FITUR 2019 Will Connect Tourism and Film Industries

IFEMA (the Trade Fair Institution of Madrid) and Spain Film Commission are working together on the creation and promotion of a new platform aimed at connecting the tourism and film industries, an initiative which will be premiered at the next FITUR from 23 to 27 January. 

The public's increasing interest in visiting filming locations for movies—and especially hit TV series—offers a major opportunity for the film industry to play a role in publicizing these destinations and promoting visits to these areas. This is a growing phenomenon seen all around the world, representing a potent option for diversifying tourism and combating seasonality, eTurboNews.com reported. 

Against this background, FITUR offers an important platform for connecting the tourism and film industries, which has resulted in the creation of the new FITUR Cine/Screen Tourism section, in partnership with SFC to be premiered at FITUR 2019.

The agreement between these entities was signed by General Manager of IFEMA Eduardo Lopez-Puertas, and the president of Spain Film Commission, Carlos Rosado, on July 25.

  Step Forward 

According to IFEMA's chief, "The partnership with SFC will undoubtedly help to strengthen this area, in terms of the professional standpoints of both industries, as well as the content and activities that will raise its visibility and inspire tourism operators to package these destinations."

Carlos Rosado, the president of Spain Film Commission, meanwhile, said that "FITUR is the best showcase for publicizing cinematic locations, and for SFC, it offers the opportunity to develop an active strategy to ensure that film shoots benefit both the audiovisual medium and tourism in Spain. Cinema gives rise to tourism."

The new FITUR Cine/Screen Tourism section will have its own specific space, which will include an exhibition area for the various participating agents, a B2B area and an area set aside for delivering a program of seminars.

According to a study published in April 2018 by TCI Research, 80 million travelers choose a destination based on TV series and movie locations. This study reveals that the number of people traveling to a destination after seeing it in a movie or series has doubled over the last 5 years. FITUR is Spain's most prestigious International Tourism Trade Fair.