FITUR Lingua 2025 to highlight the importance of language tourism for the development of the industry

FITUR Lingua, the section dedicated to language tourism, is holding its conference on Wednesday 22 January in Hall 10 of IFEMA MADRID under the slogan 'Language as a tourism asset: challenges and trends'. The space, organised by FITUR in collaboration with FEDELE (Spanish Federation of Associations of Spanish Schools for Foreigners), is to feature a full programme of presentations and round table discussions at which industry professionals, institutions and companies will be addressing the strategic pillars for the evolution of this constantly growing sector.

This programme will be covering aspects such as sector fundamentals and data, success stories in language tourism in Spain and other countries, current challenges and opportunities for growth, as well as the crucial role of public policies and international collaboration in the development of language tourism. 

Consolidated since its creation in 2021, FITUR Lingua will also have a networking area for FEDELE member centres, enabling visitors to interact with agents from different tourism segments interested in language tourism. In this way, the section is positioned as a meeting point for language tourism, where language will be highlighted as a driving force for cultural, educational and economic development.

Full FITUR Lingua 2025 programme, Hall 10 of IFEMA MADRID 

11.00 - 11.55am Sector fundamentals: research and database for language tourism.

• Welcome and presentation of FEDELE, with Eva Laguna, president of FEDELE
• Preliminary Data - Sectoral Report 2024, with Daniel Escalona
• Round table discussion on sector data and needs, moderated by David Trigo with the participation of Cristina Ceballos, Faculty of Tourism and Finance at the University of Seville and Bárbara García, collaborating researcher at Spain Education Programs.

 

11:55 – 12:10pm Presentation of the 4th Spanish Week in Logroño (La Rioja)

With the participation of the Government of La Rioja, the City Council of Logroño and the Foundation of San Millán de la Cogollo, will present the IV Semana del Español, the main event in the field of language tourism in Spain that brings together hundreds of professionals, both supply and demand, in a Spanish enclave.

12:10 – 12:25pm The Economic Impact of International Students in Spain

Official presentation of the economic study on international students in Spain, which also presents data on language tourism. This study is developed by Spain Education Programs, ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones and EDUESPAÑA.

12.25pm - 12.40pm Coffee break with catering service

 

1.40am - 1.20pm  Beyond Spanish: success stories in language tourism for other languages

• The language tourist in Spain and other countries
• Discussion on language tourism in other countries and how to improve tourism services for language learners. Moderated by: Elena Fernádez.

Participants: Sossy Vega, ISIC International Student Identity Card, Carlos Soler Montes, ELEUK and Marcelo García, Asociación de Centros de Idiomas in Argentina.

 

1.20pm - 1.40pm Challenges of language tourism: transforming challenges into growth opportunities

• Talk on the main challenges of recent years and how they have affected language tourism.
• Round table discussion on current challenges and untapped opportunities

Participants: Francisco Gutiérrez, as speaker and moderator, Daniel Escalona as speaker and moderator, Guillermo Escribano, Director General of Spanish in the World and David Gómez, from the Visit Valencia Foundation of the Valencian Community.

1:40 – 2:00pm The strategic importance of Spanish on an international level

Through a conversation with the Directorate General for Spanish in the World, which reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, different projects will be presented that are being carried out at a global level to position Spanish as a strategic tool for the growth of the country, both at a tourist and social level.

2:00pm - 2.50pm Towards an institutional strategy: Role of Public Policy and International Collaboration

• Presentation of best practices, strategy and results in international collaboration
• Institutional interviews on new projects and agreements to be reached between institutions

Participants: María Córdoba, as speaker and moderator, Nuria Vaquero, Instituto Cervantes, Scott Markham, FECEI (Spanish Federation of Language Teaching Centres) and Eva María Pulido, ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones.

2.50pm - 4.00pm Networking session for participants with a glass of Brut wine.