Madrid will once again position itself at the epicentre of global tourism with the celebration of the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR), organised by IFEMA MADRID from 21 to 25 January 2026. In its 46th edition, FITUR consolidates its role as the leading global platform for the tourism sector, strengthening its international dimension and its commitment to knowledge, innovation and sustainability.
The figures presented at the launch press conference confirm the scale of the event: 9 pavilions, 10,000 companies represented from 161 countries -111 of them with official representation- and 967 main exhibitors. This is complemented by the incorporation of 18 new countries, mainly from Africa and Asia-Pacific, regions that led global tourism growth in the past year.
In this context, FITUR Sports, located in Pavilion 12, will once again play a key role as a forum for reflection and analysis on sports tourism, a rapidly growing tourism segment closely linked to the development of both emerging and established disciplines such as padel. The final programme of FITUR Sports 2026 addresses key topics including innovation, artificial intelligence, data management, sustainability, active tourism, and new models of sports experiences applied to destinations.
Although padel does not have a dedicated monographic space within the fair, its presence is reflected in a transversal manner across debates on sports tourism, international events, sustainability, professionalisation and the creation of high value-added experiences, areas in which this sport has become a clear driver of tourist attraction in numerous markets.
Among the main highlights of FITUR 2026 is the inauguration of the Knowledge Pavilion, also located in Pavilion 12 and open during the professional days. This new space will host more than 200 sessions, 8 auditoriums and over 250 top-level speakers, and will also include new sections such as FITUR Experience, focused on experiential tourism, and the First International Summit on Communication and Tourism.
The FITUR Sports 2026 programme will be structured around different thematic blocks focused on innovation applied to sports tourism, sustainability, event management, digitalisation, data analysis and new sports experience models, also addressing the challenges of sports activities in urban and protected natural environments. An approach aligned with the evolution of padel as a discipline that generates tourism and economic value across multiple destinations.
Attendance is expected to exceed 250,000 visitors, including professionals and the general public, with an estimated economic impact for the Community of Madrid similar to that of the previous edition, which reached 487 million euros. These figures reinforce FITUR’s role as an economic driver, an international showcase and a strategic space for shaping the future of tourism.
In this scenario, sports tourism -and disciplines such as padel- are consolidating as key tools for destination diversification, seasonality reduction and the creation of sustainable experiences, aligned with new traveller behaviours and long-term tourism development strategies.
From the International Padel Cluster, FITUR Sports is seen as a forum of special interest for industry professionals, as it addresses many of the challenges and opportunities surrounding the international growth of padel, its integration into tourism policies, and its role as a driver of destination development on a global scale.
Desde el Clúster Internacional del Pádel, FITUR Sports se presenta como un foro de especial interés para los profesionales del sector, al abordar muchos de los retos y oportunidades que rodean al crecimiento internacional del pádel, su integración en las políticas turísticas y su papel como elemento dinamizador de destinos a escala global.
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