FITUR 2026 to Increase Business Opportunities Between the US and Spain Tourism Sectors | News
FITUR 2026, to be held at IFEMA MADRID from January 21 to 25, will demonstrate the growing importance of the US market for Spain and increase business opportunities between the two countries. The United States is once again gaining weight at the International Tourism Trade Fair, reflecting the dynamics of bilateral tourist flows and the growing interest of American companies in consolidating alliances in the international sphere.
The United States will have one of the most prominent presences yet at FITUR 2026. It will include major official representations such as Visit USA Spain, Visit Florida, Visit Lauderdale, Explore Louisiana and Visit Orlando, as well as the presence of more than 40 companies, including major hotel groups such as Hilton, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy. It will also bring together leaders in travel technology, including Cloudbeds, ESCALABEDS and RateHawk, to showcase the advanced digitalisation of the sector.
According to Turespaña, 4.3 million tourists from the United States visited Spain in 2024, an increase of 11.2%. This figure represented 4.6% of total international visitors and a recorded expenditure of 9,014 million, 7.1% of the total. In the first nine months of 2025, the US market maintained its momentum, with more than 3.4 million, up 3.1% year-on-year according to the Office for National Statistics (INE). On the other hand, about 900,000 Spaniards visited the United States in 2024, and between January and August 2025 that number has already exceeded 611,000, an increase of 2.4%, according to the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies and the National Travel and Tourism Agency of the United States.
Air connectivity contributes to strengthening this link: between October 2025 and March 2026, almost 1.3 million seats are planned for direct flights between the two countries (+8.6%) and over 5,000 flights, with a frequency increase of 13% (OAG).
FITUR will also have a strong presence of companies from Mexico, the 2026 partner country and the second most important market for the United States, strengthening the trade fair as a strategic platform for connecting both countries and the international market. In this context, American tourists represent an important opportunity for Spain due to their high average expenditure and their positive impact on the destination.
