Walking through the current state of tourism FITUR, 46 years of experience bear fruit

RAMÓN DE ISEQUILLA

The secret to maintaining a traditional tourism fair without losing its essence, while simultaneously fostering a hub of ideas.

By Ramón de Isequilla, from Madrid
 

Spain, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and tourism-related companies showcase their products in eight pavilions, with a remarkable display of creativity in their stands, blending good taste with spectacular displays. All of this is geared towards providing a friendly environment for doing business (including the aisles), where tourist destinations act as hosts for their hoteliers, transport companies, travel agents, and providers of a wide variety of services. For three days (Wednesday to Friday), the "trade" operates at full steam, leaving Saturday and Sunday for the end consumer.
This traditional and successful formula has been enhanced by the "ideas hub" that SEGITUR launched fifteen years ago, spearheaded by Antonio López de Ávila. This hub, located in Pavilion 10, fosters an environment that brings technology closer to the world of tourism, and this year it is further solidified with an impressive array of activities.

FITUR 4all, FITUR Lingua, FITUR Screen, and FITUR Woman, like medieval plazas, bring together those interested in some of the many segments of our industry, facilitating networking that continues to evolve by incorporating the latest technological innovations that support our work.

As if this were not enough, Pavilion 12, the “Knowledge Pavilion”, houses 1) Travel Technology, 2) FITUR Experience, 3) FITUR Know-how & Export, 4) FITUR Talent, 5) FITUR TechY, 6) FITUR Sports and 7) FITURNEXT Observatory, with 2026 being the “FITURNEXT Challenge”: How can tourism contribute to sustainable and responsible management of water and its natural environment?
Next year I will celebrate half a century working in tourism (three years before FITUR began), which prompts me to reflect on the evolution of marketing tools, starting with how I packed my bags for promotional tours. Invariably, I'd pack the latest brochures, price lists, the "agreement rates" with the pompous name of "confidential," business cards, a notebook and stapler where, patiently each night upon returning to the hotel, I would file the business cards of the colleagues I had interviewed with handwritten notes about each one, my address book, and my Moleskine notebook for jotting down news and objectives.

I remember when, at a FITUR in the early years of this century, the fair's organizers provided me with a scanner to collect data on the professionals who visited my stand, returning a list with their information each night. Today, with QR codes and Bluetooth, we capture and process that information instantly on our phones.

The FITUR table is set and all that remains is for us to savor it, because man does not live by business alone, but also by the pleasure of walking through the "agora" of tourism.

RAMÓN DE ISEQUILLA

Independent tourism consultant in the following areas: Hospitality; Travel Agency; Air Transport; Journalism; Teaching; Public Administration; International Organizations; Sectoral Institutions; Development and Implementation of Tourism Projects. Resident of Madrid, Spain. Holds three nationalities: Argentinian, Uruguayan, and Spanish. Postgraduate Studies 1992-1993: University of Montevideo, Institute of Business Studies (IEEM), Professional Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA). 2004: IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, ​​Government & Business Seminar: Old Problems, New Solutions. 1999: Galician Higher Center for Hospitality, Santiago de Compostela, Hotel Management Course for Executives. Tertiary Education 1970-1975: 

University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Law, Legal Practice. He began his association with the World Tourism Organization in 2002 as Person in Charge of the UNWTO audit of the Punta del Este Destination Management Organization (DMO) under the SBEST Programme. He participated in the World Ecotourism Summit in Quebec, Canada, organized by the UNWTO. In 2019, he was elected for the third time to the Board of Directors of Affiliate Members of the UNWTO. He has extensive professional experience in all areas related to tourism.

Journalism:

2009-2010: • General Manager of Grupo Radio Maldonado AM1560. • Director of the Maldonado Global Program on AM1560. • Host and Producer of the program Pensando en el Turismo (Thinking about Tourism) on AM1560. 2010: • Host of the live broadcast from Madrid for Canal 7 Punta del Este and Radio Maldonado AM1560 during the Summit of Presidents, the European Union, Latin America and Mercosur Business Summit, held in Madrid, and the Madrid Real Estate Exhibition 2010. • Host of the live broadcast from Madrid for Radio Maldonado AM1560 during Fitur 2010. 
Host of the live broadcast from Shanghai on Radio Maldonado AM1560 during the Shanghai World Expo. 2003-2005: Tourism commentator for the TV program Frecuencia Abierta, Channel 7, Punta del Este. 2002-2005: Producer and co-host of the program Frecuencia Abierta on AM Radio Maldonado. 2004: Tourism commentator for Radio FM Aspen, Punta del Este. 2003: Tourism commentator for the programs Comunicación Abierta, Luz Verde, and En Buena Compañía on FM 105.3 Radio Punta, Punta del Este. 2000-2001: Organizer of the press coverage operation for Crónica TV in Punta del Este. Editor in charge of the “Bernardo Neustad” Press Room at the Las Dunas Hotel. 2001: Editor of Dunas News Magazine. 2000-2002: Producer and Host of the program "Encuentro Turístico" on 1560 AM Radio Maldonado.

Teaching Experience
2003-2009: Professor of "Economics and Organization of Tourism," "Travel Agency Management," "Tourism and Hotel Marketing," and "Hotel and Restaurant Management" in the Tourism Management Technician program at ORT CEI Maldonado University. 1969-1973: Teacher's Aide at the Escuela Argentina Modelo, Buenos Aires.

Hospitality
2000-2004: General Manager of Hotel Las Dunas, the first 5-star hotel in Punta del Este. 1989-1999: General Manager of Leik S.A., the company that manages Club Hotel Casapueblo. 1989-1997: Director of Club Hotel Casapueblo S.A. 1987-1989: General Manager of Club Hotel Casapueblo S.A., Punta Ballena, Uruguay, a tourist, hotel, gastronomic, cultural, and timeshare complex. 1981-1982: Organizer of the timeshare area at Club Hotel Catedral, a hotel and timeshare complex in San Carlos de Bariloche. 1978-1981: General Manager of Argenclub S.A., the company that owns Club Hotel DUT Bariloche, a timeshare complex. 1978-1981: President of DUT Administración Hotelera S.A., the first company to manage tourist resorts and timeshares in Argentina.

Travel Agency
1993-2001: Controller of Punta Travel, a travel and tourism company in Punta del Este, Uruguay. 1982-1986: CEO of BRC Travel, a tourist transportation, inbound tourism, and comprehensive skier services company at Cerro Catedral, San Carlos de Bariloche. 1976-1980: Controller of Travel Planner, a wholesale travel and tourism company in Buenos Aires, specializing in expedited tourism, organization, marketing, and operation of trips to the USA, Europe, and Argentine ski resorts.
Air Transport:
1996-2001: General Representative in Punta del Este and Maldonado for LAPA Líneas Aéreas Privadas Argentinas (LAPA Argentine Private Airlines). 1994-1995: Controller for Lapajet S.A. charter flights to Bahia, Porto Seguro, Maceió, Florianópolis, and Punta del Este. 1993-1994: Founder, Organizer, and General Manager of Lapajet S.A. Sociedad Argentina de Transporte Aerocomercial (Argentine Air Transport Company), responsible for the organization, marketing, and operation of charter flights with Boeing 737 aircraft to Bariloche, Chapelco, Las Leñas (Malargüe), and Iguazú. 1991-1993: Organizer of LAPA's charter flight program from Buenos Aires to El Jagüel Airport in Punta del Este.
Portal of America..