Overview
- FITUR 2026 opened in Madrid with a minute of silence, flags at half‑mast and widespread cancellations, shifting the fair to a largely professional focus with few political appearances.
- Mexico inaugurated its largest pavilion to date—about 1,800 square meters—featuring all 32 states and a dedicated area for the 2026 World Cup host cities of Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
- Images showed Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora and Ambassador Quirino Ordaz Coppel in Real Madrid’s Palco de Honor; as of the latest reports, neither Sectur nor the embassy has explained the nature of their attendance.
- The VIP‑box episode drew criticism referencing President Claudia Sheinbaum’s public call for officials at FITUR to avoid excesses and limit public spending on travel and hospitality.
- State delegations advanced agendas tied to connectivity, investment and the World Cup, with Nuevo León outlining air links, Puebla pitching to European operators, and Jalisco promoting Spain–Uruguay match logistics and new ties with Spanish institutions.