The Spanish autonomous communities have decided to turn to a new edition of the international tourism fair Fitur 2022, with an eye on the industry recovery for this summer and with the confidence that travelers will resume their trips in complete safety, betting on more sustainable and closer destinations.
In a Fair much more restrained than the previous ones, gastronomically speaking, due to the irruption of the FFP2 mask on the blue carpet, the different Spanish regions have offered professional visitors who were looking for the best anchovies from Cantabria, the most select wines from La Rioja or Castilla y León, the renowned Andalusian oil or the famous Asturian cider, among other delicacies.
The illusion and the desire to be reborn in tourism are reflected in the Galician stand, which, with a modern and colorful design, wanted to symbolize the hope and illusion with which the region faces the second year of Xacobeo.
The exhibition space features the presence of the life-size silver ‘botafumeiro’ made by the goldsmiths more than 60 years ago and with which visitors can be photographed. On this occasion, it will be part of a set that will play with mirrors as a symbol of the many faces of Galicia as a tourist destination.
An illusion that is also reflected in the stand of Andalusia, which exhibits its tourist destinations and joy as one of its greatest virtues. The Andalusian community has 5,300 square meters in pavilion 5 of Ifema, in an exhibitor that will have the motto ‘The Great Stage of Joy’.
In this edition, said region presents projects such as ‘Origin and destination’, with the focus on the V Centenary of the I Around the World in September 2022; ‘Andalucía Leaves Footprints’, as a “strong commitment” to the world of horses; and ‘Andalusia is Flamenco’, since this art “has a lot to do with the tourist success of the community”.
He has also chosen to evoke light and the sea in the stand of the Valencian Community in pavilion 7 of the fairgrounds, which, in a space of more than 2,000 square meters, shows the great diversity of tourist offer that the region has: tolerance and values such as LGBT, specialization in festivals, in addition to technology companies linked to the industry.
Commitment to sustainability
One of the great commitments of the fair by the communities this year has undoubtedly been sustainability. And, in this line, Navarra attends the event betting on responsible and conscious tourism, which it seeks to reflect in its stand, made with recyclable materials and with low consumption lighting, all in accordance with the action of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Asturias has also taken advantage of the celebration of this event to present itself as a destination for nature and wellness, safe and sustainable. The landscape kitchen and the candidacy of the cider culture for UNESCO intangible heritage also have their leading role in the Asturian stand.
Murcia also puts the emphasis this year on sustainability with a large stand of 1,000 square meters, in which the diversity of its natural, cultural and historical resources stands out, they can offer unique experiences to visitors.
And one of the most striking stands of the communities this year has been that of Castilla la Mancha, which has arranged a large central vine on two floors, and a green canvas that covers it and emulates the branches, in a nod to the gastronomic and wine tourism potential of the region, common thread of the proposal of Castilla-La Mancha for this edition of the fair.
Estremadura, is also committed to sustainability and offers a space that claims the region, through the inclusion of natural elements and that, as a novelty, includes two outstanding areas, one dedicated to gastronomy, and another to the exhibition The Ages of Man which will host Plasencia from April to December, which has a large-scale reproduction of the cathedral.
It is also projected as friendly land Cantabria that participates in Fitur with a stand focused on nature, roads and gastronomy as a link between people and the territory, and with the intention of revalidating its position as a “unique” destination.
This space will be larger than last year’s, regarding 800 square meters and intends to convey its values of nature, purity, enjoyment and good food with the symbolism of the routes and paths that connect visitors with the sea, the mountains and uncrowded green spaces and landscapes.
In Madrid, Community and City Council want to promote themselves by showing the wide gastronomic, cultural and sports offer which the capital of Spain has. A fan has been the image chosen for a stand in which the protagonists are vertical garden assemblies as a symbol of the promotion of sustainable tourism in harmony with the environment.
Tourism of experiences
The stand of Aragon, with a dimension of 500 square meters, simulates a Aragonese town framed in a landscape of nature inspired by some of the most charming towns in the autonomous community, which seeks to give prominence to rural tourism.
The space highlights the traditional architectural style, the Aragonese mountains, the snow and field in a sustainable environment and related to experience tourism.
Tourism highly valued also by visitors to Basque Country, which, for its part, seeks to evoke the image of a region of industrial memory that has evolved over time and that places gastronomy at the center of its tourist offer, with a great weight in addition to nature.
Castilla y León is also committed to experience tourism at Fitur, with the aim that the traveler who visits the Community turns their trip into an experience, living and discovering the destination in an active way. The Santiago’s road has a special role in the stand for Xacobeo 2022, promoting the 15 Ways to Santiago that cross the community, through an interactive application.
Canary Islands
For its part, Canary Islands participates, as in previous editions, with a stand of 1,425 square meters that stands out for its luminosity, with graphic and audiovisual media as protagonists, through the projection on state-of-the-art screens of landscapes and elements of the Islands that cause an immersive effect and convey the uniqueness of the destination.
The pavilion includes four enormous screens of 20 square meters of LEDs transparent panels and a new LED cube that allow the projection of moving logos and light effects almost suspended on its six faces. The aim of this installation is to create a great visual impact that gives strength and personality to the Islas Canarias brand through an innovative approach and great communication potential.
And to close the list, the Balearic Islands, which focuses its tourist novelties for this year on sustainability, gastronomy and business tourism, always without forgetting health security guarantees. Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera are present at Fitur with a 1,000 square meter stand inspired by the Mediterranean, which is an adaptation of the one used in the last edition of the fair.
