Madrid tourism promotion body marks achievements in first year

A collaborative plan to promote inbound long-haul tourism to Madrid has marked its first anniversary and hailed successes in generating growth in travel to the Spanish capital.

The Madrid Experts in Tourism Panel was created 12 months ago under the direction of Madrid Turismo by IFEMA Madrid and is driven by the Regional Government of Madrid and the Madrid City Council.

The project has a budget of €36 million and has so far approved €20 million of investment across large digital marketing campaigns, air connectivity, branded content, co-marketing and influencer marketing campaigns.

The panel reconvened to review achievements over the past year in activity targeting the USA and Canada, Latin America, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Middle East, China and Southeast Asia.

Growth in air connectivity includes the signing of an agreement with Iberia for a new Madrid-Doha service which will provide 44 new connections in Asia Pacific and 26 in the Middle East and generate an economic impact for the region of €55 million in its first year.

Promotional activity has also been instigated in 16 countries and in 11 languages, including the #onlyinmadrid campaign.

Discussing the Madrid Turismo by IFEMA MADRID project, led by Yolanda Perdomo, deputy minister of culture, tourism and sport Daniel Martínez said: “Madrid Turismo by IFEMA Madrid is a benchmark for public-private collaboration in tourism in Madrid and is already delivering important results.

“We will continue to promote this project to intensify the promotion and positioning of Madrid as a tourist destination in distant markets such as North America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.”

Almudena Maíllo, Madrid City Council tourism delegate added: “In Madrid we have made a qualitative leap in our strategy for international promotion.

“With relevant importance and weight, we are seeing that there has been an exponential growth , especially by the North American and Latin American markets, thanks to public-private collaboration.”

Juan Arrizabalaga, managing director of IFEMA Madrid, said: “Madrid Turismo by IFEMA Madrid is not only strategic for Madrid´s positioning as a preferred destination for high-value tourism at an international level, but also for the different actors that make up the tourism industry and are ambassadors of the Madrid brand.

“Therefore, we are proud to be at the forefront of the management of this ambitious promotional project, and to contribute to it from our position as the main player of business tourism in the country.”