PR attends FITUR 2026 with international outreach agenda

As part of the agenda at FITUR 2026 International Tourism Fair in Madrid, the Puerto Rico delegation will hold meetings with international partners to strengthen air connectivity and the cruise industry.

By THE STAR STAFF

Puerto Rico began its participation in the FITUR 2026 International Tourism Fair on Monday with a strategic agenda focused on strengthening its international positioning and participating in high-level forums on the future of global tourism.

“The eyes of the world are on Puerto Rico because of the growth and prominence of our cultural, entertainment, and sports tourism,” Puerto Rico Tourism Company Executive Director Willianette Robles Cancel said in a written statement. “This global interest reinforces the importance of being present in spaces like FITUR.”

The initial agenda included a meeting between Robles Cancel and the Secretary General of UN Tourism, Shaikha Al Nowais, as the first official meeting between Puerto Rico and the organization’s new leadership. The meeting focused on aligning cooperation priorities for the period 2026 to 2028 and highlighted the island’s role in tourism management in the Caribbean.

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said the island’s participation in FITUR 2026 has generated anticipation within the international tourism sector.

“Throughout this week we will be making important announcements that will continue to position us as a world-class destination,” she said in a written statement.

As part of the agenda, Puerto Rico will hold meetings with international partners to strengthen air connectivity and the cruise industry, sectors identified as key to tourism growth and access to the destination.

This Friday, meanwhile, a simultaneous broadcast will take place between the IFEMA venue in Madrid and the T-Mobile District in San Juan, as part of the Isla en Vivo Puerto Rico event. The broadcast will feature a musical performance directed by Cucco Peña with the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of Puerto Rico Choir.

During the event, which is free of charge and begins at 11 a.m., the new image and domestic tourism campaign of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company will be unveiled.