Eventos

📍 The Vitoria airport in the Basque Country aims to establish a new direct flight to New York. The government led by Imanol Pradales included this goal to position Foronda as a hub for transoceanic and cargo flights. Talks with various airlines are underway to achieve this. A strategic plan has been launched to assess the viability of long-haul routes. The Foronda runway, at 3.5 kilometers, is among Spain's longest. In 2023, the airport set a passenger record with 309,929 users. To attract low-cost airlines between 2025 and 2027, VIA has allocated €6.2 million, targeting 500,000 annual passengers and expanding its airline variety beyond Ryanair's current dominance.

🌍 Fiturtechy, the tech section of the International Tourism Trade Fair (Fitur), is celebrating its 17th edition from January 22nd to 24th at Ifema Madrid Pavilion 10. Themed "The Thousand and One Journeys," this event features robotics, cloud technologies, data management, and sustainability as transformation pillars in tourism. Four forums will discuss the impact of technology, sustainability, and innovation on the industry. Partners include Cajamar, AdQuiver, Maarlab, American Express, Veolia, and Enovam, which is involved in over 250 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

✈ Iberia, to maintain flights between Madrid and Santo Domingo, contracted Wamos Air and Iberojet due to fleet shortage from A330 maintenance. The service started on December 18 and will continue until at least December 29. Wamos Air contributes an A330-300 seating 292 passengers, whereas Iberojet provides an A330-900 with a capacity of 310 travelers. Iberia currently operates 9 weekly flights on this route, increasing to 12 in January and planning 10 per week in February and March.

🎄 Paris, London, and Rome remain top choices for European travelers during the Christmas season, including New Year 2025, with growing trends towards European destinations. Amsterdam and Madrid report a 50% and 48% increase in bookings, respectively, from the previous year. Other popular cities for Christmas and New Year celebrations are Brussels, Tenerife, Barcelona, Prague, and Bilbao. Spanish locales like Madrid, Barcelona, and Tenerife are favored by French (22%), German (21%), and Italian (14%) tourists. Nantes sees a 54% rise in interest, Istanbul surprises with a 72% increase, and Milan doubles its New Year's bookings, growing by 119%.

📱 ISE 2025 will take place in Barcelona from February 4-7, featuring cutting-edge AV technologies for the hospitality industry. The expanded event offers seven Tech Zones with sessions and demos, an Innovation Park for startups, and a new North Access entrance for improved accessibility. Keynote by Brian Solis on AI, with thematic summits including Smart Building and Digital Signage. Day Pass available, and free AVIXA Congress sessions in Spanish. Register for free with code 'tecnohoteles' at iseurope.org.

🚀 Ouigo launched ticket sales for the Madrid-Seville-Málaga-Córdoba corridor with prices starting at €9, causing website traffic that overwhelmed their site. Children's tickets start at €7. The service will begin on January 16, delayed from the initial September 26 start date due to train delivery and testing setbacks.

🏖 Hotel chain Riu returns to Fitur in 2025 after a 17-year absence since its last participation in 2008. The announcement was made on social media, highlighting the upcoming presence at stand 8A25. Despite attending Fitur in previous years, Riu's commercial teams held meetings predominantly at their Madrid Plaza España hotel. Fitur remains Spain's primary tourism fair, with Joan Trian Riu, son of retired CEO Carmen Riu, representing the Mallorcan chain, now led solely by Luis Riu.

🏖️ Bernardo Quetglas Riego, President of BQ Hotels and Viajes Sidetours, will receive the Preferente Award on January 22 at the upcoming Fitur event in Ifema's Neptuno room at 13:00. Marga Prohens, President of Baleares, will present the award. Other awardees include Ernesto Veloz (Asoleste), Miguel Amengual, and Enrique Saiz (CEO of Wamos), with officials from Spain and the Dominican Republic in attendance.

❄️ Grandvalira and Ordino Arcalís in Andorra open their ski slopes for the 2024-2025 season on December 6, amidst optimism after uncertain years. With hotel bookings around 85% for the holiday bridge, full occupancy is expected near both resorts. Grandvalira, the largest in Southern Europe, offers over 210 km of slopes and a range of family activities. Ordino Arcalís, known for its technical 30 km of tracks, attracts elite skiers globally. Both stations feature events, improved facilities, and artificial snow systems for the season kickoff.

🏢 Airmet concluded its "Con Altura" tour, celebrating its 25th anniversary, with events in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, attracting over 120 travel agents. Rubén Fernández, Airmet's Director General, highlighted nearly 20 roundtables for independent agencies focusing on daring, listening, collaborating, and specializing. The Airmet convention is set for April 4-6, next year in Sancti Petri, Cádiz, with support from Turismo de Andalucía.