A travel world made not only of destinations, but increasingly of directions. A world in which BIT 2026 gives a voice to those who can already see where tourism is heading.
Organized by Fiera Milano, BIT presents its new Advisory Board, the heart of the BIT Think Tank: a space where professionals and experts come together to discuss key current issues and strategic challenges, and – in constant dialogue with the market – design practical solutions for growth and competitiveness.
Comprising Simon Anholt, Paolo Audino, Giovanna Manzi, Caroline Schaefer and Paolo Verri, the Advisory Board represents the many facets of contemporary tourism – from destination marketing to technology, from culture to sustainable mobility – and embodies BIT 2026’s core values: authenticity, inspiration, innovation, insight and sharing.
A Dialogue Between Expertise to Rethink the
Tourism of the Future
From national reputation to artificial intelligence, from culture to
connectivity, the expertise of the Advisory Board outlines the map of a tourism
sector in transformation. Five internationally recognised specialists have been
called upon to read the present and imagine the routes of the future.
“A country’s reputation is an economic engine
that impacts tourism, trade and investment,” notes Simon Anholt, founder of the
Good Country Index and creator of the Nation Brands Index. “Italy is a clear
example: although it has moved from third to fourth place in the 2025 Nation
Brands Index, it has improved its overall score, strengthening its image as an
authentic, innovative and inspiring nation.”
Addressing the evolution of sector events,
Paolo Audino, journalist and trade fair manager, comments: “Tourism exhibitions
are changing their skin: their value now lies not only in their commercial
dimension, but in their ability to generate knowledge, relationships and
inspiration.” An evolution that finds full expression in the new concept of BIT
as an experiential and in-depth platform, where content and networking become
powerful drivers of business.
Technology, Culture, Responsibility: The New
Coordinates of Travel
In this context, digital transformation in tourism today is not just the engine
of competitiveness, but also a means of restoring centrality to people. “Artificial
intelligence won’t replace humans; it will free them from repetitive tasks,
allowing more time to be devoted to guests and to the experience itself,”
explains Giovanna Manzi, former CEO of Best Western Italia and now a strategic
consultant bridging hospitality and innovation. “Digitalisation also increases
productivity and sustainability in small and medium-sized businesses, improving
service quality while reducing waste and operational costs,” she continues — a
particularly relevant factor for Italy, where many enterprises are still
locally managed.
Drawing on her extensive experience in the aviation sector and training, Caroline Schaefer notes that “Tourism competitiveness rests on three pillars: accessibility, sustainability and strategic connectivity.” Air–rail partnerships, which are linking an increasing number of destinations to major airport hubs by train, show how intermodality can both expand flows and reduce environmental impact. “In the same way, the spread of new digital standards in air transport does not replace intermediaries but enhances their advisory role, enabling increasingly personalised and transparent offers.”
The Tourist as a Temporary Citizen: Culture that Builds Community
BIT’s Think Tank also makes room for cultural
reflection. “The tourist is a temporary citizen, with rights but also
responsibilities towards the places they visit,” says Paolo Verri, now head of
the Fondazione Arnoldo e Alberto Mondadori. This vision inspired projects such
as Matera 2019, where residents and visitors co-created cultural and artistic
experiences, giving rise to a model of shared and regenerative tourism. The
same philosophy now inspires the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic
Winter Games, of which Fiera Milano is a partner: some competitions will take
place within the exhibition centre, in existing structures adapted without
further land consumption.
BIT 2026: The Travel Makers and the Supply
Chain of the Future
The Think Tank and its Advisory Board embody
BIT’s mission to anticipate and interpret the sector’s most significant trends,
while enhancing the entire tourism value chain.
This same vision drives the focus on the Travel
Makers concept — the key players of an ecosystem in which every professional,
from travel designer to content creator, from tour operator to hotelier, right
through to the traveller, contributes their skills and experience to the
sector’s evolution.
They will take centre stage at the Travel
Makers Fest, the beating heart of the event, featuring six thematic arenas and over
200 sessions across three days, with a strong focus on training, inspiration
and networking.
Alongside talks and professional meetings, training for operators will continue
through Next Level workshops, with greater space for young talents during Future
Travel Minds day.
The event will be structured into six thematic
districts – Italy, World, Travel Expert, Hospitality, Transportation and
Innovation – representing the entire supply chain. Completing the experience
will be the Speedy Meetings, rapid matching sessions between supply and demand;
the Digital Platform, an advanced digital agenda enabling connections beyond
the event days; and the Incentive Programme, promoting the participation of
high-profile decision makers.
BIT 2026 will take place at Fiera Milano from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 February 2026. -TradeArabia News Service