FITUR 2021 opens: Largest tourism trade fair in Spain is back

SPAIN'S – and one of the world's – biggest international tourism trade fairs has just opened in Madrid, five months later than usual and amid great expectations due to being the first edition since before the pandemic struck and seen as key to getting the planet's population travelling again.

High hopes are pinned on FITUR 2021 after more than a year of the global holiday industry's being virtually devoid of activity, but vaccines are being cited as key to its recovery.

Only today, the European Union announced it would reopen its borders in summer to travellers from third countries who had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

King Felipe VI and his wife, Queen Letizia, cut the red tape on FITUR today (Wednesday) at Madrid's IFEMA exhibition complex, but in the interests of limiting person-to-person contact, only visited the macro-pavilion housing the different micro-pavilions for each of Spain's autonomously-governed regions, and the one occupied by Spanish companies.

Accompanying the monarchs were Madrid's regional president Isabel Díáz Ayuso (PP), mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez Almeida (PP), deputy mayoress Begoña Villacís (Ciudadanos), and Spain's minister for tourism and industry, Reyes Maroto (PSOE).

Despite the media's keenness to report on it, the Royal couple avoided visiting the pavilion for Morocco, in light of a diplomatic disagreement between two countries who are old friends – personal friends, in the case of the latter's King Mohammed VI and HRH Felipe's father, King Juan Carlos I – linked to divided loyalties over the disputed nation of Western Sahara and which has been thrust into the spotlight with over 8,000 sub-Saharan African migrants making their way into the Spanish city of Ceuta by climbing the fence from Moroccan territory.

Only one representative was sent from Georgia, the country sponsored by FITUR for 2021 – every year, the fair sponsors a different emerging tourism nation – who joined the King, Queen and politicians in the walk-around.

Different this year: More space and less contact

This year's FITUR has already shown itself to be vastly different from the 2020 edition, held at the normal time of year – late January and early February – before Covid had reached Europe other than in the form of a few isolated cases.

Now, the fair has much wider aisles between stands, persons manning the stalls standing farther apart, no handshakes or other physical contact, and no personal searches at the entrance.

Running until Sunday inclusive, FITUR will showcase countries and parts of countries from all five inhabited continents, businesses and holiday destinations from 55 nations, and 37 official representatives, along with professionals of another 79 nationalities who will be taking part via the new digital platform FITUR LIVEConnect.

Country stands passed en route during the monarchs' tour included Panamá, which is showcasing its handicrafts, its history and its natural environment; Portugal, which is flying huge yellow balloons with each representing one of its most iconic regions; México, and Egypt.

Spain's different regions are displaying either what they do best, or what they would rather promote instead: The Canary Islands has modelled its stand on its huge pre-Lent Carnival, La Rioja on its wine, and Galicia on the Camino de Santiago pilgrims' route which is celebrating its 'Xacobeo Year' in 2021 and, for the first time, stretched out to encompass part of 2022 – all of these being fairly typical features of their territory anyway – whilst other, established 'sun, sea and sand' destinations are pushing their local cuisine, nature, outdoor sports and similar non-season-sensitive attractions.

Spain 'among world's most competitive' tourism industry players

FITUR 2021 is focusing on rebooting an industry which is strategic to the world economy and, in some countries, the mainstay of their national economies – particularly Spain itself, which has been confirmed by the World Economic Forum as being 'one of the world's most competitive' players in the tourism sector.

According to the WEF, tourism accounted for around 13% of both employment and the GDP in Spain in 2019.

Reyes Maroto says staycations have already shown signs of recovery, and did so last year during periods when Covid contagion fell sufficiently to allow it.

She explains the aim for 2021 is to recover staycation tourism 'in full' and foreign tourism to about 50% of levels seen in 2019, which had been the latest in a string of record years for Spain.

She stressed that all forecasts were necessarily 'cautious', since 2021 would be 'a difficult year for people all over the world to move around'.

“We want to generate trust in the international and national tourism industries, whilst combating the pandemic through availing ourselves of safe-travel mechanisms,” Sra Maroto said.

She admitted that the decision to run FITUR this year had been 'a tough one'.

Concerning the idea floated by the European Union, of offering a free PCR test to all incoming tourists, Sra Maroto said this would be 'very hard in terms of cost' – for Spain in particular, given that, if it reaches its target of 50% of foreign visitor numbers from 2019, it would expect to see in region of 45 million holidaymakers.

This would suppose a cost equivalent to providing a free PCR for every single permanent resident in Spain.

Sra Ayuso announced a raft of measures aimed at stimulating the industry again, including a 'Tourist Token', or a voucher offering discounts of up to a total of €600, for any holidaymaker travelling to the Greater Madrid region from elsewhere in Spain.