From 19th to 23rd May, IFEMA Madrid will again bring the international tourism industry together at this important meeting that aims to relaunch the global tourism industry and be the first major international safe mobility experience. On this unique occasion, the Madrid Region wants to engage even more actively with FITUR to show the world the Region’s leadership as an economic driver, with its competitive industry and business community, where freedom and legal certainty are features of the legislative and political context.
Over the past year, Madrid’s tourism sector has been hit by the pandemic. But it has been an outstanding example of solidarity, collaboration and how to adapt to changing social and economic circumstances. So, at this year’s FITUR, the Madrid government wants to salute the Region’s effort with a stand designed as a participatory space for Madrid’s different destinations, products, and tourism businesses.
New tourism products and a global brand image
FITUR is also an excellent showcase for the Madrid Region’s new tourism model in a changing and increasingly competitive environment. This new tourism model aims to maintain the Madrid Region’s competitiveness and leadership with a strategy that can respond to the sector’s needs and contribute to a sustainable and digitalised tourism business in an environment that keeps everyone safe.
The Madrid Region is aware that competitiveness in this new context requires innovative products to attract different niche markets that can help the sector quickly recover and a new international brand image.
To achieve this, during FITUR, the Region will present its new brand image and new concept as an international tourism region: Greater Madrid. The event will be on Thursday 20th May at noon on the Madrid Region stand’s main stage. With this new name, international tourists will be able to grasp the idea of what the Madrid Region is clearly and that its hospitable geographical context has a surprising and extensive wealth of heritage and high-quality tourist resources to satisfy even the most demanding tourists.
Another innovation presented during the Fair will be the new tourist product, Destination Weddings, to promote the Madrid region as the ideal destination for unique and unforgettable experiences.
The Madrid region, destination of destinations
The Madrid Region’s highly competitive tourist offering includes culture, heritage, nature, food & wine tourism, shopping, and leisure. It brings together a wide diversity of destinations and tourism resources of which the eleven historic heritage towns (Villas de Madrid) and the natural landscapes are an outstanding part, infused with a wealth of art, culture and performing arts that are a feature of the Region.
The Region has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are a tourist attraction for fans of history, art, and traditions: the University and historic old town at Alcalá de Henares, the cultural landscape of Aranjuez, and the monastery and the royal palace at San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
The eleven Villas de Madrid are historic heritage towns that stand out for their rich cultural heritage and for preserving their rural authenticity and are important tourist sites that surprise visitors all year round. They are the best destination for getting carried away by emotions and perceiving them with all five senses.
But the Madrid Region is also about nature. It has places like the Hayedo de Montejo beech forest (the first nature reserve in the Region recognised as World Heritage by UNESCO), the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park mountain range, and the Sierra del Rincón mountain range and Cuenca Alta del Manzanares Biosphere Reserves. These are ideal places for active tourism and ecotourism. The mountainous Sierra de Guadarrama National Park has launched a smart tourism project to improve the quality and safety of visitors’ experiences.
The Sierra Norte (north) and Sierra Oeste (west) are also destinations with unique features and landscapes well worth visiting for the variety of tourist attractions and activities. And, for cyclists, the CiclaMadrid network of cycling routes is the perfect way to discover the Madrid Region on two wheels in a healthy and sustainable way. The Madrid region is undoubtedly ideal for sharing experiences such as wine tourism, horse riding, or canoeing.
The regional government has published a new collection of guides by well-known writers on different themes for visits to the Madrid Region. It is firmly committed to promoting inclusive and accessible tourism, and it has integrated these values into its tourist publications. It recently launched a new guide to accessible routes in the Region. Its Villas de Madrid web site now has an accessible version.
To complete your visit on a cinema theme, the Comunidad de Madrid: Far West Territory website guides you through a tour of the shooting locations for Westerns during the second half of the twentieth century.
Another of the attractions that makes Madrid an unforgettable visit is the quality and variety of its hotels and accommodation. The Region’s hotels are no longer just a place to sleep: they are places where things happen, and guests enjoy experiences ranging from top-quality food in Michelin-starred restaurants to health routines, performances, and more. All endorsed by leading professionals who offer tourists personalised assistance and complete safety guarantees.
Tags: FITUR 2021
