Gathering, a section in which visitors were able to share their travel experiences, not to mention the traditional Travel Gymkhana, in which visitors were able to discover different tourism ideas presented by participants at FITUR through a series of trials and activities.
FITUR 2013: A World Trending Topic on the Day of Its Inauguration
The social media also played a prominent role throughout the staging of FITUR 2013, facilitating communication amongst the different participants at FITUR: professionals, exhibitors, members of the public and the media.
On the day of its inauguration, FITUR was a World Trending Topic. It was a National Trending Topic throughout its six-day duration. On Twitter alone FITUR recorded more than 40,000 hits, which is equivalent to 8,000 tweets a day. On its Facebook profile, FITUR incorporated more than 2,000 new followers throughout the course of the show, bringing the total number to 57,720 followers. On this occasion, the participating companies brought together some 93.5 million followers on Facebook, a 243% increase compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Twitter recorded some 14.8 million followers, based on a rate of growth of 219%. The grand total regarding the number of followers for the participants at FITUR came to 108 million in all.
This interaction via the social media was complemented by the staging of the Second Social Media Sharing Event organised by the agency, HEY AV, which on this occasion brought together marketing and communication professionals from the tourist industry. During the course of this event, some 140,548 users were recorded on Twitter alone, sharing 331,000 impressions.
Bloggers also played a prominent role during this staging of FITUR, brought together at the Travel Bloggers Meeting, an initiative organised by the show in conjunction with Interface Tourism. Furthermore, in order to promote closer clinks with opinion-leaders from the travel industry on the Latin American continent, the Best Latin American Blogger Competition was organised, a form of recognition that acknowledges the increasingly important role that bloggers play in terms of promoting the tourist industry.
These social media tools must be added to the extensive media coverage witnessed at the trade fair, which on this occasion was provided by some 7,100 journalists of 60 different nationalities.
Following the favourable results at this year's event, the International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, is already working on its next staging (the thirty-fourth event), which will take place between 29th January and 2nd February 2014.
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Helena Valera, International Press
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