Mexico, which had been announced as the Partner Country of the Madrid International Tourism Fair (Fitur) for 2025, will see this distinction postponed until 2026, as confirmed by the Federal Ministry of Tourism in an official statement.
This decision arises amid diplomatic tensions between Mexico and Spain, which has generated various reactions within the tourism sector.
According to the Tourism and Society Think Tank (TSTT), it will be Brazil that will take Mexico’s place as a Partner Country in the 45th edition of Fitur, which will be held in January 2025.
Brazil’s appointment will be made official in the coming days by the organizers of the fair and the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism.
In Quintana Roo, Toni Chaves, president of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association, regretted that Mexico will no longer be Fitur’s Partner Country in 2025, confirming the news previously.
For its part, in a statement issued yesterday, the federal Ministry of Tourism, headed by Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, confirmed that the national delegation will participate in the fair to be held from January 22 to 26, 2025, although Mexico will receive the distinction of Partner Country in the 46th edition, scheduled for 2026.
“The above seeks to strengthen Mexico’s presence not only in the countries participating in this important fair but at a global level, with a view to the celebration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, consolidating Mexico as a tourist power,” Rodríguez pointed out. Zamora.
From the morning conference of the federal government, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo clarified that there is no suspension of diplomatic relations with Spain. He emphasized that the links between both countries continue to be commercial, touristic, and cultural.
“There are many Spaniards who live in Mexico, children of Republicans who made their lives in our country; Relations with Spain are solid,” the president stressed.
Being designated as a Fitur Partner Country allows a nation to strengthen its international positioning and amplify the promotion of its tourism offer.
Fitur brings together more than nine thousand specialized companies from 152 countries, with more than 800 exhibitors and around 250 thousand attendees, including tourism professionals and the general public.
San Miguel Times
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