Bit Milano 2023 – Your Travel Exhibition ended on Tuesday 14 February at the Allianz MiCo in Milan, where it had opened on Sunday 12.
The international tourism fair in Italy represented an important marketplace for companies and visitors to support the tourism industry in Italy and around the world.
According to calculations by the Bit Observatory on Enit, Istat, Unwto and the Bank of Italy, in 2022 Italy ranks fourth in the world for international tourism flows with revenues of 21.3 billion euros, +22 .7% on 2020.
Confirming the interest in our country in travel intentions for the coming months, with 9% of preferences, Italy is second only to France (11%) and tied with Spain. 62% of respondents are planning intra-European trips in the winter season and 70% are planning a trip in the next 6 months (+4% compared to the same period last year).
As far as international tourism is concerned, the World Tourism Organization reports an acceleration of the recovery which has now reached 65% of pre-pandemic levels.
Bit Milano 2023: tourism resumes
While in January 2022 international arrivals were 64% lower than in 2019, by September the gap had narrowed to 27%. In the third quarter alone, international arrivals are estimated to have been 390 million, 50% of the total since the beginning of the year.
New travel styles are also recovering, as are more aware and sustainable travel choices. In fact, 93% of Italians – 81% on a global scale – consider it important to travel sustainably.
The traveler seeks nature, outdoor activities, and above all authentic experiences that make him feel in tune with the “genius loci”. An example of this is the slow tourism of the paths, which are expanding from the spiritual ones to paths marked by well-being and food and wine. Cycling tourism and the discovery of villages are also growing.
Bit Milano 2023: sustainability rewarded
Now in its 11th edition, this edition has also seen the delivery of the Green Travel Award, conferred by the Gist to the excellence of sustainable and responsible tourism.
Tuscany, Estonia, Alto Adige, Marche, Colombia, Sardinia and Kel12 were the destinations and tour operators awarded on February 13th.
Tuscany and Estonia have been considered as the best Green Destinations; Kel 12 the best Green Tour Operator. In South Tyrol, the best Green Family Hotels and Best Bio were awarded, while Marche and Colombia were considered the best Green Accommodation. Finally to Sardinia the Honorable Mention Decade of Marine Sciences for Sustainable Development of the United Nations.