Bit 2021 relaunches and doubles. It becomes Bit Digital Edition and will take place in a digital version, from 9^th to 11^th May for travel operators and from 12^th to 14^th May for the travelling public. Built into the exhibition website, the innovative Bit Digital Edition platform represents a new, efficient "machine" with which Fiera Milano provides operators and the travelling public with a portal full of destinations, carriers, accommodation and diversified propositions; and in addition Bit Talks: a rich calendar of events with more than 90 streaming talks, 20 of which are also available in English..

The innovative digital discussion area is called Bit Talks, and has been entrusted to the editorial supervision of Carlo Antonelli. This new name is intended to stress the even higher level of this year's programme, which for the first time combines the professional programme with special talks from a mainly cultural viewpoint, details of which will soon be announced. In the meantime, the range of reports by authoritative sector analysts presented at Bit Digital Edition will be unprecedented.

The events will be divided into 5 topical areas, each one identified using a different colour to make access even more intuitive: Training (blue), Experiential Travel (brown), Technology & Innovation (grey), Hot Topics (red) and Food & Wine Tourism (green).

From Hot Topics and Business Models to Sustainability

Foremost are the hot topics of tourism 2021, amongst which are the needs of the Silver Generation, increasingly a key player in the market, without forgetting other generations of travellers, from Baby Boomers to Perennials. In a post-pandemic scenario, in which nature and outdoor holidays predominate, the keywords of wellness travel such as outdoor, nature and sport will be explored.

A slow holiday in which more time is devoted to oneself is increasingly a new luxury, but tourism must also be sustainable, a challenge for which green-washing is not enough, but practical initiatives must be adopted. The Bit Talks will analyse the ways in which sustainability becomes a cross-cutting topic and a driver of growth, and the opportunities for economic revival and reputational value from a sustainable approach to destinations and national brands.

The new age of Tour Operating will be explored through new business models that were accelerated by the pandemic, while insights into vertical sectors such as air, rail and ferry travel will also be presented. There will also be a focus on programmes and scenarios for 2021 on business travel, which is one of the sectors most in need of revitalisation, and on the role of agencies which, in response to technological acceleration, are repositioning themselves as consultants.

The future of tours promotion will also be discussed, taking stock of the new challenges and innovative business models with which to respond, after twenty years of digital tourism. In the field of Tourism & Destination Management, the focus is on new strategies to acquire new visitors both on-line and off-line using big data, or to promote a territory by upgrading identity, experience and emotional values. As regards innovative technologies, we will explore how to use new generation social media such as TikTok or IGStories as well as cutting edge solutions such as bots or virtual assistants.

Food and Wine Tourism Seen Up Close

The Bit Talks will pay particular attention to food and wine tourism, which is confirmed, especially for Italy, as another topic that cuts across several areas, capable of combining experiences, seasonal adjustments, sustainability and innovation. In this area, curated by Professor Roberta Garibaldi, the “Report on Italian Food and Wine Tourism 2021” will be presented as a preview at Bit Digital Edition.

How this mode of travel helps seasonal adjustment, by contributing to the sustainability of locations will also be discussed. The specifics of wine tourism will be discussed, with particular emphasis on developing new services, including virtual services, and wider, high-quality access to territories. But since food is culture, the UNESCO Sites and Collaborative Networks talk will explore the synergies between these two major attractions and how to apply them.

"The Food Tourism Day, organised every year by Bit and now in its sixth edition - comments Roberta Garibaldi, President of the Italian Association of Food and Wine Tourism and founder of the day - is a unique opportunity to explore the various offerings of a travel style that attracts 45% of Italians and many foreigners: in China, for example, food and wine tourists have grown by 12% from 2016 to date. In the Bit Talks, contributions by experts thus become an opportunity not only for inspiration but also for growth, by putting destinations at the centre of a post-Covid relaunch".

A particularly topical focus on food and wine as an area of inclusion and equal opportunities will come from a dedicated panel of female professionals who will discuss new professions in food and wine tourism: Antonietta Acampora, Founder and CEO of Picnic Chic; Maria Cristina Crucitti,The Cheese Storyteller; Emanuela Panke, President of Iter Vitis Route; Isabella Perazzoli, President and CEO of Only4U.

The programme timetable can be consulted at:

https://bit.fieramilano.it/topics/programma-.html.

For updated information on BitMilano www.bit.fieramilano.it, @BitMilano

Pre-accreditation to all events available from May 1, 2021.