FITUR 2026 to Boost Business Opportunities Between the Tourism Sectors of the United States and Spain

FITUR 2026, scheduled to take place from 21 to 25 January at IFEMA MADRID, will underscore the growing relevance of the United States market for Spain and strengthen business opportunities between the two countries. The increased participation from the US reflects the vitality of bilateral tourism flows and the expanding interest of American companies in developing international partnerships.

The United States is set to make one of its strongest appearances at the International Tourism Trade Fair to date. The delegation will include key official entities such as Visit USA Spain, Visit Florida, Visit Lauderdale, Explore Louisiana and Visit Orlando, alongside more than 40 participating companies. Major hotel groups, including Hilton, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy, will be present, as well as travel technology leaders such as Cloudbeds, ESCALABEDS and RateHawk, highlighting the sector’s advanced level of digitalisation.

Tourism flows between both markets continue to show sustained growth. According to Turespaña, 4.3 million travellers from the United States visited Spain in 2024, representing an increase of 11.2%. This volume accounted for 4.6% of total international arrivals and generated an expenditure of €9,014 million, equivalent to 7.1% of overall tourism spending. During the first nine months of 2025, the upward trend continued, with more than 3.4 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 3.1%, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Outbound travel has also remained strong. Approximately 900,000 Spanish residents travelled to the United States in 2024, and between January and August 2025 this figure surpassed 611,000, marking a 2.4% increase, according to the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies and the United States National Travel and Tourism Office.

Air connectivity has played a central role in supporting this growth. Between October 2025 and March 2026, nearly 1.3 million seats are scheduled on direct routes between the two countries, representing an 8.6% increase, alongside more than 5,000 flight operations and a 13% rise in frequencies, according to OAG data.

The 2026 edition of FITUR will also feature a strong presence of companies from Mexico, the Partner Country, reinforcing the event’s position as a strategic platform for connection between the United States, Spain and the broader international market. Within this framework, travellers from the US continue to represent a key opportunity for Spain, driven by their high average expenditure and their positive economic impact on destinations.