Portugal participates in the 42nd edition of FITUR, the largest tourism fair in the Spanish market and one of the most important worldwide, which takes place from 19 to 23 January in Madrid. In 2022, in a visible collective effort of recovery, the national participation is considerably more expressive in number of companies than in the previous year, with the participation of 52 companies, the 7 tourist regions and
Turismo de Portugal.
The national stand, with an area of 682 square metres, was designed to provide a great visual impact on the fair space, with emphasis on the 7 suns that light up the dome of the stand, in an allegory to the 7 regions, and a decorative element that simulates the ocean waves and embraces the Portuguese companies present. All in all, a sense of well-being is created for visitors and good working conditions for professionals, respecting safety protocols and focusing on the use of sustainable materials, such as cork.
On the occasion of this fair, the project Viagem a Portugal Revisited (Travel to Portugal Revisited) will be presented to the Spanish market. As part of the celebrations of Saramago's Centenary and curated by the writer José Luís Peixoto, it proposes a revisiting of the itineraries of the author's work and invites contemporary writers to draw inspiration from these places. On the same occasion, the name of the Spanish writer participating in the project will also be revealed.
One of the anchors for the promotion of Literary Tourism in 2022, Travel to Portugal Revisited is the result of a partnership between Turismo de Portugal and the José Saramago Foundation.
Despite the current economic climate and the reduction in international demand, in 2020 Spain was positioned as the 1st tourist market for Portugal in terms of guests and in 3rd position in terms of overnight stays. In 2021 the growth trend continues and according to the figures available, referring to November 2021, the number of guests rose to 1.1 million (35.7% more than in November 2020) and overnight stays reached 2.4 million, an increase of 41.7% compared to the same period in 2020.
