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Costa Rica stands out at the Fitur 2019 opening in Madrid

 

 

  • Maria Amalia Revelo, Minister of Tourism, met with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, as well as 35 Ministers and Secretaries of Tourism from around the world.
  • For the first time, a historic number of tourism enterprises participated, with 50 companies showcasing the most outstanding and innovative Costa Rican tourism offerings.

During the first day of activities of the 2019 International Tourism Fair (Fitur), the Costa Rican delegation played a leading part. The delegation, headed by Maria Amalia Revelo, Minister of Tourism, included a historic contingent of 50 tourism enterprises. The fair is dedicated to tourism and travel, and will be held from January 23 to 27 in the massive IFEMA events center in Madrid. Fitur is considered one of the largest trade fairs in the world. According to the organizers’ official data, this year’s event will feature participation from 165 countries, over 9,000 companies and an expected 200,000 attendees, which will include industry professionals and the general public.

The official opening ceremonies were held by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. The royal couple held a closed-door meeting with over 35 tourism ministers and secretaries. Minister Revelo attended this meeting and was greeted warmly by the royals. King Felipe acknowledged the efforts that Costa Rica had made on sustainability issues.

Following the official opening, the participating Costa Rican tourism sector entrepreneurs began their negotiations, showcasing the ample Costa Rican tourism offerings, which include sun, beach, nature, birdwatching, wellness and adventure activities, among others. The Costa Rican business delegation is made up of hoteliers, travel agents, tour operators, car rental agencies, chambers of tourism, rural tourism businesses and theme parks.

Minister Revelo noted that she was very satisfied with the participation of Costa Rican business leaders in one of the largest tourism fairs in the world. “Today, we are taking part alongside 50 tourism companies, all of whom have an ICT Tourism Declaration or Certificate of Sustainability, and they are all committed to developing the European market”. The Minister pointed out that in addition to meeting with Spain’s leading tourism companies, they were creating business connections with companies from around the world, and holding strategic meetings with airlines, wholesalers and international press, including some of the most prominent Spanish media.

Another boost for “Pura Vida”

The Department of International Trade Fairs at ICT coordinated the construction of an impressive stand measuring 300 square meters and decorated with natural Costa Rican plants. The one-on-one negotiation spaces and meeting rooms were combined with wide-format digital screens and a series of activities that included coffee tastings, cotton candy, shaved-ice cones and rosquillas. A high point of the day’s events was the presence of the painter and artisan Rolando Alvarado, an expert in painting ox-cards, who spent the day painting an ox-cart wheel in the famous style of the Sarchí Canton.

Meanwhile, Minister Revelo spoke with the international press, participated in strategic meetings with wholesalers, and visited the Guatemala stand in the Central America pavilion to take part in official events with her Central America counterparts. This included the transfer of the rotating Presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA) from Belize to Guatemala. The Minister finished the first day of the event with a meeting with the famous Spanish fashion designer Juan Duyos, and Carla Royo-Villanova, the Princess of Panagyurishte and Duchess of Saxony. The designer’s summer collection is inspired by Costa Rica and will be presented at the Madrid Fashion Week later this year.

Finally, as part of the events surrounding Fitur 2019, the Ambassador of Costa Rica in Spain, Ana Helena Chacón was invited as a panelist in the Women’s Forum for Dialog and Education. Chacón’s talk was entitled: “Women and Tourism: Other Visions”.

Spain represents the fourth-largest European tourist-sending market, with over 69,000 visitors recorded over 2018, with an average visit length of over 12 nights. Spanish tourists stand out for their passion for the country’s nature, sun, beaches and hiking. The increasing visits by Spaniards to the country generally take the form of family visits or couples’ holidays.