Special concert staged to promote Andalucía at Fitur international travel trade fair in Madrid

Andalucía made a splash before the opening of the major Fitur 2025 international tourism fair in Madrid with a special concert of soundtracks from major film productions shot in the region. Ahead of the fair kicking off this Wednesday 22 January, the soundtracks to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly were played, with the musical journey pointing out the filming of the famous movies in the eight Andalusian provinces.

In front of 300 people, including some 100 people who have a stand at the Andalusian exhibition and another 100 professionals from the tourism sector from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Singapore, the region presented itself in the prelude to Fitur. The aim of the concert was to invite visitors to surrender to Andalucía's charms, as the slogan of its new communication campaign states: 'Surrender to the Andalusian Crush'.

The concert, produced by Merlin, was not missed by Malaga actor Antonio Banderas who, in his speech, pointed out the importance of tourism as a generator of employment and wealth. He also pointed out the region's cultural offer such as its museums and film festival, adding that the project he leads in Malaga has become a rising attraction, as well as helped to train young people in artistic production. Banderas pointed out that these are skilled jobs in which there is a great deficit.

At the Real Teatro del Retiro, attended by Junta president Juanma Moreno and regional tourism minister Arturo Bernal, the region was promoted "as an integral, unique tourist destination, full of emotions, passion, history and beauty". Bernal pointed out why Andalucía is the top Spanish tourism destination and boasted how multiple tourism records were broken in 2024, despite a decline in domestic visitors, which the minister said was an adjustment period post Covid-19.

Moreno pointed out the region's planned display at the 45th annual Fitur, which brings together representatives from 156 countries and 9,500 companies. "We are going to have the largest exhibition at the fair and with more space than ever, 7,200 metres. The aim is to boost business and that is why this year we will be accompanied by 240 businesspeople, compared to 60 in 2023," Moreno said.

The event, inspired by the 'Andalusian Crush' campaign, included a concert of soundtracks from major film productions shot in the region in a clear tribute to the composer Hans Zimmer, who created the music that accompanies the destination's communication campaign.

Andalucía's central event in Madrid started at 6pm with some time prior to the concert where businesspeople could hold meetings and network. The event was attended by executives from companies such as Iberia, Ryanair and Vueling; Microsoft, Amazon and Alibaba; as well as agencies and operators such as Amadeus, Hotelbeds, Expedia and Avoris, along with small businesses from the tourism sector.

Antonio Banderas' Soho theatre orchestra of Malaga featured at the concert, with a repertoire that included scores from classic films shot in the eight Andalusian provinces. The finishing touch came with a performance of the piece 'The Surrender', composed by Hans Zimmer in an ode to the region.

Before the concert, Moreno thanked Banderas for his work, whom he considered "the best ambassador of the destination" before pointing out that "he has done very important things for his land".

Moreno also pointed out the leap in quality in tourism throughout the region, with sustainable growth, breaking seasonal tourism, generating more income and jobs than visitor arrivals and making campaigns such as 'The Surrender Andalusian Crush', which has reached 2,300 million people worldwide.

He said Andalucía wants to make a new proposal to host the Latin Grammys. "Andalucía is an incredible destination for its natural attractions, its land, for so much diversity and so much wonder that makes it easy to sell. Anyone who wants to come here knows that they will not only find heritage, but also Andalusians who will make them feel happy and at home," Moreno added.

The concert was followed by a cocktail party with Andalusian tastings, where three typical dishes from each Andalusian province were served. Bernal said 'The Surrender Andalusian Crush' is presented as a high-impact campaign that not only reinforces the promotion of Andalucía as an integral tourist destination, but also puts the spotlight on small local companies.

The King and Queen of Spain will open the fair this Wednesday and then tour some of the stands. Hall 5 features Andalucía's offer in an intelligent display that highlights the essence of each regional destination. It will have a similar setup to 2024 which saw it win the award for the best regional exhibition.

A total of 20 destinations will have their own space, including the eight provinces, various cities and municipalities, as well as the world heritage locations. In a bid to promote business for the region's companies, the exhibition has a larger space for professional meetings, which will cover a total of 750 square metres.

The Costa del Sol will have a significant presence following an investment of 600,000 euros. Similar to last year, it will present its offer in the Andalusian exhibition accompanied by more representatives than ever, with 200. Some 600 professionals and some 60 local councils will be at Fitur, where they plan to make around 60 presentations with the new campaign 'Dame tu mano' (Give me your hand).

They will also promote the destination throughout Madrid such as in Atocha, Nuevos Ministerios and Gran Via. Turismo Costa del Sol president Francisco Salado and Malaga mayor Francisco de la Torre will not be present on the first day as they will be attending the reception of the Pope in Rome. Malaga city will have its own stand in the Andalusian exhibition between pavilion five and seven.