The International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, which is due to be held in Madrid from 18 to 22 January, has been designated by the UNWTO to be the stage for the kick-off celebrations of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development declared by the United Nations Organisation and channelled through the Madrid-based World Tourism Organisation. FITUR 2017 will thus make a special contribution to the goals that drive this initiative, helping through its participants to disseminate and promote the efforts the tourism industry is making in placing its activity at the service of a new model of tourism sustainability in the three main spheres: economic, sociocultural and environmental.

 

In this staging Argentina, a regular exhibitor at the Trade Show, will participate as the principal partner of FITUR 2017. This Latin American destination thus joins the initiative launched by the event in 2016 and known as “FITUR Partner”, which offers all participants in the Trade Show the opportunity of joining a partnership programme that gives the guest destination the broadest possible dissemination and publicity. 

 

FITUR, as one of the industry’s relevant actors and one which gathers together more than 9,500 businesses, institutions and bodies from the worldwide tourism industry, will contribute to showcasing the latest solutions and advances being developed and which are helping to boost economic growth, social development, job creation, efficiency of resources, environmental protection, heritage values and cultural diversity.

 

In this context, FITURGREEN –one of FITUR’s specialised sections organised by the UNWTO itself and the Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero, ITH—will be a focus of interest in sustainability as the only option for the future of tourism. The reality, according to the ITH, is that 90% of travellers would choose a sustainable hotel and 34% would be prepared to pay more for staying in one. This defines an expansion model for the tourism and hotel industry based on values of sustainability, also a key factor in its competitiveness goals.

 

In the environmental sphere Spain, as the third worldwide tourist destination and with a powerful industry that is increasingly involved in achieving a more sustainable business model, is undertaking initiatives such as the agreement recently signed by the Secretariat of State for Tourism and the ITH for allocating an important budget line to a pilot project aiming to introduce a new tourism sustainability model. 

 

FITUR 2017 will be the stage on which the new reality of sustainability for tourism development will become apparent, with every tool –business opportunities, networking programmes promoting new relationships and exchanges and others—being made available so that businesses, bodies and institutions can meet the challenge of sustainable development in order to become more competitive. The Trade Show will ultimately be a unique opportunity for accessing the knowhow and expertise that have been making their way into this field.

 

Through these actions FITUR is again proving to be a magnificent barometer of the situation in the worldwide tourism industry and aspires to renew the trust of its agents. In fact, the last staging set a new record in participation, with a total of 231,872 visitors –of whom 124,659 were participating professionals—and the presence of 9,605 businesses from 165 countries.

Relevant Chinese News:
2017年西班牙国际旅游交易会将拉开可持续发展旅游国际年的序幕