The Community is presenting its astronomical tourism offerings at the International Tourism Fair, which is being held from January 21 to 25 in Madrid, along with its heritage, food and wine and rural tourism proposals.
The 46th International Tourism Fair, FITUR, held in Madrid from January 21 to 25, is a leading tourism event worldwide. This year, the Regional Government of Castile and León is committed to a strong presence at FITUR, combining tourism promotion and marketing for the region under a unified promotional message centered on the natural phenomenon of the August 2026 solar eclipse, which Castilla y León will view from a privileged position on a global scale.
To this end, Castilla y León will have a 929-square-meter stand at FITUR in Hall 9 of IFEMA, metaphorically recreating the cosmos and offering visitors a sensory and immersive experience of astrotourism through architecture, lighting, and exhibition resources. This unified tourism proposal brings together the offerings of the nine Provincial Tourism Boards and the Bierzo Regional Council, as well as a large commercial and business meeting area. In addition, there will be exhibition areas dedicated to food and wine, rural tourism, and the Castilla y León Hospitality Federation, the nine Wine Routes of Castilla y León , and the ' Brand "Posadas Reales"' rural tourism quality brand.
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Immersive booth
' Castilla y León, the sky has chosen us' positions the region as an ideal location for observing the night sky and the eclipses predicted for 2026 and 2027. The stand recreates the visual effect of a starry sky and the passage of shooting stars, generating a striking and impactful visual experience. Suspended within this sky are various decorative elements, made of different materials, textures, and sizes, simulating asteroids, satellites, stars, and other celestial bodies. At the center of this entire celestial structure stands a half-dome over three meters in diameter, evoking the lunar surface and becoming one of the stand's most unique features.
Alongside this starry sky, another of the main features of the space is the central screen that welcomes visitors with the image of 'The Sky of Salamanca', a 15th-century mural painting attributed to the master Fernando Gallego, one of the great representatives of the Hispano-Flemish school.
Castilla y León boasts the highest number of Starlight Foundation-certified sites in Spain, making it one of the best places to contemplate the night sky with its stars, constellations, planets, and other celestial bodies. This leadership in astrotourism is the central focus of its presence at FITUR, and in addition to the stand's design, it is reinforced by an interactive tunnel-shaped activity that will allow visitors to feel at the center of space and the universe, experiencing the night sky of Castilla y León in an immersive way.
Promotion of the tourism offer
The Castilla y León stand will also showcase the region's potential as a destination for heritage, food and wine, nature, and high-quality rural tourism. Given that Castile and León boasts the most UNESCO World Heritage sites of any region in Spain, the stand will feature a dedicated area promoting its heritage resources, including its three World Heritage cities. In wine tourism, with nine Wine Routes certified by ACEVIN (the Spanish Association of Wine Producers), Castilla y León has the highest number of wine routes and attracts the most visitors of any region in Spain. This will be reflected in the stand through a dedicated space promoting the Castilla y León offerings.
At FITUR , Castilla y León will also showcase its potential for rural and nature tourism, boasting 33 protected natural areas, 10 Biosphere Reserves, and a Geopark declared by UNESCO. Castilla y León will also highlight its status as the region with the highest number of Holy Week celebrations declared of International Tourist Interest, offering unparalleled cultural, heritage, and religious tourism.
Tourism marketing
With the aim of continuing to boost tourism marketing, the Regional Ministry continues to focus, within the Castilla y León stand at FITUR, on a working area, intended for meetings and business encounters between entrepreneurs in the sector and travel agencies and specialized operators.
In total, the participation of 154 companies and professionals is expected, including tourism boards, town councils, the Wine Routes and their wineries, convention bureaus, destination management companies, tour operators from outside the region interested in learning about and marketing the tourist resources of Castilla y León, hotel associations, the rural tourism federation, guide associations, golf course associations and the Brand "Posadas Reales".
Stand dynamization
During the first three days of the Fair, aimed at industry professionals, the Regional Ministry will focus on promoting cultural events and new tourism products for 2026. In addition to astrotourism, the 'EsperanZa' edition of the Las Exposition "Edades del Hombre" , currently taking place in Zamora, will be presented to the media and travel agents; the region's cultural offerings will be showcased, including regional festivals, major museum exhibitions, and other initiatives related to the OSCyL (Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León) and the Year of Gaudí 2026; and the region's commitment to food and wine will be highlighted with the presentation of the 6th International 'Cooking with Truffles' Competition, to be held in Soria from February 4th to 8th.
Over the weekend, with the aim of capturing the attention of families and visitors to the fair, the Castilla y León stand will be transformed into a leisure space, with a dynamic and extensive program of diverse activities: children's workshops, dance groups, masquerades, live music, performances, etc.,…, in which the tourism boards, tourism groups and municipalities will also participate, and will be able to present their tourism proposals, resources and innovative projects, showcasing the main tourist resources of the Community.
