FITUR Lingua 2025 constata el alza del turismo idiomático en España con más de 158.000 estudiantes en 2024

FITUR Lingua today underscored the strength of language tourism in Spain at IFEMA MADRID, noting that more than 158,000 students came to learn Spanish in 2024, contributing an economic footprint of €454 million. Under the theme "Language as a Tourism Asset: Challenges and Trends," this specialized section was held within the framework of FITUR, which opened its doors today and will run until January 26. According to another study presented, over 600,000 international students pursued educational programs in Spain in 2023, with an economic impact exceeding €6 billion.

FITUR Lingua, organized by FITUR in collaboration with FEDELE (the Spanish Federation of Schools of Spanish as a Foreign Language), featured a comprehensive program of presentations and panel discussions. Professionals, institutions, and companies from the sector addressed strategic pillars for the continued growth of this dynamic industry.

 Eva Laguna, President of FEDELE, stated that FITUR Lingua "attracts an increasing number of companies and professionals in the Spanish language sector and will continue to grow in coming years, both in attendance and activities." She highlighted "the significant growth FEDELE experienced in 2024, reflecting the robust state of language tourism." She also emphasized "the critical role of teachers, without whom it would be impossible to teach the language and promote Spanish worldwide," and reminded that "by 2030, 600 million people globally will speak Spanish, a development closely linked to tourism."

David Trigo, FEDELE’s General Manager, confirmed that "2024 was a record-breaking year in terms of student numbers and their economic impact." He added that "FITUR Lingua has been a key driver for the growth of the language tourism sector." Daniel Escalona, FEDELE’s Marketing Director, presented a sector report showing that federated schools hosted 158,800 students in 2024, an 11.42% increase from 2023. "The primary markets remain Germany, Italy, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, which account for a third of the centers. Students spent a total of 631,469 weeks at our schools, averaging 3.97 weeks per student. Digital enrollment reached 7,061 students. The economic footprint reached €454 million, including all expenses incurred by students in Spain."

Spain: A Premier Destination for International Students 

FITUR Lingua also served as the venue for the official presentation of the economic study on international students in Spain, developed by Spain Education Programs, ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, and EDUESPAÑA. According to this report, over 600,000 foreign nationals chose Spain for their educational programs in 2023, generating a total economic impact of more than €6 billion.

The event included a panel discussion on sector data and needs, moderated by David Trigo. Participants included Eva Laguna, Cristina Ceballos from the Faculty of Tourism and Finance at the University of Seville, and Bárbara García, a research associate at Spain Education Programs. They emphasized the importance of robust research and data collection to understand the dynamics and trends of language tourism.

Ceballos stressed the need to "delve deeper into analyses to identify different types of students and their behaviors, as well as to focus on big data and social media feedback from schools, which offer valuable insights for identifying emotions and concepts." Laguna advocated for "a platform to consolidate all student information, enabling better data collection on language tourism." García highlighted that "data collection on Spanish students must be agile and include feedback from prospective students who have not yet visited Spain." 

Launch of the Fourth Spanish Language Week 

FITUR Lingua also hosted the announcement of the Fourth Spanish Language Week, to be held from October 1-5, 2025, in Logroño and San Millán de la Cogolla. Representatives from the Government of La Rioja, the Logroño City Council, and the San Millán de la Cogolla Foundation participated in the event. This key event in language tourism in Spain brings together hundreds of professionals. Logroño’s mayor, Conrado Escobar, promised that “the Fourth Spanish Language Week in Logroño and San Millán de la Cogolla will be packed with experiences for visitors.” He highlighted that “La Rioja offers an ideal natural, scenic, and wine-producing environment to enhance the experience of sharing a unique language.”

The event also showcased successful examples of language tourism in other languages, such as French, German, and English, analyzing best practices from destinations with established educational programs for attracting students. Another panel explored how to improve tourism services for these students, moderated by Elena Fernández, with contributions from Sossy Vega (SIC International Student Identity Card), Carlos Soler Montes (ELEUK), and Marcelo García (Association of Language Centers in Argentina). 

Additionally, a roundtable discussion on current challenges and untapped opportunities featured experts Francisco Gutiérrez, Daniel Escalona, Guillermo Escribano, and David Gómez. Other presentations addressed the strategic importance of Spanish on the international stage, the role of public policies, and international collaboration.

FITUR Lingua also included a networking area for FEDELE’s federated schools to engage with representatives from various tourism segments interested in linguistic tourism.