Mexico shone at FITUR 2026 and consolidated its global tourism leadership as Guest Country

The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, reported that this Sunday concluded Mexico's participation as Guest Country at the 46th edition of the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) 2026, in Madrid, Spain, consolidating a historic presence that projected the strength, diversity and competitiveness of national tourism in one of the most influential forums of the sector globally.

“Mexico arrived at Fitur 2026 with one voice and a clear objective: to position ourselves as a global tourism powerhouse. Today we close this edition with historic results and a future full of opportunities for the country,” he said.

The head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) emphasized that this edition broke records and "marked a before and after" in the international projection of Mexican tourism, registering more than 155,000 professional visitors during the first three days; in addition, it became a key event to position Mexico as a global benchmark in promotion, connectivity, investment and tourism culture.

He specified that, from January 21 to 25 at IFEMA Madrid, Mexico presented the largest and most visited pavilion in the Americas, with 1,800 square meters (m2) of exhibition space, the first-ever participation of all 32 states of the country, and 1,500 exhibitors. These unprecedented figures reflect the interest of the international market and consolidate the unity of the Mexican tourism sector, represented by a delegation of more than 800 members, including authorities, businesspeople, and representatives of the productive sectors.

Rodríguez Zamora indicated that Fitur 2026 became a strategic platform for strengthening Mexico's presence in key source markets, as initiatives to expand air connectivity with Europe were unveiled. These included announcements of new Aeroméxico routes such as Mexico City–Barcelona, ​​with six weekly flights; Monterrey–Paris, with three weekly flights; and a total of 71 weekly flights to Europe; as well as new Iberia routes, such as Monterrey–Madrid, with three weekly flights, and Guadalajara–Madrid. In addition, there is the Querétaro–Madrid service with Iberojet and the start of discussions between Air Europa and Guanajuato for a possible new route.

He added that, in parallel, Mexico strengthened its appeal to tourism investment through its participation in forums organized by BBVA and Santander, as well as through strategic meetings with hotel groups such as Inverotel. He also highlighted Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' announcement of a study to develop up to 25 new hotels in Mexico, which bolsters the lodging options and fosters confidence for the expansion of foreign-owned tourism projects.

The secretary highlighted that Mexico's presence extended beyond the fairgrounds to occupy emblematic locations in Madrid. For the first time in history, a Wixárika artwork was exhibited in the Puerta del Sol: the sculpture "The Bear and the Strawberry Tree," attached to the heraldic shield of the Spanish capital, which registered around 20,000 daily visits for five days, exceeding 150,000 in-person interactions and generating millions of potential impressions on social media.

In addition, the states carried out more than 100 activations inside and outside IFEMA, consolidating Mexico as a high-impact cultural and tourist actor during the fair.

At the institutional level, Rodríguez Zamora held high-level meetings with authorities such as the Spanish Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, with whom progress was made in forming a strategic agenda aimed at promoting community tourism with international support, generating funds and cooperation for community centers in Mexico, and consolidating the country's participation in executive decision-making spaces for Latin America.

Another relevant action, he noted, was the unprecedented tourism promotion in European territory, which included agreements with FlixBus to promote Mexican destinations on buses that travel throughout the European Union, the promotion of Mexico in emblematic stations of the Madrid Metro and the installation of Ventana México —a space, in coordination with Fonart, for the sale and exhibition of Mexican handicrafts—, which allowed strengthening the country's cultural positioning with an economic and diplomatic focus.

Likewise, Mexico received the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Mundo Maya Organization (OMM) for the period 2026–2028, a regional organization made up of Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, whose objective is to promote the tourism development of the Mundo Maya through a shared vision that articulates its cultural, historical and natural wealth.

Rodríguez Zamora emphasized that one of the emblematic components of this edition was the outstanding presence of indigenous peoples of Mexico, who actively participated in the inauguration and in various cultural activities within the fair, enriching the Fitur 2026 experience and positioning community tourism as a strategic axis of the national tourism policy.

“Mexico’s participation in Fitur 2026 has strengthened its image as a global tourist destination, highlighting the strength of its tourism offerings, the unity of the sector, and the ample opportunities for growth and collaboration that will open up in 2026, a key year for the consolidation of the national tourism industry,” he concluded.

Source: SECTUR.