Abu Dhabi will participate for the first time, while Dubai will return once again, reinforcing Fitur's role as a key platform for promoting tourism in the Arabian Gulf destinations.
MADRID, Dec. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fitur 2026 will be held from January 21 to 25 at the IFEMA Center in Madrid and will showcase the growth potential of the tourism market in the United Arab Emirates. In 2024, Spain welcomed more than 200,000 Emirati visitors, an increase of 17% over the previous year, according to the Spanish Tourist Office in the GCC. The average expenditure per tourist was €3,000 per trip, an increase of 6%, according to a tourist expenditure survey conducted by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Tourist arrivals from the Arabian Gulf region are expected to continue to rise in 2025, driven by growing interest in Spain as a cultural, shopping, and luxury destination, as well as an increase in air transport routes. Forecasts for flights between the United Arab Emirates and Spain between October 2025 and March 2026 indicate an increase of 27.4%, which will increase passenger traffic between the two countries. The total number of passengers traveling between Spain and the United Arab Emirates annually is estimated at 140,000 in both directions.
The UAE will have a particularly prominent presence at the 2026 Fitur exhibition. Abu Dhabi will participate for the first time with an institutional and commercial delegation, whose most important members include Etihad Airways, one of the leading drivers of air connectivity with Spain. Dubai will participate again after its participation in 2023, reinforcing FITUR's position as a key platform for promoting tourism in the Arabian Gulf destinations.
The UAE delegation includes around 40 companies and institutions representing the country's strong tourism ecosystem. Among the most prominent tourism players are ODYSSEY DMC, Travco, Arabian Adventures, Masarra DMC, RezLive.com, Happy Travel, and hotel chains and groups such as Le Royal Méridien Abu Dhabi, voco Dubai, JA Resorts & Hotels, Rixos Hotels, and City Seasons Hotels. In addition to world-renowned cultural and entertainment entities such as Dubai Holding Entertainment, Emaar Entertainment, Museum of the Future, Saadiyat Cultural District, and Tourism 365. In thetraveltechnology gallery, Yalagoand RezLive will be featured.
The dynamism of the UAE's tourism sector, with tourists spending an estimated US$7 billion abroad according to Global Data, and the diversity of its tourist destinations make the UAE a strategic market for Spain and a key player at Fitur 2026.
Media Contact:
Helena Valera
International Press
Tel.: +34 629 64 42 08
evalera@ifema.es
Alejandra Elorza
Chief Press
Tel.: +34 629 64 49 68
aelorza@ifema.es
A new edition of FITUR, the International Tourism Fair held at the IFEMA Madrid exhibition centre, which has established itself as one of the benchmarks for the tourism sector with the presence of 156 countries and an attendance of more than 250,000 people, including professionals and visitors.
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