The 50th Hospitality – Il Salone dell’Accoglienza (Hospitality Exhibition) is scheduled to take place in Riva del Garda from 2 to 5 February 2026. Organised by Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, Italy’s leading trade fair dedicated to hospitality and catering is once again confirmed as a benchmark event for the entire industry.
Proof of this leadership status, with around five months to go, is the participation of over 400 exhibitors. Of these, around 50% are companies that have already participated in the 2025 edition, while 15% are new participants. This is particularly true in the Food & Equipment, Contract & Wellness and Beverage areas.
These figures testify, on the one hand, to the confidence of the exhibiting companies and, on the other, to the attractiveness of the exhibition, as exhibition manager Giovanna Voltolini pointed out. ‘This special edition aims to convey the spirit of Hospitality in the best possible way: inclusive, choral and projected towards the future of HoReCa’.
50th Hospitality: the protagonists of the community in front of and behind the scenes
In support of the upcoming event, “Celebrating with you” will be launched, a communication campaign with which the organisers will celebrate both the 50th edition and the entire hospitality community, in front of and behind the scenes.
The image chosen for the advert, created by The Studio with a shot by Deep Blue Studio, is a black and white group toast with the smiling faces of those who work in the sector. An image that aims to capture the very essence of 50th Hospitality: a place where relationships, people and stories intertwine and evolve, generating both professional and personal connections.
Ho.Re.Ca. strategic sector for the Italian economy
In 2024, the hospitality and catering sector recorded over £107 billion in turnover (+23% compared to 2019, the last year before Covid), 53.8 billion in added value and 1.5 million employees in 382,000 businesses, with investments of 2.7 billion euros (2025 Strategic Report “Feeding the country, connecting people. HoReCa as an ecosystem” by TEHA Group).
It is therefore a strategic sector for our economy, examined by the 50th Hospitality – Il Salone dell’Accoglienza (Hospitality Exhibition) in the four thematic areas into which it is divided: Beverage, Contract & Wellness, Food & Equipment and Renovation & Tech. The three special areas focus on craft beer, mixology and wine. Not to mention the programme of meetings and workshops dedicated to training.
Special initiatives for exhibitors
The 50th Hospitality – www.hospitalityriva.it – will also be an opportunity to promote and give due recognition to exhibitors with a series of awards divided into different categories: from historical protagonists to the most innovative, from attention to sustainability to the ability to engage with the public.
In addition, on the exhibition website, on a page dedicated to the 50th anniversary, exhibiting companies will be able to share memories, images and testimonials, thus contributing to building a collective memory. An invitation to be an active part of the celebration, strengthening the sense of belonging and community.