BIT 2026: Value Grows Along the Entire Travel Supply Chain
By Massimo Terracina
From Fiera Milano’s reflections on the future of tourism comes a concept that puts people at its heart and brings together all those who, in different ways, contribute to the travel supply chain: the Travel Makers. The beating heart of BIT 2026 will be the Travel Makers Fest, where communities will explore key themes and share values and stories. Save the date: 10–12 February 2026 at Fiera Milano.
In a constantly changing world, tourism is no longer just about movement: it is about connection, relationship, and regeneration. It creates bonds between people, cultures, and territories. It goes beyond boundaries – geographical, cultural, mental – to give rise to new travel ecosystems, where the travel experience becomes a catalyst for shared value.
Today, designing tourism means listening to local areas, involving communities, and promoting authenticity. It means imagining experiences that go beyond simply “visiting” and instead bring about transformation – for the traveller, the host, and the storyteller alike.
In response to this evolution, BIT 2026 (https://bit.fieramilano.it/) is being reimagined around a powerful new concept: the Travel Makers. These are the individuals who, through a wide range of roles and approaches, turn the dream of travel into reality. They create, enable, promote, and guide experiences, working across all levels of the tourism value chain – from planning and delivery to communication and storytelling: from specialist intermediaries to bespoke travel designers; from consultants to local ambassadors; from community managers to professional storytellers.
BIT as a Cultural, Innovative, and Storytelling Hub for the Entire Industry
BIT 2026 is set to become a dynamic platform for exchange, inspiration, training, and business – a shared, open, and participatory space where travel is not just a product, but also a narrative, a relationship, an experience, and a skillset.
This approach strengthens business opportunities too, by attracting a highly profiled, motivated, and engaged visitor base. A prime example of this is the Straight to the Point programme, designed for industry professionals: a series of themed speedy meetings between supply and demand, creating commercial connections through 9 targeted matchmaking sessions – sport and adventure, wellness, art and culture, film, food and wine, major events, business travel, technology, and hospitality.
While matchmaking remains one of the fair’s strongest assets, the true beating heart of BIT 2026 will be the Travel Makers Fest, dedicated to exploring new ways of experiencing travel under the banner: “Building bridges. Imagining new ecosystems”.
A vibrant, inclusive space for reflecting on the deeper meaning of travel – its transformations, the places and people that make it a generator of not only economic but also social value. At the centre of this experience is a rich and diverse cultural programme: six arenas – four thematic and two main plazas – will host over 200 events across three days, with six hours of daily talks, seminars, and discussions.
The narrative unfolds through several thematic formats: Discovery, dedicated to journeys of self and worldly exploration; Backstage, revealing the hidden sides of the tourism experience; (Im)Possible, sharing inspirational stories from great travellers; This Must Be the Place, spotlighting destinations and their stories; BIT&Friends, a series of deep dives curated with experts into cross-cutting topics such as artificial intelligence, hospitality design, e-commerce, and data management.
Also part of the Travel Makers Fest will be Future Travel Minds, an event focused on young professionals, students, changemakers, and start-ups who are envisioning the tourism of tomorrow. Topics will include inclusive leadership, sustainability and impact, smart destinations, branding, emerging professions, mentorship, and innovation.
Professional development will be at the core of the Next Level workshop programme, offering four dedicated tracks: Travel Agents Academy, for travel agencies; Hospitality Academy, for hospitality professionals; Storytelling Farm, to enhance communication and narrative skills guided by professional communicators; Discovery Italy Academy, to promote Italy’s tourism offering to domestic and international buyers.
An Ecosystem Built Around People, to Create Value Across the Chain
To further encourage dialogue, interaction, and inspiration among exhibitors and the wider community, BIT 2026 will take place on new dates: 10 to 12 February. The exhibition area will be organised into six thematic districts – Italy, World, Travel Expert, Hospitality, Transportation, and Innovation – to represent all facets of the sector. Every stand will be content, every event an opportunity, every encounter a potential spark.
The concept behind BIT 2026 stems from in-depth reflections by Fiera Milano and its stakeholders on what a tourism fair truly needs today to effectively respond to the sector’s ongoing evolution. The answer: to place people and their ideas at the centre, bringing together the industry’s key players to promote a travel supply chain where value is equitably distributed among all actors.
To further support this vision, BIT 2026 will also be guided by an advisory board of industry experts, who will accompany the event on its path towards a new positioning – one designed to create long-term value across the entire chain. A contribution that reinforces Fiera Milano’s strategic role: not just as organiser and stage for events, but as a true engine generating opportunity – bringing together business and meaningful connections.
