The third day of the Latin American International Tourism Fair -FIT (Feria Internacional de Turismo de América Latina) and the first one exclusively for industry professionals was marked by a busy agenda of activities. This day stood out as the ideal stage to promote business and strengthen commercial relationships, positioning tourism as a true economic engine. In an interview with Andrés Deyá, president of FIT, he shared his vision of the central role this fair plays in the country's economy and its importance in raising the sector's visibility.

"The goal of the fair is to highlight the economic importance of the sector. Those of us who work every day in this industry know it’s an economic engine," said Deyá. During the event, the general public was able to witness firsthand the impact of tourism on the country's economy. "I can assure you that more than 92,000 people attended the fair between Saturday and Sunday, and they leave amazed at seeing what drives Argentina's economy because people can see it," he added.

Tourism: An economic force that must continue to be promoted

Deyá emphasized the need to keep highlighting the economic value of tourism, beyond leisure travel. "We all love to travel, we all love sun and beach, sure, but the importance lies in talking about how much the 1.5 million jobs generated by tourism bring in. I like to talk about this, about the numbers, and I believe one of the fair's missions is precisely that, to showcase the importance," he pointed out.

During the fair, representatives from various provinces and the government had the opportunity to experience the sector's potential, many for the first time. "Various government officials and provincial leaders who had never attended the fair before are impressed," said Deyá.

Business meetings and impressive figures

One of FIT 2024’s major focuses was the business meetings, which Deyá described as impressive. With more than 500 companies and over 4,000 pre-scheduled appointments, the meetings were held in a pavilion designed specifically to facilitate encounters between key players in the tourism industry. "This year, the goal is to quantify the business transactions made. We already have the numbers of exhibitors and attendees categorized, but the economic data depends on the information provided by those doing the business," explained Deyá.

Additionally, the fair introduced a new tool for exhibitors, such as the FIT B2B, which allows real-time monitoring of the deals made during the event. "I always talk about having a more professional fair. Assigning a number to the business generated at the fair is about being professional," Deyá emphasized.

José "Maligno" Torres surprised the audience at FIT 2024 and attracted new segments

Sunday saw one of FIT 2024’s standout moments with a BMX exhibition by José "Maligno" Torres on the central track of FIT Outdoor, drawing the attention of new audiences. Andrés Deyá, president of the fair, highlighted the importance of these types of events in attracting new audience segments. "We made an effort to ensure people knew Maligno would be at the fair. It's not just about ticket sales but about reaching an audience that had never attended before. Welcome to a new segment of people at the fair," said Deyá, underscoring the success of the event.

Growth of the cruise sector

Lastly, Deyá revealed an exclusive announcement related to the cruise industry, a major focus at FIT 2024. "This morning I had a meeting with the Cruise Chamber of the Americas, and they’ve already reserved an entire island at FIT 2025 to bring cruise companies, even from the Antarctic region. This speaks to the seriousness of our work," he revealed.