Ecuador will lead Latin American tourism offer as an associated country in Fitur 2024

Ecuador will lead as an associated country the Latin American tourism offer at the International Tourism Fair of Madrid, Fitur, which will be held from tomorrow until Sunday in the Spanish capital and will become the largest exhibitor in Europe of the region’s proposals for 2024 for five days.

The presence of the Ecuadorian president, Daniel Noboa, is expected for the inauguration of the event, one of the most important in the sector internationally, as confirmed to EFE this Tuesday by the embassy of the South American country in Spain.

Noboa will be present on the first day of the Fair, in what will be his first official trip, after declaring on January 9 a “internal armed conflict” in his country, after several prison riots, the taking of a television channel hostage and various altercations in some cities carried out by gangs related to drug trafficking.

In the 44th edition of Fitur, Ecuador will try to convey peace of mind to companies and tour operators, as well as take advantage of the window of visibility offered by its position to show its tourist offer and try to overcome the drop in reservations in the midst of the adverse situation that lives.

Noboa will inaugurate the Ecuador stand tomorrow, together with the kings of Spain, Felipe VI and Letizia, in charge of starting the Fair.

The Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, Niels Olsen, the Minister of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, Sade Fritschi, and the Minister of Production, Sonsoles García, have also traveled to Spain.

Nature, gastronomy and Latin American culture

Fitur will reflect this year the growth that the sector experienced after the pandemic, with a record edition in which 9,000 companies – five hundred more than in 2023 – and 152 countries – twenty more – will participate.

Between January 24 and 28, the first of the major sectoral events on the international calendar will display a total of 806 exhibitors in nine pavilions at the Ifema exhibition center in Madrid, which has set up an additional venue this year for an event with which It is expected to attract 150,000 professionals and 100,000 general public attendees.

In the midst of a great tourist offer, Latin America will try to stand out with its wide offer of natural destinations, applauded gastronomy and a diverse culture.

Among them, the Dominican Republic will present three beach destinations: Miches, Punta Bergantín and Pedernales, on which the country is betting to continue increasing visits, which in 2023 reached the record of 10 million tourists.

Venezuela will have an offer based on adventure, folkloric manifestations and sustainability, while Colombia will receive the award for Inclusive International Tourist Destination.

Infrastructure, hotels and operators to increase tourism

The Mayan Train will be Mexico’s big bet for this edition of Fitur, where several Mexican states and dozens of companies in the country will also participate.

Cuba aspires to reach three million tourists in 2024 and, therefore, in addition to traditional markets such as Europe, it has focused on new ones, such as Russia, already well established, Turkey, China, Gulf countries or Latin America itself.

For its part, Peru will have a 360 square meter exhibitor, in which 32 companies will represent “the diversity and richness of the tourism sector” and will show various aspects of the industry, from hospitality and gastronomy to travel agencies and specialized tourist services.

Guatemala, last year’s guest country, will return to the fair to show its “culture, gastronomy and tourist sites that make it unique” and so will the whole of Central America, with ecotourism and ancestral history as the main attractions.

Argentina, without the Ministry of Tourism after the arrival to the Government of the ultra-liberal Javier Milei, will also be present at the Fair and will have its own space, although hardly any details are known of the agenda that will be displayed at Fitur.