Cross Travel and outstanding content: BTO returns to Florence with Innovation and Networking

With 350 speakers, 90 events in two days, and 7 Halls, BTO confirms its role as a laboratory for the future of tourism. The theme of the 2025 edition, Cross-Travel, invites the construction of hybrid experiences where technology and human creativity coexist. Among the guests: Guido Martinetti, Alexander Kjerulf, Sandro Formica, Veronica Berti Bocelli, and representatives from Booking.com, Expedia, Google Italy, Melià Hotels, BWH Hotels, Ipsos, and other international players.

Great attendance, yesterday and today, at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence for the XVII edition of BTO – Be Travel Onlife, the main Italian event dedicated to innovation in tourism. Yesterday, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the President of the Tuscany Region Eugenio Giani, the President of the Florence Chamber of Commerce Massimo Manetti, the Scientific Director of BTO Francesco Tapinassi, and other regional authorities were present.

The edition was held around four traditional pillars: Destination, Digital Strategy, Hospitality, and Food & Wine, focusing on key themes of contemporary tourism: artificial intelligence, sustainability and decarbonization, accessibility and digital inclusion, data governance, community tourism, humanistic hospitality, and new models of wine tourism.

Destination - Destinations become living infrastructures, capable of urban regeneration, social cohesion, and innovation. Among the cases presented: the H2iseO project in Lombardy for hydrogen trains and the redevelopment of the Ruhr Valley in Germany. The panels show how community engagement, ethical storytelling, and immersive campaigns can strengthen the bond between tourism, culture, and territory.

Digital Strategy and Innovation - This section explores the digital ecosystem of tourism and the use of AI for planning, booking, and storytelling of the journey, without replacing human intelligence. Special attention is given to digital accessibility and inclusive design, with predictive tools to manage flows and resources.

Hospitality - The program proposes authentic and circular hospitality, hotel decarbonization, and food waste management through innovative technologies. Focus is also on empathetic leadership and digital security, with data on direct booking and the tourism job market.

Food & Wine and wine tourism - The food and wine sector is recognized as a strategic driver: growing global trends, the need for digitalization and sustainability. Furthermore, there will be discussions and insights on the best strategies to attract Millennials and Gen Z, enhance taste museums, and address climate changes affecting viticulture.

Led by Francesco Tapinassi, the Scientific Committee of BTO brings together the coordinators of the four topics – Emma Taveri (Destination), Giulia Eremita and Rodolfo Baggio (Digital Strategy), Roberta Milano (Food & Wine Tourism), and Nicola Zoppi (Hospitality) – with the coordination of Cristina Pagani for the advisory board and the program. Each year, the team identifies the theme that best interprets the challenges of the moment, transforming it into the common thread of the entire edition.

Also this year, the BTO Women have returned, to celebrate female leadership in tourism, and the Italy Ambassador Awards, which reward Italian and international content creators engaged in promoting Italy and accessibility.

Present in Florence was also Nevio D’Arpa, CEO & Founder of BTM Italia: «BTO – he states - remains for me a highly inspiring event. The content is always of high quality and offers truly interesting insights. This year's theme, Cross Travel, perfectly interprets the moment we are living: tourism today is no longer about borders, but about connections. A round of applause to Francesco Tapinassi and the scientific committee for the quality of the program. Between BTM Italia and BTO, there is a collaboration that has lasted for over ten years, and participating is always a pleasure, also because it is an opportunity to reconnect with friends and professionals from all over Italy and abroad.»