“Mediterranean Attitude.” This will be the Valencian Community’s slogan at the Madrid International Tourism Fair, Fitur, scheduled from January 24 to 28 this year. The Ministry of Tourism announced that the stand will exceed 2,000 square meters, housing seven regional tourism brands. The question on everyone’s mind is what the setup will look like and what strategy will guide this international presence.
Tourism Minister Nuria Montes unveiled the plan alongside Carmen Sahuquillo, who oversees the Ministry’s Promotion and Marketing division, outlining the Generalitat’s objectives for the fair. The slogan aims to unify a broad concept centered on lifestyle, passion, and effort—the light and spirit of the Mediterranean that leaves an imprint on visitors and travelers alike.
The centerpiece of this approach is the Group’s flagship stand, spanning 2,050 square meters and positioned at the entrance of Pavilion 7. What does it entail? First, a palette dominated by white and blue, colors emblematic of the Mediterranean, applied across three principal islands and three connected zones. The first island brings together regional brands and municipalities of the Community, with three provincial bodies—Castellón Mediterráneo, Valencia Turisme, and the White Shore—each occupying about 205.33 square meters. Benidorm will occupy an additional 97.5 square meters, while Valencia, Alicante, and their sister cities including Elche will participate in separate sections for the first time. An area dedicated to festivals is also included among these spaces.
A second section hosts companies, associations, and tourism products, while the third island features the Central Plaza and stage, show cooking and tasting areas, a press zone, and support services. Turisme also maintains exhibition spaces in various specializations at IFEMA: an 18 square meter stand for FITUR LGBT+, a presence at FITUR SCREEN in collaboration with the Spanish Film Commission, and participation in FITUR SPORTS, highlighting innovations with involvement from the City of Light for the first time.
Investment
The Generalitat plans to invest 1.2 million euros for its presence at Fitur, representing a 6 percent increase from the previous year as land costs in Madrid rise while the grandstand price remains constant. According to Montes, the stand is designed to flexibly present the Valencian Community’s tourism offerings at Fitur and at nine other national and international events planned for the year.
In this edition, the sector will enjoy a standout exhibition with 500 participants including brands, municipalities, companies, and associations. The councilor notes that the large turnout will mark a record edition, underscoring the richness of the region’s product, technological prowess, and experiential offerings.
Montes adds that Turisme Comunitat Valenciana will collaborate to present the best version of the region, emphasizing its diversity, sustainability, accessibility, professional excellence, and the capacity to offer competitive options across requested sectors.
During the fair’s five days, the regional department will host a full schedule of presentations, tastings, demonstration dinners, and meetings with leading tour operators, travel agencies, airlines, as well as tourism offices abroad and professionals from different fields. More than 200 activities are planned with the aim of achieving stronger results and expanding competitiveness and business opportunities in 2024, Montes remarked.
Outline of the Tourism Strategy 2024
Montes notes that the Valencian Community has established itself as a prominent tourism destination on both national and international stages, with 23.7 million visitors in 2023, ranking as the fifth most visited destination in Spain. He stresses, however, that this is a long-term effort and there is room to grow. The plan includes more than 150 promotional actions across 20 export markets in 2024 and contemplates new initiatives in countries with strong growth potential such as the United States, China, and Japan. Specific policies and long-term strategies will be implemented to ensure the sustainability and continuity of the tourism sector. The overarching objective is to solidify the region as a sustainable, high-quality, innovative, diverse, and reference destination at both national and international levels. The minister emphasized that the aim is not merely to stand out but to be the preferred choice for those who see the Valencian Community as their top destination.
Among the lines outlined by the Minister for 2024, the strategy focuses on expanding and enriching the offer to match evolving visitor preferences and demand, while reducing seasonality and promoting year-round tourism. At the same time, steps will be taken to boost the industry’s competitiveness and the quality of tourist services through programs such as Travel Bonus, which will invest 12.5 million euros, along with additional aids similar to those already launched by the Imserso program and temporary support for hotels in the Valencia Community. Montes highlighted that a stronger public-private collaboration will maximize the benefits of tourism while ensuring sustainability.
The plan also calls for investments in innovation and technology, as well as training and development of tourism talent, reinforcing a focused push to strengthen the sector across all fronts.