BIT 2024: Curtain Closes on an Exciting Edition

See you at the 45th edition in Milan, from Sunday, February 9, to Tuesday, February 11, 2025

By Massimo Terracina

The 44th edition of BIT – Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (International Tourist Exchange), organized by Fiera Milano, brought together tens of thousands of travelers and professional operators, concluding the 2024 event with double-digit growth. Bringing Innovation into Travel confirms Bit Milano as a leading platform for sector news and updates, featuring panels of experts and professionals.

Great attendance figures from the public and huge satisfaction on the part of over 1,100 exhibitors from 66 countries, as well as the hundreds of highly regarded hosted buyers from all over the world, with 8,585 one-to-one meetings (+14% compared to 2023).

The significant turnout, with double-digit growth in both visitors and professional operators, with attendees coming from 107 countries, confirms Bit Milano’s standing as a key event for the sector in terms of news, networking, and development, as well as the leading global marketplace for Italian offerings. Indeed, the top countries by visitor origin were Switzerland, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Egypt, China, the United Arab Emirates, and India.

The event has become increasingly international, with a cosmopolitan, qualified, and business-minded audience that enthusiastically filled the Bit 24 pavilions. This is the result of an exhibition concept and format (B2B and B2C) that has demonstrated in recent years an ability to react and adapt to trends and the market, interpreting the demands of professionals, but also of travelers, who are increasingly discerning and curious. Personalization, authenticity, and year-round appeal are at the forefront of the desires of travelers, who also express a strong awareness of environmental and social sustainability issues.

The media response was also excellent and showed growth from the previous edition, both from social networks, with hundreds of posts and stories dedicated to the world inside Bit, and from the press, radio, and television, which covered the event with numerous correspondents, analyzing the phenomenon of tourism in all its facets.

The best Bit so far, including for private operators There were many major new features this year, from the alliance with Welcome Travel Group, which was present at Bit with its extensive network of agents, prominent partners, and its members Alpitour World and Costa Crociere; to the partnership between Bit Milano and Federterme-Confindustria, which set up a dedicated area, Thermalia, dedicated to spas within the event for the first time.

"This edition was the best so far," said Adriano Apicella, CEO of Welcome Travel Group. "We held our annual convention here, which attracted 2,000 participants. The program was extremely full and included professional opportunities with plenaries and evenings to build relationships and establish initiatives for the summer season."

Italian offering projected to the world Increasingly international and receptive to the trends of the travel market as a whole, Bit never fails to cement its mission as the most important global marketplace for the Italian offering. A successful example of this aspect of the event was provided by Emilia Romagna. Alberto Sabatini, Head of Communications Italy (Rimini office), Apt Emilia-Romagna, explained: "For us, Bit is a lively, dynamic, and future-focused exhibition. We have been at the Borsa del Turismo since the early editions – for our operators, it has always been a strategic event. Our operators are also very satisfied with the additional meetings they managed to fit in."

Significant presence from abroad Bit 24 was a space for interconnection, visibility, and relaunching, including for many foreign destinations. This vibrant enthusiasm was supported by this year's returning countries, such as Japan. "To describe Bit in three words: dynamism, diversity, and passion," said Noritsgu Yusa, Commercial Manager JNTO, National Japanese Tourism Organisation. Encouraging signs also came from the Middle East, which were reinforced by its presence at the event: "Italians are the top market in terms of arrivals and stays in Jordan, and they are most welcome," confirmed Nadia Pasqual, Media Relations & PR, JORDAN TOURISM BOARD. "This edition was intense, lively, very satisfying, and full of meetings with operators, journalists, influencers, and content creators."

Profitable meetings between top international buyers and sellers The satisfaction of the hosted buyers from 52 countries, representing all continents (in particular Europe, North America, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East, Italy, the CIS countries, and Africa) is further testimony to the success of the event.

The 45th edition will be held in Milan from Sunday, February 9, to Tuesday, February 11, 2025.