FiturNext 2026 Challenge: tourism and its contribution to efficient and responsible water management

The FITURNEXT Observatory, the International Tourism Fair platform dedicated to promoting good practices in the tourism sector, announces that its 2026 Challenge focuses on how tourism can contribute to efficient and responsible water management, aligned with SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 13 on Climate Action.

Thus, the call for proposals is open until August 31st for all initiatives that contribute to efficient and responsible water management in tourism, with the aim of ensuring minimal impact on water resources and promoting global sustainability. The selected projects, based on the criteria of a replicability barometer and an impact barometer, will be awarded during FITUR, which will be held at IFEMA Madrid from January 21st to 25th, 2026.

Data and importance of efficient water management in tourism

In many countries, water pollution is a challenge to human and environmental health. According to UN data, more than one billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and only 0.5% of the world's fresh water is usable and accessible. Along these lines, the global urban population facing water scarcity is expected to double, from 930 million in 2016 to 1.7–2.4 billion people by 2050, posing an imminent risk of a global water crisis.

Furthermore, water consumption is much higher in tourist areas: while the average resident consumes around 127 liters per day, that of a tourist is between 450 and 800. To address this situation, the FITURNEXT Observatory is focusing its seventh edition on research and analysis of tourism initiatives that contribute to responsible water consumption and reduce water stress.

The three categories to award the initiatives

The call is open to any company, public administration, organization, or project that promotes sustainable water use in the tourism sector and seeks to showcase and inspire other destinations seeking to improve their relationship with water resources with replicable models. Initiatives can be submitted in three categories:

Destinations and other territories: aimed at public administrations and territorial organizations to implement innovative strategies for sustainable water cycle management.

HORECA and transport sector: focused on accommodation, catering, and transport companies that implement solutions to optimize water use in their tourism services.

Other stakeholders in the tourism value chain: for travel agencies, operators, tourism experience companies, and other entities with tools or initiatives that promote responsible water use in the industry.  
Initiatives that fit into any of these categories have the opportunity to be part of the FITURNEXT Observatory and be recognized as one of the best practices in the sector. The winning and finalist projects will participate in the activities that will take place at the FITUR 2026 stand and in subsequent events, benefiting from the visibility that comes with being part of the FITURNEXT community, thanks to their impact in the media and the various synergies generated among its participants.

Source: IFEMA.