Strictly professional and business activities governed Andalusia’s presence at the 46th edition of Fitur this year. Last week, administrations such as the Regional Ministry of Tourism of the Andalusian Regional Government and the Malaga Provincial Council announced the suspension of their institutional agenda at the Madrid Tourism Fair, a decision that was supported by various municipalities and cities, such as Mijas, thus showing their respect and solidarity with the victims of the railway accident in Adamuz (Córdoba).

However, although the institutional and political agenda was suspended for the duration of the fair (21st to 25th of January), the technical meetings already scheduled were maintained and promotional information about the municipality was available at the Costa del Sol stand. Therefore, the promotion of the local offer mainly fell to the private sector, tourist establishments and hotels that travelled to Madrid to showcase their offerings. This was the case of representatives from La Zambra, Vik Gran Hotel Costa del Sol, Idiliq Group and Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, among others, who went to the Spanish capital and established contacts with tour operators and travel agents in order to attract customers to their establishments and, consequently, to the town.

 

Focus on domestic tourism

In this edition, the Costa del Sol Tourism strategy was aimed at increasing the presence of domestic tourists in Andalusia, whose presence generated an economic impact of 6.369 billion euros in 2025, 1.3% more than in 2024. The region invested 4.4 million euros in a 7,200-square-metre stand, where more than 200 Andalusian companies came together to promote the region from a sustainable perspective. For its part, Malaga had an exhibitor focused on the image of La Alcazaba, and its presence at the tourism fair is centred on its ability to attract visitors with greater purchasing power.

As for the Mijas campaign, the Tourism Department has just presented the municipality’s promotional strategy for the coming months. 

 

Fitur 2026

Despite the suspension of the agenda of events and presentations, Fitur once again brought together numerous companies and agents linked to the tourism sector. The organisers estimated up to 9,500 companies, 156 countries, 155,000 professionals and more than 100,000 visitors to attend this edition, in which Mexico was the partner country, with a unique space where visitors discovered tourist regions, magical towns, emerging destinations and exclusive tourist products.

 

In addition, Fitur incorporated a new pavilion, Pavilion 12, known as the Knowledge Pavilion, the epicentre of digitalisation, innovation and trends in the sector, hosting conferences and debates on the most current and inspiring content.

Tragedy

With screens tinted black, messages of support for the families of the victims of the train accident and black ribbons symbolising mourning Fitur began on Wednesday 21st at the Andalusia stand, where a minute’s silence was also observed to coincide with the opening of the fair. The following day, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, on their official visit to Ifema, wanted to leave a message of affection for those affected by this tragedy in the book of condolences that was set up at the Andalusian Tourism stand.

The experts' opinion

The vice-president of Aehcos Mijas, Juan Miguel Marcos, expressed his opinion on this event, saying that “it is a fantastic meeting point for networking, from a commercial perspective, with companies, associations and agencies that can help us increase our occupancy and improve our prices”.

The Idiliq group, which manages the Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol hotel in Mijas, was present at Fitur; its chief operating officer, Juan José Millán, pointed out that “this is the most important tourism fair and, for us, it is a way to remain in contact with tour operators and meet new ones”. Millán added that “it’s a good time because banks, consultants and others are all gathered in one place, which is great for talking to everyone in just a couple of days”. 

As for the general atmosphere at the fair, the chief operating officer of the Idiliq group acknowledged that, at least on Wednesday, “there are fewer people than last year; I think the train tragedy has had a lot to do with it because, in the end, many trips have been cancelled. This year, Fitur has been clouded by this tragedy, despite the fact that it is shaping up to be a very positive year for the hotel and tourism sector in Spain”.

