BIT 2023 Comes to a Close with a Bang for the Sector
By Massimo Terracina
t was an increasingly younger, international, more qualified and business-oriented public that crowded the aisles of the 43rd edition of BIT – Borsa Internazionale del Turismo, which ended last Tuesday at the Allianz MiCo of Milan, to the great satisfaction of both the over 1,000 Italian and foreign exhibitors, as well as the hundreds of international hosted buyers from all over the world.
It is the result of an “exhibition concept” renewed in the recent years, constantly reinvented, interpreting the request of operators to go beyond the numbers to focus on high quality contents, corroborated by the contributions of very high-profile experts, institutions, universities and of the large multimedia platforms that dictate the rhythm of a contemporary communication to the new generations.
BIT, a record even for private operators
«The turnout reminded us of the best years of the tourism industry – comments Adriano Apicella, CEO of Welcome Travel Group -. There is a lot of interest in our franchising formula, based on the contractual power of a single purchasing center and the communication support of the Group, and we have made many contacts. In summary, we are very satisfied with these three days of BIT».
Alongside the big companies, at BIT, even the smaller ones found international visibility that they could hardly obtain elsewhere, as explains by Valentina Colleselli of Meraki S.r.l., who coordinates the Slow Flow Veneto Waterways Experience project: «Our network of 'slow' operators and experiences on the rivers of Veneto. BIT 2023 and its strong focus on new tourism, proved to be the perfect scenario for making our offer known. The turnout and contacts seemed very good to us, meeting as well numerous buyers, including foreign ones».
The first marketplace in the world of Italian products
Always attentive to changes, at the same time BIT always makes the most of its system mission of representing the global marketplace of reference for the Italian product. A vocation strongly confirmed also in this edition, as explained by the spoke person of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region: «In the past we saw BIT above all as an opportunity to consolidate existing relationships. But in recent years an excellent job has been done bringing hosted buyers. In this edition tour operators have also done a lot of new business. Visitors asked us above all for 'smaller' locations, active holidays but suitable for everyone, and destinations to be reached sustainably by train».
Another confirmation of the centrality of BIT for the Italian product came from the extensive institutional presences. Here is how the Regional Councilor for Tourism of the Veneto Region, Federico Caner, motivated the choice to be massively present at the 2023 edition: «Veneto is a laboratory of innovation between Italian and international destinations. In line with the most recent trends, the tourist offer focuses on naturalness. Here we focus on an increasingly widespread way of travel, which accompanies the tourist to discover hidden places, different cultures and local productions thanks to slow products».
The world finds new markets at BIT 2023
The 2023 edition also represented a relaunch platform for many foreign destinations. «Italy is the main market for Jordan - explains Marco Biazzetti, Italian Market Manager of the Jordan
Tourism Board - and for us being at BIT is essential, especially for the new strategy that wants to go beyond the classic itineraries to offer adventure trips, wellness and gastronomy. We have received many visits not only from travelers and buyers, including non-Italians, but also from journalists from important media».
Nicaragua has chosen BIT 2023 to make its uniqueness known to the European market, as Ana Carolina Garcia, Marketing Director of the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism explains: «We are here to make Nicaragua known as an alternative destination in Central America to the Italian and European markets. The main strength of the country is the untouched and very varied nature, which allows many options for open-air tourism, from beaches to rainforest. With its attention to these types of travel, we believe that BIT 2023 is an excellent stage for making the whole European market aware of a destination that is little known in Europe but with enormous potential for those who love open-air tourism».
At BIT 2023, top buyers from all over the world will find what they are looking for
Equal satisfaction can be seen on the demand side. Susanne Mozel of Omega National Travel (Canada) says: «North American customers know Italy very well. They are very demanding and look for special offers in small villages or off-the-beaten-path paths. At BIT I found truly unique proposals, such as dining under a real vineyard or exploring the secret passages of a castle that the nobles used to move about without being noticed by their subjects. It is these kinds of captivating experiences that make the difference».
«The Middle Eastern market is discovering active lifestyles, which until recently were not of much interest to Middle Eastern customers – says Abdoul Azez by Highline Travel & Tourism, UAE - As a result, active holidays are also beginning to be sought after. We are looking for experiences of this type not only in Italy, but in Europe in general. Italy is also one of the favorite destinations for wedding tourism and honeymoons and, alongside the great classics such as Venice, travelers also seek destinations in the South, such as the Amalfi Coast, small villages and smaller islands»".
The strong desire for open-air holidays, active but without excesses, is therefore confirmed, as well as the search for lesser-known destinations and authentic experiences. And food and wine is now an established fact that is part of almost all travel experiences.
Taking advantage of the progressive – and long-awaited – reduction of restrictions, 2023 will also be the year of the return of the long-haul: both in search of new destinations, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, and towards the classic destinations of the Indian Ocean or of the Caribbean.
BIT 2023 confirmed and strengthened its centrality not only for tourism but for the economic system in general, with numerous Italian and foreign institutional presences and with an important induced for the city: in addition to being an exchange platform between supply and demand, it also represented a knowledge sharing hub that outlines the future of tourism, with over 40 conferences in the Bringing Innovation into Travel format and dozens of events organized by exhibitors that brought together authoritative exponents of the academic world, top institutional levels, experts and internationally renowned analysts.
BIT 2023 also marked a milestone as the first carbon-neutral edition: the approximately 3,000 tonnes of CO2 estimated generated by the event will be fully compensated with a certified environmental project of a photovoltaic plant in the Andhra Pradesh region of India, therefore also with a social value.
The 44th edition will also be held at the Allianz MiCo in Milan from Sunday 4 to Tuesday 6 February 2024.
