FITUR 2025 is set to boost tourism business between China and Spain

International

The International Tourism Trade Fair will have official representation from China along with a significant business participation.

FITUR 2025, to be held from 22 to 26 January, organised by IFEMA MADRID, is to promote the growing tourism relationship between China and Spain, as evidenced by the increase in the flow of visitors and number of flights. In addition to the official representation through the China Tourism Office in Spain, numerous Chinese companies, such as tour operators, technological solutions for hospitality or official Chinese incoming agencies will be participating.

According to Turespaña, in the first nine months of 2024 a total of 517,000 Chinese tourists visited Spain with a 17% increase in spending compared to 2019. For its part, Spanish interest in travelling to China has also grown, as reflected in the increase of bookings in agencies and transport companies. As a European tourist destination, Spain is better positioned than ever in the Chinese market.

The Chinese government recorded a total of 424 million people entering and leaving China in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 266.5 per cent over 2022, according to its National Immigration Administration. Visa exemption policies for Chinese citizens have been a key factor in encouraging tourism from China, as well as the efforts of its authorities to attract international tourists, eliminating the need for 15-day visas for several countries, including Spain, until the end of 2025, making FITUR an ideal scenario for promoting itself as a destination.

During the first half of 2024, according to Chinese analytics company FastData, the number of Chinese overseas travellers reached 60.71 million, up 50.4% year-on-year, and has recovered by 74.7% compared to 2019. This figure is expected to grow in the second half of the year, reaching 90% of 2019 levels in the first half of 2025.

In terms of connectivity, Spain has increased its frequencies of direct flight to China by 38% with 44 weekly flights and 55% more seats available compared to 2019. This increase contributes to supporting the deseasonalisation of tourism in Spain, particularly in off-peak seasons.

In 2024, FITUR attracted 9,000 companies, 152 countries and more than 250,000 visitors.