 

The Macdonald Hotels & Resorts group has three holiday apartment complexes in Mijas. Its manager, Mayte Urquía, attended Fitur, an event she described as “a showcase to the whole world that allows you to find potential partners; it’s a window to the international world”. Urquía specified that “we come to see potential partners, technology and tools that AI now offers”. As she explained, “right now, the marketing and advertising system has completely changed; it’s all artificial intelligence and social media, and all of this is linked to getting more customers”. In this regard, the manager of the tourism group acknowledged that “we already implemented AI” and expressed her opinion that “100% of the sector has to implement it because it gives us information about potential customers, as well as about guests before they arrive, so we can offer them a better room, a golf package... AI is information”.

 

The Vik Gran Hotel Costal Sol was also represented at Fitur by its director, Manuel Camacho, for whom these face-to-face meetings are essential. “As every year, this fair allows us to see all those tour operators in England, Germany, Sweden and Finland whom we don’t get to see on a daily basis, and to continue strengthening our ties with them. We do business, but it’s always good to see each other in person, to have human contact, to feel the connection we’ve had for 27 winters now”. 

For Camacho, the large number of tour operators who attend this fair is key. “At the end of the day, it’s a global meeting point where we can bridge the gap with those tour operators who are very interested in the Costa del Sol, as there are many companies and many receptive operators, which is ultimately what interests us”.

 

For Joost Kruissen, managing director of Hotel La Zambra, the hotel’s presence at Fitur was crucial “to promote our municipality and everything it has to offer”. “We were unsure whether to come because the connections were not easy. What has happened is terrible, but we must continue to promote and raise awareness of both Malaga and Mijas. That is why most of the private sector is attending and has been very well received”.

At Fitur, La Zambra promoted a charity golf tournament that will take place in June in collaboration with the Mijas Town Hall and Turismo Costa del Sol. They also continued to focus on the luxury sector, although aimed at Scandinavian, American and Eastern European clients. “The idea is to attract high-value tourists who stay longer and spend more at the destination, which is ultimately what we are looking for”, explained Kruissen.

 

Raquel Hidalgo-Barquero, among the 150 most influential people in tourism in Spain

Raquel Hidalgo-Barquero, director of CIOMijas, was recognised as one of the 150 most influential people in the tourism sector in Spain in the 7th edition of the list compiled by the consulting firm Sergestur. This recognition highlights her professional career and her commitment to training and professional ethics in the field of tourism. The director of the Mijas training centre received the award during a ceremony held as part of Fitur, where the selected professionals were presented with a pin as a token of recognition. For Hidalgo-Barquero, “it has been a source of great pride; a recognition that touches my soul”.

One of the pillars of her professional vision is the transformation of the traditional human resources model, “training people in both technical and social skills and competencies. In other words, people who have enough resources to be able to develop their professional careers and future aspirations. And that is achieved through training and the desire to learn and continue evolving”, she argued.

With more than 25 years of experience in the tourism sector, Hidalgo-Barquero has held management positions in hotels and tourism companies both in Spain and abroad. For more than two decades, she has combined her experience with the design and management of training projects aimed at developing talent in hospitality and tourism, especially in Spain and Latin America. In addition, he has collaborated as a lecturer with universities and business schools.

 

Sonia Lekuona and María Jurado, representatives from Málaga

The Andalusian Regional Government once again chose artisan Sonia Lekuona to represent Málaga at Fitur 2026. This esparto weaver and María Jurado, both members of the Mijas-based association Puerta del Ágora, displayed their work at the Andalusia stand. Together, they showcased the sustainable craftsmanship of our province with their esparto and eco-printing. Specifically, Lekuona brought large pieces of esparto grass, similar to sculptures, and some included interaction with the public thanks to three modules representing a path where esparto grass grows. Thanks to an audio recording made in an esparto field at sunset, visitors were able to walk along the path while listening to the sound of esparto grass in Mijas.

For her part, María Jurado brought the dyes she works with, thus bringing together the two crafts, as Lekuona paints her esparto with these plant-based dyes. Jurado also presented garments she made using eco-dyeing with different leaves and plants.

 

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