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20 December 2024

FITUR Sports 2025 presents an innovative programme on sports tourism, sustainability and marketing

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The third edition of FITUR Sports, organised in collaboration with Spain is Sport - AFYDAD, taking place from 22 to 26 January at IFEMA MADRID, will be redefining the future of sports tourism.

The third consecutive edition of FITUR Sports, which is being held as part of the International Tourism Trade Fair from 22 to 26 January organised by IFEMA MADRID, completes its professional days of the Fitur Sports Tourism Summit with some high-level presentations that will shed light on the keys to the growth of global sports tourism and predict the future trends in the industry. Organised in collaboration with SPAIN IS SPORT - AFYDAD, the Spanish Association of Manufacturers and Distributors of Sporting Goods, the programme will focus on the following topics Outdoor sport, competitive sport, sporting events & sports marketing.

Fitur Sports is completed with the Fitur Sports Zone, an area for exhibitions, business meetings and networking, with the new addition of dedicated time slots for networking and B2B meetings through the Fitur Sports section and the Fitur Live Connect app. At the weekend, Fitur Sports Brands & Events will be centred on B2C activations of the exhibitors with the general public.

The official opening of FITUR Sports 2025 will take place on Thursday 23 January in the section's own space located in Hall 4 of the Exhibition Centre in the presence of FITUR Director María Valcarce, the President of Spain is Sport - AFYDAD Andrés de la Dehesa, as well as representatives of the CEOE Tourism Council, Turespaña and the High Council of Sport.

In addition, the main public and private actors will be present throughout the conference, as well as the different federations and professional associations linked to sport and tourism, and major sponsors involved.

Full programme of FITUR Sports 2025, in Hall 4 of IFEMA MADRID:

Wednesday 22 January: Outdoor sports

The thematic area of the first day will bring the experiences of renowned industry companies, such as Wikiloc, Runnea, Orange and SEGITTUR. Also attending will be representatives from the European Cyclist Federation and Conbici - Eurovelo Spain; Sports of the Diputación de Albacete to discuss cycle tourism, and the Latin American Sports Tourism Network and Almeria Sports Destination. The day will also feature the participation of Carlos Coloma, ex-Olympic MTB athlete and founder of the BH Coloma Team.

10.45am - 11am.               Fitur Sports Presentation

11am - 11.45am Trends in sports tourism and the active leisure consumer

11.45am - 12.30pm         Cycle tourism as a driver of socio-economic development

12.30pm - 1pm                   Speed networking

1pm - 1.45pm    Innovation and sports tourism destinations

1.45pm - 3pm   Speed networking & lunch

3pm - 3.45pm  Marketing strategies in sports tourism

3.45pm - 4.30pm           Challenges of the sustainability of sports tourism in the natural environment

4.30pm - 5pm  Speed networking

5pm - 5.45pm  Hybridisation of services in active tourism (companies devoted to activities, rental and sale of equipment).

5.45pm - 6.30pm            After summit speed networking

Thursday 23 January: Competitive sport, sport events and sports marketing

The second professional day will open the section and will be dedicated to all kinds of sporting events and competitions, with personalities from the sports sector such as, Javier Guillén, president of Vuelta España; Alberto Tomé, councillor of sports of the Community of Madrid; Fran Sánchez, councillor of sports of the Region of Murcia; Bernabé Cano, Mayor of La Nucía; Gorka Lerchundi, director general of sporting events of the Junta de Andalucía; Jose Luis Hidalgo, director of operations of the Spanish Swimming Federation; Jorge García, director of competitions of the Spanish Triathlon Federation; Fabian Quesada, director of ADESP, Spanish Sports Association, among other representatives from hotels such as Playitas Resort Fuerteventura and agencies such as BCD Sports.

10.30am - 11am                 Fitur Sports official opening

11am - 11.45am The impact of sporting events on territories and communities

11.45am - 12.30pm         Nominations for official sports competitions. Strategies, challenges and opportunities

12.30pm - 1pm                   Speed networking

1pm - 1.45pm    Social networks as a marketing lever in sports tourism

1.45pm - 3pm   Speed networking & lunch

3pm - 3.45pm  Sustainability and inclusion in sporting events and facilities

3.45pm - 4.30pm           Keys to marketing travel for competitive teams and athletes

4.30pm - 5pm  Speed networking

5pm - 5.45pm  The sports tourism professional of the present and the future

5.45pm - 6.30pm            After summit speed networking

Friday, 24 January: Competitive sport, sport events and sports marketing

The last day will open with a session on ticketing for sporting events with professionals such as Juanan Fernández, quality director of the Triathlon Challenge Family; David Rumbao, Events, Sponsorship & Marketing Manager of Rock&Roll Madrid Marathon and Alberto Zaro, Associate Founder & Sales director of Rock the Sport. Sports tourism as a generator of memorable experiences will be discussed with Juan Méndez, director of Madison Sports Marketing and Victor Casanovas of Sevenmila. There will also be representatives from Olympia Quirónsalud.

The Fitur Sports Tourism Summit will close its doors with a luxury session on sport business events with Rafael Grande, managing director of the Event Manager Assocation; Iñaki Collado, president of the Association of Incentive Agencies "I de MICE" & CEO of Imagine Events & Incentives, Angel Holgado, general manager of the Grand Hyatt La Manga Club, and a representative from Club Barcelona Football Club.

11am - 11.45pm Trends in ticketing for participatory sporting events

11.45am - 12.30pm         Memorable experiences as key to the success and satisfaction of sports tourists (athlete & fan engagement).

12.30pm - 1pm                   Speed networking

1pm - 1.45pm    Trends in sport and health

1.45pm - 2.30pm.           MICE & Sports. A Sports Business Events segment with great development potential

2.30pm - 3pm. Closing speed networking