If there is a keyword to refer to
Fitur
this year, that is
recovery
.
A mantra that appears in all papers and is on everyone's lips: the recovery of tourism is, without a doubt, the objective.
But not everyone understands the idea the same.
To focus on the fair itself and on the European level, there are countries that take the courageous step of being present at the Madrid fairgrounds.
Even with all the restrictions, requirements and inconveniences that, due to the covid (and of course with the best intention), are required of all tourism professionals who come to Ifema.
Other countries simply do not attend.
MORE INFORMATION
The proposals of the autonomous communities in Fitur
Fitur 2021: tourism projects in a feminine key
It therefore seems reasonable that, when reviewing the horizons of European tourism in this Fitur, we should start with the countries that are going to plant their stand and experience the fair from the front line. For example,
Portugal
. He has not missed any of the 41 editions of these meetings. And several times he has won an award for the brilliance and generosity of his bet. This year it lifts one of the largest positions, with 40 companies from all regions, including
Madeira
and
Azores
, islands recently highlighted as preferred destinations, and a special attention to the Alentejo.
With the Clean & Safe seal to welcome visitors -more than five million Spaniards in 2019-, their declared objective is to take care of the planet with a more sustainable and conscious tourism: for this they launch the
#CantSkipTomorrow
campaign
(we cannot lose tomorrow).
Dos Alteirinhos beach, in Alentejo (Portugal) getty images
Another country that raises a stand is
Poland
. In addition to its star cities,
Krakow
and
Warsaw,
this year
Wroclaw
and the
Lower Silesia
region present
, and, above all, the city of
Lublin
, less known in Spain and a paradigm of
slow
tourism
in
Little Poland
, a historical region that It has the Vistula route, spas, the
Roztocze national park
or charming cities such as
Kazimierz Dolny
.
Israel
will also be there
,
ahead in terms of vaccines and which is preparing to celebrate this summer in Tel Aviv a face-to-face Gay Pride.
Its star offer is
the Negev desert
and the “capital” of the Red Sea,
Eilat
, a very accessible hotel and spa emporium thanks to the good air links with Spain;
something that also facilitates the
citybreak
(short-term city break) to
Tel Aviv
or
Jerusalem
.
Landscape in the Rhodope Mountains (Bulgaria).
EVGENI DINEV getty images
Bulgaria
will also be present
,
awarded in the XXVI Active Tourism Contest Fitur 2021 thanks to its proposal of cultural immersion in the
Orpheus Mountains
; As supposed, the classical myth of Orpheus originated in the Rhodope Mountains, a natural jewel now traversed by a narrow-gauge tourist train.
Slovenia
wants to highlight the
glamping
phenomenon
(
camping
with glamor) and its wine “of the fourth color” (orange, along with red, white or pink).
Countries such as
Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Malta
also confirm their attendance
,
which are opening their hands in terms of sanitary requirements and dates, to be the first to take the cat into the water, that is, tourists to the beaches.
Several polls confirm that the island of Crete, for example, already overtakes Mallorca among German tourists.
Countries such as
Russia, Georgia, Andorra or Albania
will also have a presence
, a
country that is no longer what it used to be, and which is carrying out an aggressive advertising campaign to attract visitors to its splendid natural beauties and artistic treasures, veiled abroad for so many years.
Italian ephemeris
Italy
goes and will not be at the fair.
The
imbroglio
of this beautiful country where everything is tragic, but nothing serious
is never clear
.
It seems that some region, such as Veneto, will officially come to celebrate the 1,600 years of
the founding of Venice
.
The program of events for this reason will be added to the provisions to celebrate in 2021 the 700 years of Dante's death, especially the route in 20 stages
of Dante's Paths
, and the extension to this year of
Parma as the Italian capital of the culture.
enlarge photo Interior of the Bachkovo monastery, in Bulgaria.
Alamy
That other European countries will not have an official presence in Fitur does not mean that they will not be present in some way or another. Because they will be in charge of promoting their excellent agencies and private entities, hotels, means of transport ... And the heavyweights of European tourism will continue with their proposals, some postponed by the pandemic to this year 2021, but also with many new features in their offer. Thus,
Germany
focuses on a series of campaigns, some aimed especially at the Spanish public, such as
German.Local.Culture,
which emphasizes small cities full of treasures, or
FeelGood
, which covers all facets of sustainable tourism, both urban and active, health and wellness, gastronomic, and so on.
Austria
will have an unofficial stand to commemorate a series of anniversaries: the
birthdays
of figures such as the Salzburg writer
Thomas Bernhard or
the architects
Adolf Loos
and
Josef Hoffmann
, or centenarians of institutions such as the
Vienna Symphony
, the
Museum of Art History
or the Albertina.
The UK
focuses on
Coventry
as its
2021 city of culture, in
addition to a huge battery of exhibitions and events.
Among others, the
Illuminated River and Estuary 2021 projects
to enhance the palaces and activities that populate the banks of the Thames, "a river of culture."
News in Belgium
Flanders
continues to focus its attention on the painter
Van Eyck
, with the new visitor center and new location of the triptych
The Mystic Lamb
in the Cathedral of Saint Bavo in
Ghent
, and announces as a novelty three major contemporary open-air art festivals:
Triennial from Bruges
,
Beaufort
(on the coast) and
Paradise Kortrijk
. The other Belgian region,
Wallonia,
changes its brand and image, which will now be
Visit Wallonia
, and draws attention to its forests, parks or nature reserves (among others, the first Belgian geopark of UNESCO,
Famenne-Ardenne
). Also four cities:
Namur
, the Walloon capital with its citadel pierced by seven kilometers of tunnels;
Mons
, European cultural capital;
Liège
, the city of fire, and
Waterloo
, scene of Napoleon's defeat in 1815, which is commemorated in a monumental Memorial.
France, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Croatia ... somehow they will be seen at the fair, through the stalls of the numerous network of companies that more than ever need to make valid this year's mantra hopeful: recover tourism.
Five basics in Europe
1. Slow tourism in Lesser Poland
The Polish region is the ideal place to enjoy a leisurely journey between natural environments, such as the Roztocze National Park and the city of Lublin.
2. Venice's birthday
The Italian city celebrates in 2021 the 1,600 years of its foundation with exhibitions, conferences and other events.
3. Austrian Centenaries
Austria presents in Fitur the centenary of institutions such as the Vienna Symphony, the Museum of Art History and the Albertina.
4. Flanders, with lots of art
The Belgian region announces three major open-air contemporary art festivals.
5. New Life on the Thames
The Illuminated River and Estuary 2021 projects enhance the palaces and activities that line the banks of the British River in London.
Find inspiration for your next trips on our Facebook and Twitter and Instragram or subscribe here to the El Viajero Newsletter.
