Spain's regions have something unique to offer at Fitur, Spain’s International Tourism Fair

The most important tourism trade fair in Spain opens its doors today at IFEMA Campo de las Naciones in Madrid, attracting around 10,000 exhibitors from 170 countries. Below is a round-up of what visitors can expect from the Spanish regions.

Cantabria. Cantabria will promote the soon-to-open Botín Art Centre, a new cultural and arts hub in Santander constructed by the Botín Foundation.  The region will also highlight the Olympic Sailing World Championships that will take place in September in Santander, bringing together more than 2,000 sailors from all over the world.

Galicia. 2014 is the eighth centenary anniversary of the Pilgrimage of S. Francisco of Asís to Compostela. In celebration, an extensive calendar of activities is expected and a new logo and campaign will be released during Fitur with the strap line ‘Galicia, el buen camino’ (Galicia, a good walk). The region is also gearing up to launch two further train routes around Ribiera Sacra de Ourense and the Pontevedra province, complementing the existing two routes that launched in summer 2013.

Castilla-La Mancha. This region will be commemorating the life and works of Spanish artist El Greco during the fourth centenary anniversary of his death. New mini-brochures will also be presented during the fair highlighting the region’s adventure tourism offering and wine routes.

Castilla and Leon. Presenting the new edition of Las edades del hombre (The Ages of Man); an exhibition dedicated to promoting the sacred art of Castilla and Leon, the region will focus on its cultural agenda, also drawing attention to regional festivals in World Heritage cities such as Titirimundi in Segovia, Facyl in Salamanca and Circo in Avila.

Andalucía. Andalucía will showcase some of its most important tourist attractions including the Routes of Legado Andalusi, the Sierra Nevada mountain range, romantic Ronda, Jerez European city of wine and the wonderful underground caves of Aracena, near Huelva.

Valencia. Valencia will demonstrate its technological prowess with a Google Glass presentation. Fitur will also see the launch of new brand “Valencia Premium”, bringing together the most exclusive tourism products in the region, helping to raise the profile of Valencia as a luxury destination.

Extremadura. This region will be promoting the ‘Ruta de Isabel la Católica’ from Guadalupe to Plasencia as well as its regional gastronomy with the Tajo International: Gastronomic destination campaign. Another area of focus will be the International Conference of Ornithology which is scheduled to take place from 28^th February to 3^rd March in Monfragüe National Park.

Madrid. Madrid will focus on its Paseo del Arte (Art Walk) consisting of the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen museums, as well as CaixaForum, dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Gastronomy, shopping and Madrid’s 2014 cultural calendar will also be a key focus.

Murcia.  The exhibition will focus on three destinations; Murcia City, Cartagena and Águilas.  The capital city of Murcia will highlight its favorable year round climate and outdoor culture whilst Cartagena will exhibit its extraordinary historic heritage. The coastal town of Águilas will highlight its scuba diving potential with an on-stand aquarium display.

Cataluña. For the 2014 edition of Fitur, the region of Cataluña will focus on wine, family and inland tourism. Wine tourism will have a particularly strong focus with the on-stand representation of 11 Designation of Origen (DO) wines and one DO cava. Family tourism will also be promoted via the region’s family tourism brand which draws together family friendly products in 14 municipalities – the newest of which is Les Valls d’Aneau.

Asturias. The region will promote its ‘Guardianes del Paraíso’ campaign, an initiative that focuses on the conservation of natural resources contributing to more sustainable tourism development. Three new tourism products will also be showcased including the new Parador de Corias in Cangas del Narcea, the Museo de la Mina (Miners Museum) in Arnao and the Samuño Valley Ecomuseo Minero (Eco Mineral Museum) in Logroño.

Canarias. The stand will offer tastings of regional cuisine highlighting the gastronomic offering in the Canary Islands with wines, cheeses and natural fruit juices.  Visitors can also find out about the fantastic hotel offering in the sunny Spanish archipelago which offers a subtropical climate and outstanding natural beauty.

La Rioja. As expected, this region will be focusing on its wine, and the stand will bring an interesting visual element with its unique barrel design. As well as wine tastings, Valdezcaray ski resort and Lost Barranco Dinosaur Park will also be exhibiting and children can expect a range of exciting activities over the weekend.