Conferenze e Fiere

🗒 The Fiera Internazionale dei Tartufi d'Abruzzo concluded with 35,000 visitors from November 29 to December 1 in Piazza Duomo, L'Aquila. Featuring over 50 exhibitors, the fair showcased 9 regional truffle varieties and included a program of entertainment, cooking shows, masterclasses, and conferences. Highlights included the "Scent of Italy" truffle exhibition, cooking shows by chefs William Zonfa and others, and a truffle-flavored panettone tasting by Federico Anzellotti.

🍕 At the "European Pizza Show" and "World Pizza Summit 2024" in London, "50 Top Pizza" announced the "50 Top World Artisan Pizza Chains 2024" with "Grosso Napoletano" leading for the second year. The evaluated chains total 81 brands, nearly 2000 outlets, about 30,000 employees, and a collective revenue of approximately $3 billion. Special awards included "Pizza Maker of the Year 2024 - Ferrarelle Award" to Antonio Falco of "Da Michele" and "Pizza of the Year 2024 - Latteria Sorrentina Award" to "Pizza Pilgrims" for their "Salsiccia e Friarielli" pizza.

🏂 FlixBus and FlySki renewed their partnership to connect Lombardy and Veneto to Trentino's ski resorts starting from December 7 until end of March. Direct trips can be booked via FlixBus to 40 ski destinations including Madonna di Campiglio and Canazei. Departures from Milan Central Station, Milan Linate, Bergamo-Orio al Serio, Venice Marco-Polo, Verona, and Treviso airports. Trips run every weekend, plus December 26 and January 2.

🎵 Msc Crociere partners with Sky Original's XFactor to transform Msc Lirica into ‘La nave di X Factor’ starting from the 2024 season. Msc Lirica will feature the cast of the latest season and host 11 music evenings, starting January 2025, with talent contestants performing weekly at the Broadway theater. Additionally, passengers can buy official XFactor merchandise and participate in pre-castings for XF2025 until May 2025, recording auditions in branded ‘Recording Box’. Best auditions may be selected for live auditions for the next season.

🏖️ More than 200 hoteliers from Rimini attended the 'Rimini Incoming – Progettare il futuro' event in 2025, aimed at sharing promotional campaigns and strategies for boosting tourism. VisitRimini, VisitRomagna, and Apt Servizi highlighted collaborative efforts to grow the hospitality industry starting in 2025. Mayor Jamil Saadegholvad and Federalberghi Rimini President Patrizia Rinaldis emphasized unity in tourism. Antonio Carasso announced a 7% increase in tourism from May to September 2025 compared to 2024, with a 6.2% peak during Pentecost, largely due to the German market, and a significant Polish incoming market.

🍸 Distilleria Casoni introduces Gin Tabar mixed with Pera dell’Emilia-Romagna IGP, specifically the Williams variety, targeting younger consumers. The cocktail, TABAR PERA & TONIC, combines 5 cl of Gin Tabar and 15 cl of tonic water, served with ice, lemon zest, and a slice of Williams pear. Casoni, founded in 1814 in Finale Emilia (Modena), celebrates 210 years in 2024 and offers a wide range of traditional and innovative liquors.

💻 Fabrizio Tomasich, Sales Manager Italy for Goglio, was interviewed at Triestespresso Expo 2024, revealing challenges over the last two years for the coffee industry and a transition in packaging. Goglio showcased recyclable material packaging solutions, valves, and IoT platform Goglio MIND for real-time monitoring of packaging lines. Product innovations to be presented in 2025.

🏢 On December 4th, 2024, at 16:30, the Public Assembly of Confindustria Alberghi will be held in Rome at CNEL headquarters, Viale David Lubin 2. It represents nearly all national and international hotel chains in Italy, plus thousands of independent operators. The assembly will feature a welcome address by President Brunetta, introductions by the outgoing president, the new elected president, and a round table with industry experts. The Confindustria Alberghi 2024 awards, in its second edition, will conclude the session, with a jury led by Gianni Letta. The initiative honors Italian hotel industry icons Ferruccio Fabri and Roberto Wirth. Prizes will be awarded for best representation of Italian style and innovation in the market. Manuela Perrone of Sole 24 Ore will moderate.

🌱 The "fagiolo bianco di Controne" is a legume cultivated for centuries in the Valle del Calore, part of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni National Park, Italy. Originating around the 1500s, this Slow Food-presidium bean is harvested in November after July planting. Production, once at 300 quintals ten years ago, faces climate-induced decline. The 40th annual festival in Controne promotes its gastronomic value, appealing to fine dining markets with its high digestibility and versatility.

🏢 Italy ranks first in Europe and second worldwide for international conferences held in 2023, projecting the same for 2024. Italian Knowledge Leaders' fourth edition, by Convention Bureau Italia with the support of the Conference of Italian University Rectors, reports these findings. Italy excels in large conferences (over 500 people) with a conversion rate of nearly 40%, second in Europe after Spain (47%), and ahead of France (33%). In 2023, Italy led with 553 conferences, followed by Spain (505) and France (472). For 2024, Italy is also first with a scheduled 540 conferences, outpacing Germany and Spain, each with 459. This sector contributes approximately 20% to national tourism flow, with 81 Italians becoming presidents of international associations in 2024. However, only 10% of conferences and 13% of venues are in southern Italy.