• 2017cover Present
  • 1
Monday, February 07, 2022 at 07:00 p.m.

The future of tourism, in the hands of future professionals in the sector

For five days in January, 15 tourism students from the URJC have been part of FITUR, one of the most important tourism-hotel forums in Spain.

Daria Efimova

Between January 19 and 23, the new edition of FITUR, the most important tourism forum in Spain, took place. For five days, professionals from different sectors, such as hotels and restaurants, have met at Ifema to announce their proposals and discuss the problems their businesses are facing. 

Given the scope that FITUR has, it constitutes a great opportunity for those students who want to unite their lives with this profession. For this reason, a few years ago, the Hotel Technological Institute (ITH) and the Rey Juan Carlos University reached a collaborative agreement. It allows students studying the degree in Tourism at URJC to participate, support and coordinate some of the activities carried out by FITUR, allowing them to have first-hand contact with the sector. To do this, there is a selection process among those who volunteer, which is carried out by the ITH and the professors of the University: María Dolores Flecha Barrio, vice-coordinator of the Degree in Tourism, and María Teresa Villacé Molinero, professor of Turistic marketing.

Iván Salas, a URJC student and deputy delegate of the Tourism degree, is one of the 15 students who have attended the event. He has already participated in previous editions of FITUR; this year, he assumed the role of coordinator. “Our task has been, above all, to support the stand organized by the ITH”, says Iván. "Its main objective is to show visitors current hotel technology to promote innovation." The main task of the students is to support the speakers and the public during talks and round tables, as well as to reinforce the "Hotel of the Future" activity, where they have had closer contact with the leading professionals in the sector. 

Preparations for the event, in the midst of the new wave of infections, have been carried out remotely, which goes hand in hand with the main focus of the forum this 2022: the boost that can be given to tourism through technology . As Iván explains: “It is a very important sector in Spain. We have to take advantage of the means we have to return to normality and regain confidence in tourism.” 

Despite the difficulties imposed by the pandemic, Iván is proud of the results. “It is a great opportunity for students. Many of us still do not know the most professional part of the sector well, we are just getting started in it; so we must make the most of this type of meeting, which gives us a more real and practical perspective of tourism”, concludes Iván.