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FINLAND AND SPAIN, HERE WE COME!

There is a lot of excitement brewing in Madrid and Helsinki with two consecutive tourism fairs taking place at the same time. So we decided to do the rational thing and split our team to head to both destinations. Here are some of the juicy details of the exhibitions.

Matkamessut in Helsinki, Finland

Matkamessut is the largest tourism fair in all of Northern Europe and one of the most prominent ones across the globe.

The event this year will feature 850 exhibitors from 70 different countries. Matkamessut will cover topics on the latest and greatest in tourism, highlighting some of the newest offers, hotels, and luxury cruises around the world.

The official partner country of this year’s Markamessut will be Greece. Greece is a beautiful country with a rich culture, picturesque beaches, and historic cultural landmarks. Therefore, Greek tour operators will be present at the exhibition to inform attendees on the country’s best holiday spots, popular tourist attractions, hotels, and resorts.

The event began on the 19th for tourism professionals to network and experience the fun of the exhibition firsthand.

The exhibition will formally be open for guests from the 20th of January onwards until the 23rd of January.

Programs at Matkamessut:

Lectures and seminars about tourism in Finland that speak about the various unique routes available for tourists. One such example is the Alvar Aalto Route, which covers 60 architectural monuments in 27 cities across five countries. These countries are Finland, Germany, Estonia, Italy, and France.
A gripping presentation by Kristina Vaano as she tells the story behind how she created the first cycling route in Finland that is gaining rapid popularity and may soon be the most famous cycling route in the Nordic countries.
Presentations on various cruises and cruise itineraries around the world by Azamara Cruises representative Christina Hannon. This will include information on the Azamara Luxury Boutique Cruise Ships that can accommodate up to 690 people!

Important Information: The exhibition takes place from January 20–23 at the exhibition center "Helsingin Messukeskus" from 10:00 a.m.–18:00 p.m.

Fitur in Madrid, Spain

Moving on to Spain, we have Fitur, which is an international tourism exhibition that is primarily focused on the latest trends in sustainable tourism development. Fitur will take place at the Ifema Madrid exhibition complex in Madrid, Spain.

The exhibition is open from January 18th to January 20th, but will solely cater to tourism industry professionals. However, the exhibition will be open for visitors and enthusiasts on the 21st and 22nd of January.

The exhibition is segmented into different forums that will cover separate niches in tourism.

Forums at Fitur:

FITURTechy is dedicated to the discussion of modern technology and adapting it to fit the needs of both guests and professionals. The forum covers several sub-sections that include technology and the future, business, technology, and sustainable tourism.
FITURCruises is dedicated to cruises as a form of recreation. This forum will cover topics such as the protection of flora and fauna at destinations and our current ability to use cruises to reach even the most remote corners of the planet by ship or yacht.
FITURMICE is dedicated to the business travel sector and provides a venue for members to both find clients and discuss business strategies.

The exhibition takes a refreshing leap by addressing current concerns and breakthroughs in education and tourism, LGBT tourism, film and tourism, and the role of women in the industry. FITUR will also cover more nuanced topics under tourism marketing and strategic planning.

Important Information: The exhibition takes place from January 21–22 at the Ifema Madrid exhibition center. The ticket prices for professionals are €40 for a permanent pass and €20 for a day pass. The ticket price for visitors is €12 for a day pass.

For more in-depth information on either exhibition, please visit their official websites. Or you can always write to us at club@maldiviancharter.club and we will send you all the information you need.