BIT 2025: The Must-See Fair that Anticipates the Future of Travel
by Massimo Terracina
Summer 2024 has presented a different balance for Italian tourism. On one hand, according to estimates by Cna Turismo e Commercio, over 32 million foreign tourists spent at least one night in Italy, an increase of 6.7% compared to 2023. Another 8.5 million are expected to visit during the tail end of the season. Spending is also at record-breaking levels: in September alone, foreign visitors will spend over 6 billion euros.
September, once considered a "shoulder" month, has now become a peak month for Italians as well, with many adjusting their holiday calendars to maintain purchasing power. This has led to a slight drop in tourism during August (-2.9% in the high season, according to Assoturismo data).
These figures confirm that the tourism industry is experiencing a historic phase, marked by the need for optimization, advanced digitalization, experiential offerings, and demand for sustainability. In this context, operators who want to seize new business opportunities—and travelers looking to discover the latest trends—cannot miss the International Tourism Exchange (BIT), organized by Fiera Milano at fieramilano Rho from 9 to 11 February 2025.
Initial Confirmations of Important Participants
With its new location at fieramilano - Rho, BIT 2025 will feature areas dedicated to Leisure (destinations in Italy and worldwide), BeTech (technology), and the newly revamped Hospitality section. These areas will benefit from a more streamlined layout and smoother access, especially on Sunday, 9 February, when the event is open to the public. The new space dedicated to hospitality will host large chains, private operators, and boutique hotels. Additionally, the event aims to engage younger travelers, particularly Gen Z, with a special list of events with strong social appeal.
The Leisure Italia area will showcase a broad representation of Italian regions, from north to south: from Friuli Venezia Giulia to Puglia, and from Lombardy and Veneto to Sicily.
The international lineup is equally impressive, with emerging destinations like Armenia and Romania in Europe, Algeria, Cameroon, and Uganda in Africa, and Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam in Asia. Established destinations, such as Croatia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, will also be present, alongside long-range markets like Canada, Central America (represented by the Central America Tourist Agency), Madagascar, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay.
A Complete Sector Overview with Key Partnerships
Several prestigious partnerships will further enrich the event. For the second consecutive year, Federterme will present BIT Thermalia by Federterme, a village dedicated to thermal, medical, and wellness tourism, a sector that is gaining increasing interest. Other noteworthy collaborations include ASTOI Confindustria Viaggi (Associazione Tour Operator Italiani), FTO (Federazione Turismo Organizzato), and WTG (Welcome Travel Group).
Innovation Front and Center
Innovation will be a key theme of the entire event, especially in the digital area, where companies such as Blastness, Fareharbor, Full-Price, Helium, Heylight, Revolut, and Slope will be present. Leading companies from other service sectors, such as AXA in insurance, will also participate.
Innovation, in its many forms, will take center stage at Bringing Innovation into Travel, the well-established BIT Talks format. These talks will cover everything from large-scale trends to detailed data and technical topics, with macro-themes like top trends, eco-tourism, AI, Toolbox, jobs & tourism, startup innovation, and tourism of emotions.
Just to give a few examples, discussions will include how to tackle overtourism by combining sustainability and value, using artificial intelligence to enhance experiences and customization, and the evolution from "bleisure" to digital nomadism. Other topics will include outdoor and active tourism, major events, social media, and soft skills in the tourism industry.
The complete schedule is available on the BIT website on the page dedicated to the 2025 events. The appointment with BIT 2025 is set for fieramilano in Rho from 9 to 11 February 2025.
For updated information on the event, visit: bit.fieramilano.it, @BitMilano.
