FITUR Lingua Shines Spotlight On Spain’s Lucrative Language Tourism, Draws Over 158,000 Students

Today at IFEMA Madrid, FITUR Lingua highlighted the burgeoning sector of language tourism in Spain, revealing that over 158,000 students traveled to Spain to learn Spanish in 2024, generating approximately €454 million in economic benefits. The event, themed “Language as a Tourism Asset: Challenges and Trends,” forms part of the broader FITUR exposition, which began today and continues through January 26. Another study showcased at the event noted that Spain welcomed over 600,000 international students in 2023, who collectively contributed more than €6 billion to the economy.

Organized by FITUR and in partnership with FEDELE (the Spanish Federation of Schools of Spanish as a Foreign Language), FITUR Lingua offered a robust agenda filled with presentations and panel discussions. The event served as a platform for professionals, institutions, and companies to discuss key strategies for fostering the growth of this vital industry.

Eva Laguna, President of FEDELE, stated that FITUR Lingua “attracts an increasing
number of companies and professionals in the Spanish language sector and will
continue to grow in coming years, both in attendance and activities.” She highlighted
“the significant growth FEDELE experienced in 2024, reflecting the robust state of
language tourism.” She also emphasized “the critical role of teachers, without whom it
would be impossible to teach the language and promote Spanish worldwide,” and
reminded that “by 2030, 600 million people globally will speak Spanish, a
development closely linked to tourism.”

David Trigo, FEDELE’s General Manager, confirmed that “2024 was a record-breaking year in terms of student numbers and their economic impact.” He added that “FITUR Lingua has been a key driver for the growth of the language tourism sector.” Daniel Escalona, FEDELE’s Marketing Director, presented a sector report showing that federated schools hosted 158,800 students in 2024, an 11.42% increase from 2023. “The primary markets remain Germany, Italy, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, which account for a third of the centers. Students spent a total of 631,469 weeks at our schools, averaging 3.97 weeks per student. Digital enrollment reached 7,061 students. The economic footprint reached €454 million, including all expenses incurred by students in Spain.”

Spain Shines as a Top Choice for International Students

The recent FITUR Lingua event showcased the release of a significant economic study on international students in Spain, conducted collaboratively by Spain Education Programs, ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, and EDUESPAÑA. The study revealed that in 2023, Spain welcomed over 600,000 international students, contributing an impressive €6 billion to the economy.

A panel, led by moderator David Trigo, delved into the data surrounding the sector. The discussion featured insights from Eva Laguna and Cristina Ceballos of the University of Seville’s Faculty of Tourism and Finance, along with Bárbara García, a research associate at Spain Education Programs. The panelists highlighted the critical role of detailed research and data analysis in capturing the nuances and evolving patterns of language tourism in Spain.

Ceballos stressed the need to “delve deeper into analyses to identify different types of students and their behaviors, as well as to focus on big data and social media feedback from schools, which offer valuable insights for identifying emotions and concepts.” Laguna advocated for “a platform to consolidate all student information, enabling better data collection on language tourism.” García highlighted that “data collection on Spanish students must be agile and include feedback from prospective students who have not yet visited Spain.”

Spain Shines as a Top Choice for International Students

This key event in language tourism in Spain brings together hundreds of professionals. Logroño’s mayor, Conrado Escobar, promised that “the Fourth Spanish Language Week in Logroño and San Millán de la Cogolla will be packed with experiences for visitors.” He highlighted that “La Rioja offers an ideal natural, scenic, and wine-producing environment to enhance the experience of sharing a unique language.”

The gathering highlighted exemplary cases of language tourism across various languages, including French, German, and English, detailing effective strategies from locations renowned for their educational offerings aimed at attracting learners. Elena Fernández led a discussion on enhancing tourism services for these students, with insights from Sossy Vega of the International Student Identity Card, Carlos Soler Montes from ELEUK, and Marcelo García of the Association of Language Centers in Argentina.

The event further included a panel discussion on the present challenges and potential opportunities in language tourism, featuring insights from Francisco Gutiérrez, Daniel Escalona, Guillermo Escribano, and David Gómez. Additional talks highlighted the global significance of the Spanish language, the impact of governmental policies, and the benefits of international cooperation.

Moreover, FITUR Lingua featured a networking space where FEDELE’s member schools could connect with stakeholders from various sectors interested in linguistic tourism.

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