To crowds at Fitur, Formentera styles itself as ‘an island of unique experiences’ where “luxury” means preservation’

foto 2020 Esports aquaticsThis Wednesday 22 January, Madrid’s International Tourism Trade Fair —Fitur— christens yet another year. To drum up interest among travellers in traditional markets like mainland Spain, Italy, France, Portugal and Netherlands, emphasis at the five-day event will be placed on Formentera’s sustainability.

Formentera president and tourism councillor Alejandra Ferrer will be joined at the annual travel expo by her counterpart and chief of marketing Carlos Bernús. For three days, the island’s handlers will meet with representatives of online travel agencies and travel reviews. At the weekend, when Fitur opens its doors to the general public, the local spokespeople will spotlight the island’s appeal on the domestic stage and taking the temperature of summer 2020.

The three watchwords as the contingent attempt to court visitors before and after the traditional summer season? “Sustainability, culture and sport”, says President Ferrer.

Presentation
On day two, as focus at the fair turns to islands, local spokespeople will lead a presentation styling Formentera as “a laboratory for sustainability” and “a place for one-of-a-kind experiences, where ‘luxury’ means preserving our natural spaces”. According to Ferrer, attendees will hear about local sustainability strategies past and future like recharge stations for electric cars, Save Posidonia Project and the bid to count and cap in-bound vehicles.

At a space in Fitur’s central hall which Formentera shares with its Balearic neighbours, the island will unveil the most recent addition to its arsenal of marketing material: a “slow food” map spotlighting local growers and homegrown produce and the 2020 events calendar.

Other travel expos
Reps will also be on hand this week at the Salon International de Tourisme in the French city of Nantes (24-26 January), the Quo Vadis travel expo in Geneva, Switzerland (24-26 January) and the Dussëldorf International Boat Show (18-26 January).

The coming months will see the island’s promotors cutting a path through Spanish cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Bilbao and Sevilla which boast direct flights to Eivissa.

20 January 2020
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera