The Fitur 2026 International Tourism Fair, taking place from January 21st to 25th at Ifema Madrid with Mexico as its partner country, puts sustainability and responsible management at the heart of its 46th edition.
The organization has strengthened its strategic agenda to balance the competitiveness of the sector with the conservation of resources in the context of the global growth in international arrivals.
The most important operational innovation will be the first use of GENAQ atmospheric water generators at the event, which will cover part of the water consumption during the event and significantly reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles.
Eight wells will be installed in different parts of Fitur to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the transport and distribution of bottled water and to utilize a renewable and local source: humidity.
The trade fair will also deepen its environmental commitment through comprehensive measurement of the carbon footprint, both direct emissions (Scope 1 and 2) and indirect emissions (Scope 3). This approach will enable progress towards a more responsible event model and generate important information to define continuous improvement measures in future tenders.
In the knowledge area, the Fiturext Observatory will focus its challenge this year on efficient water management, selecting the Visit València Foundation, Barceló Regen and the Hungarian Plastic Cup as winning initiatives.
In addition, the knowledge pavilion will serve as a space for the exchange of strategies for resource management and the well-being of local communities during the specialist days.
The fair will also maintain the Sustainable Stand Award and promote its specialty areas – such as FITUR 4all, Cruises or Woman – with the aim of promoting more inclusive and seasonally adapted tourism.
According to UN Tourism, international arrivals rose 5% in the first half of 2025 and global tourism spending could reach $2.1 trillion. According to Fitur, these numbers “reflect the strength of an expanding sector, but also underscore the responsibility to transition to more efficient, resilient practices that can deliver social and environmental benefits over time.”
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