FITUR 2027: the international tourism trade fair

FITUR returns from 20 to 24 January 2027 at IFEMA MADRID, Madrid, Spain. The 47th edition is organised by IFEMA MADRID and connects destinations, tourism businesses, technology providers and professional visitors across inbound and outbound markets. The first three days are professional days; the fair opens to end travellers over the weekend. Puerto Rico is the 2027 Partner Country. Use FITUR to compare offers, explore distribution and technology options, discuss tourism challenges and identify ideas worth developing after the fair.

Why FITUR matters to tourism professionals

Meet across the travel value chain

Geographic areas bring destinations and tourism companies into an international setting. Destination organisations can consider which operators, agencies, media and partners could help them reach target audiences. Travel businesses can compare destinations and suppliers against their customer segments and operating calendar.

Follow specialist parts of tourism

The organiser's 2027 announcement confirms eleven halls and specialist areas including FITUR TechY, FITUR Cruises, FITUR 4all, FITUR Experience, FITUR Sports, FITUR Lingua, FITUR Know-How & Export, FITUR Screen, FITUR Talent, FITUR Woman, FITUR LGBT+ and FITURNEXT. These areas focus on travel technology, accessible tourism, cruise tourism, language travel, sports and sustainability.

Understand the reported scale

For January 2026, the organiser reported 255,000 visitors and more than 10,000 companies from 161 countries. A planned route and meeting objectives can help visitors focus on the areas most relevant to their organisation.

Who should visit FITUR?

Destination organisations and tourism authorities

Useful if you need to present a destination, reach travel intermediaries, compare destination positioning or explore partners for a defined market. Prepare a concise destination story, target visitor segments and products or seasons you want to discuss.

Tour operators, travel agencies and tourism businesses

Useful if you are reviewing destinations, accommodation, activities or distribution relationships. Compare offers against customer segments, service requirements and operating calendars; note what needs validation and who should receive a follow-up.

Travel technology, specialist providers and media

Technology providers can explore how tools fit tourism businesses' needs, while specialists can focus on cruises, accessible travel, sport, experience-led travel or language tourism. Media and researchers may use the international mix to identify themes for further investigation.

What can you find at FITUR?

FITUR is arranged around regions including Europe, America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Spain, alongside tourism companies from around the world. Travel Technology is a dedicated monographic space; the organiser reported 50% growth for it in 2026. Other named areas cover accessibility, cruises, experiential tourism, LGBT+ tourism, language travel, screen tourism, sport, talent, tourism exports and sustainability. Puerto Rico is the Partner Country for 2027, and a second Knowledge Hub has been announced. Check the final programme for session details.

How to prepare before FITUR

Set a business question

Choose a result you can control: compare destination partners for a customer segment, identify technology options for a defined workflow, or evaluate whether a specialist area fits your offer. Write down the evidence needed for your next decision.

Build and prioritise a target list

Use the official exhibitor catalogue and map to identify companies, destination stands and specialist areas. Mark targets A (essential), B (useful) or C (if time allows). The organiser also lists LiveConnect and Expo Zone; check current functions and access conditions before relying on them.

Arrange focused conversations

Where possible, request meetings with priority organisations and explain your market, audience and question. Ask destination partners about seasonality, product availability and distribution; ask technology providers about integration, implementation and support.

Plan around the audience mix

Wednesday 20 to Friday 22 January are professional days; Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 January open to end travellers. Prioritise professional days for trade conversations, or the weekend if you are researching the visitor experience.

Make comparisons useful

For each conversation, record organisation → offer → target audience → evidence to verify → next action. Compare partners using consistent criteria such as distribution fit, service capacity, technology compatibility, seasonality and accessibility. Keep speculative ideas separate from options linked to a concrete objective.

After FITUR: turn conversations into decisions

Sort contacts into immediate follow-up, potential fit and market intelligence. Send priority contacts a specific request, such as product information, distribution terms or technical detail. Compare options against your original objective, assign an owner to each next step and share a concise debrief with colleagues.

Who should consider exhibiting at FITUR?

The documented scope includes destination bodies, tourism companies and providers in geographic and specialist areas. It may suit organisations seeking visibility among travel professionals, destination partners, operators, agencies and media. Before exhibiting, define the audience you need to reach, the conversations your team can support and your follow-up process. The reported scale does not guarantee a particular commercial result.

FITUR visitor checklist

Before

• Set one primary objective and two secondary questions.
• Review the catalogue, map and specialist areas; prioritise targets.
• Request meetings and prepare destination, distribution or technology questions.
• Check the latest programme, badge conditions and access information.

During

• Keep a consistent comparison record for priority conversations.
• Separate confirmed product information from points still requiring evidence.
• Review notes at the end of each day and adjust your route.

After

• Send specific follow-up requests and assign an owner and date.
• Compare options against your audience, service and distribution needs.
• Share a short market-intelligence summary.

Is FITUR worth visiting?

FITUR is most useful for tourism organisations with a market, product or partnership question that can be explored through its international destination mix and specialist areas. Its reported scale makes advance prioritisation valuable. Without clear audiences, target organisations and follow-up criteria, the breadth may make conversations harder to turn into decisions.

FITUR 2027 at a glance

Make FITUR a purposeful business trip

Decide what you need to learn, whom to meet and what evidence would justify a next step. Discover. Compare. Discuss. Decide. Follow up.

Tourism opportunities in Spain

Market context

Spain's National Statistics Institute reported international tourist expenditure of €134,712 million in 2025, 6.8% above 2024. This measures visitor spending, not revenue available to an individual supplier, but shows the scale of the travel economy in which destinations, accommodation, transport, activities and visitor services operate.

Opportunities for exhibitors

• Destination bodies and tourism businesses may explore distribution, product and partnership conversations relevant to Spain's international visitor market.
• Technology and specialist providers could discuss services addressing tourism businesses' needs around visitor experience, accessibility, sustainability or operations.

Opportunities for visitors

• Tour operators and agencies may compare destination products and suppliers against customer segments and travel calendars.
• Tourism professionals could frame questions about international demand and visitor services; the national spending figure alone does not establish demand for a particular product.

Commercial fit depends on the product, target customer, distribution route and market requirements.

Discover Madrid

Madrid combines major art collections, royal heritage and civic spaces. IFEMA MADRID is within Madrid city, not in a separate municipality.

Prado Museum

The official tourism guide highlights a collection of European masters including Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Titian and Rubens.

El Retiro Park

This UNESCO-listed landscape offers a quieter contrast to exhibition halls and city streets.

Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor

The Royal Palace is a major architectural landmark; Plaza Mayor sits in historic Hapsburg Madrid. Allow time around the fair days to explore at a pace that fits your schedule.