International Tourism Fair a Success for Local Communities | Business

The International Tourism Fair (FITUR, its Spanish acronym) held in Madrid in January was an opportunity to showcase what Puerto Rico has to offer.

The four-day event opened many doors of possibility, with many centered on creating easily accessible ways to get to Puerto Rico and attract new tourists.

“FITUR is one of the most important tourism events in the world, held every January in Madrid. Annually, the Fair becomes a key platform for connecting and strengthening tourism marketing with Europe, Latin America, and other prominent markets in the global tourism arena,” said Willianette Robles Cancel, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC).

Cancel said that their presence at FITUR has positioned the island in a “privileged position to forge significant agreements that directly impact Puerto Rico’s economy.”

“A clear example of this is the renewal of the agreement with Iberia, which ensures daily flights between Madrid and San Juan throughout 2025, with an estimated economic impact of $29 million and a projected 40% increase in European passenger traffic to the island,” she said.

Cancel also indicated that agreements have been made with Aeroméxico to establish a direct flight route between Mexico City and San Juan, and with the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism to promote multi-destination tourism. She also highlighted the active role played by businesspeople from Puerto Rico as part of the delegation.

“Their participation in FITUR gives them the opportunity to generate direct connections with international buyers, tour operators, travel agencies, and other key players in the tourism ecosystem. They capitalize on these contacts to expand their businesses, diversify their offerings, and access new markets, which in turn strengthens the local economic base and expands the tourism value chain,” the executive explained.

One of the main goals at FITUR is the connections that tourism-related industries create to accomplish commercial agreements resulting in economic benefits. Discover Puerto Rico, which was invited by the PRTC to help promote Puerto Rico, worked on such agreements.

“In this particular fair, we established business relationships with wholesalers, travel organizations, and online travel agencies. We invested $300,000, which resulted in nearly $10 million in travel to Puerto Rico and boosted the local economy. Additionally, we promoted Puerto Rico in Spanish and European media outlets while at FITUR, which generated an advertising value of $763,741; the total cost of Discover Puerto Rico’s participation in the event was around $94,000,” said Ricardo Cortés, vice President of engagement and industry affairs at Discover Puerto Rico.

At FITUR, while the PRTC was responsible for promoting the qualities that make Puerto Rico a unique destination, Discover Puerto Rico’s mission was to help companies highlight their offerings to potential travelers from Spain, Europe, and other markets.

Local Campaigns

While the PRTC led the promotion efforts, some Puerto Rican municipalities participated with their own tourism-centered campaigns. For example, Aguadilla set the tone with its campaign, “Ven a Aguadilla y tráete tu silla” (Come to Aguadilla and Bring Your Chair).

“Ven a Aguadilla y tráete tu silla” allowed us to showcase our beaches and our beautiful places, so people want to come here. We used one of our beloved baseball players, Carlos Delgado, to spread the message that when you come to Aguadilla, you’re going to have a great time,” said Julio Roldán Concepción, mayor of the western town of Aguadilla.

Roldán Concepción also said that the campaign was an idea born out of the interest in bringing more European tourists to Puerto Rico’s west coast.

“We went to FITUR to spread the message that Aguadilla is one of the best places to vacation. This was an investment we made. We’ve seen investment back home, in our beaches, in our boardwalk. We’ve seen a lot of Spanish tourists, even if you’ve asked them how they heard about us, and they tell us it was through FITUR at a tourism fair, and that’s a great opportunity we had to bring tourism to Spain,” he explained.

The city of San Juan also presented its campaign, “Déjate Llevar” (Let Yourself Go), focusing on urban experiences and culture.

“FITUR is not just a tourism showcase; it is a global platform where deals are made, historical ties are strengthened, and our international reach is expanded. The 2024 and 2025 results demonstrate that San Juan not only competes at the highest level but is also consolidating its position as a leading destination,” said Miguel Romero Lugo, mayor of San Juan.

“Déjate Llevar” is the second campaign showcased by the city of San Juan at FITUR, with the previous one reaching 8.4 million people.

“As mayor of the capital city, I participate in FITUR because I firmly believe in the value of presenting San Juan on the international stage. We aren’t satisfied with being known just as an island in the Caribbean; we want our city to be on the list of must-see destinations in the world. Each edition (of FITUR) opens doors for us, allowing us to attract visitors, investments, and strategic alliances that translate into economic development and opportunities for our people. FITUR is a direct investment in the tourism, cultural, and economic future of San Juan.”

According to Roldán Concepción, these campaigns have been successful in increasing the influx of tourists to the Island.

“We see it on our beaches and our tourist spots, which are packed with non-Americans. Many of them are European nationals,” he said.

Spain as a Major Tourism Market

According to Ricardo Cortés, Spain is a major market for Puerto Rico in terms of tourism, and FITUR is one of many events aimed at engaging those audiences.

“If you only go to FITUR, you don’t get to make a mark in the market; you need to have a constant presence of the destination in these markets so that it remains fresh in the minds of travelers. But FITUR is an important event to create relationships between businesses, and the Puerto Rican Tourism Company and its strategies also find great value in it,” Cortés explained.

Cortés also mentioned that other promotional efforts include working with magazines such as Condé Nast and National Geographic, as well as outreach in international markets.

“It’s not just FITUR. We have a presence all year long,” he said.

Furthermore, Robles Cancel said that Puerto Rico participates in strategic discussions with entities such as the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and UN Tourism, which help strengthen the island’s public policies on sustainability, resilience, and tourism innovation.

“FITUR is a powerful platform to project our vision of the future: a vibrant island, connected to the world, committed to tourism as an engine of economic and social development,” she said.