Tourism, Italy attends the Madrid international trade fair with MiTur, ENIT, regions and municipalities
PRESS RELEASE
TOURISM, ITALY ATTENDS THE MADRID INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR WITH MITUR, ENIT, REGIONS AND MUNICIPALITIES
ITALY HOLDS GREAT APPEAL FOR THE SPANISH PEOPLE: THEY KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ‘IL BELPAESE’
14% INCREASE IN FLIGHT BOOKINGS FROM SPAIN
MINISTER SANTANCHÈ INAUGURATES THE PAVILION: ‘A STRATEGIC APPOINTMENT FOR INVESTING IN THE LATIN AMERICAN MARKET'
The Italian stand will export ‘il Belpaese’ to Europe at one of the sector's main international events, Fitur, to be held in Madrid from 24 to 28 January 2024.
The Ministry of Tourism, ENIT, Regions and Municipalities as well as the Republic of San Marino, together with the sector’s main public and private stakeholders and protagonists (Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Piedmont, Apulia, Veneto and the City of Naples, ITA Airways and 22 companies) will come together at an event attended by the Spanish royal family and the Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Buccino Grimaldi.
After institutional meetings with her counterparts Zaritsa Dinkova (Bulgaria) and Angie Duarte De Melillo (Paraguay), and with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Italian Minister for Tourism Daniela Santanché will cut the ribbon at the Italian Pavilion.
During the fair, there will also be a cultural symbiosis with the Arena di Verona, in the form of a special concert at the Spanish capital's Institute of Culture.
Spaniards show a true commitment to our country: it is no coincidence that for the Spanish population, Italy is the leading overseas country to be visited for tourism (7.49 out of 10) (ENIT Research Office based on ENIT/Euromedia Research data). And, more specifically, the type of holiday they prefer is cultural: this was the response given by 72% of the Spaniards interviewed in mid-2023 who have already been to Italy for tourism and the 67% of tourists who intend to choose Italy as a future holiday destination.
More generally, in the first nine months of 2023, Spanish travellers visiting Italy were up 35.6% on the same period in 2019. The number of overnight stays increased by 23.7% on the year prior to the pandemic and expenditure is up 38.2 per cent on 2019. ENIT Research Office based on Banca d’Italia 2023 data
In 2023,13.7% more airport passengers arrived in Italy from Spain compared to 2022, with an average length of stay of 4 nights, while, in 23% of cases, stays were even longer, lasting from 5 to 7 nights (ENIT Research Office based on data from The Data Appeal).
"Italy's solid presence at such an important global trade fair, which is also a traditional showcase for Latin American markets, is not only a fantastic opportunity to offer a glimpse of the values embedded in the Italian identity and also of the wonders of our country. It is also a way to further strengthen the historical friendship that ties us so closely with Spain, something that also translates into large-scale tourist flows, and investments by Spanish companies in Italy. Italy and Spain share a common vision on the importance of this industry, which must also regain its position as a protagonist within the European Union. We confirmed this at the end of October at the informal ministerial meeting on tourism held in Palma, which focused on the social sustainability of tourism, and we will return to the topic at the next ministerial meeting in Belgium, which will also provide useful insights in view of the first G7 of tourism in Italy,' Minister for Tourism Daniela Santanchè remarked.
'Spanish tourism in Italy forges a strong link between the two nations and contributes to the economic and cultural development of both. Italy has always been a favourite tourist spot for the Spaniards, who visit us throughout the year, appreciating our beautiful country’s special qualities. Italy is a unique destination and can learn from encounters with new cultures that encourage an increasingly specific approach to tourism,' said Ivana Jelinic, President and CEO of ENIT.
Francesca Cicatelli
ENIT Press Office
Phone: +39 06 4971 480