In contemporary tourism, food and wine is no longer a simple complement to the travel experience, but one of its main engines of choice, attraction, and return. Food tells the stories of territories, preserves their memory, and anticipates their future, becoming a concrete lever for economic development and tourism positioning. It is on this awareness that BTM Gusto is born and grows, the section of BTM Italia entirely dedicated to food and wine tourism, conceived as a strategic space for those operating in the food supply chain who want to transform their product into experience, storytelling, and value.
From February 25 to 27, 2026, in Bari, BTM Gusto will represent a qualified and highly professional showcase for restaurants, agri-food companies, wineries, producers, consortia, chefs, tourism operators, and food & travel communicators. Not a traditional exhibition area, but a vibrant platform for meeting, relationships, and business, where the product meets the market, storytelling meets tourism, and local excellences find new channels for promotion and commercialization.
Coordinated by Michele Bruno, BTM Gusto is conceived as a place for dialogue between producers and promoters, between those who welcome and those who tell the stories of the territories. Cooking shows, guided tastings, tasting tables, thematic workshops, in-depth panels, and B2B meetings create a schedule designed to enhance skills, identities, and visions, in line with the theme of the XII edition of BTM Italia: re~generate. Regenerating means starting from the roots to build new opportunities, giving new life to traditional knowledge, making them competitive and attractive in an increasingly experiential and conscious tourism market.
The numbers confirm the centrality of food and wine tourism. According to ENIT, in the last ten years, stays motivated by food and wine experiences have grown by +176%, reaching about 2.4 million visitors and generating an estimated international expenditure of 395 million euros. Food tourism in Italy is now worth almost 9 billion euros and involves over 20 million Italians who choose trips and experiences related to tastings, winery visits, agritourisms, quality dining, and food and wine events. A sector that not only grows but also helps to de-seasonalize flows, enhance internal areas, and strengthen the identity of territories.
Today's tourist seeks authenticity, relationship, and involvement. They want to know who produces, understand the stories behind a dish, and experience the territory through taste. BTM Gusto intercepts this demand by offering industry operators the opportunity to position themselves as protagonists of an evolved tourism narrative, where food becomes a universal language, a tool for territorial marketing, and a concrete economic lever.
For restaurants, food and wine companies, and producers, being present at BTM Gusto means coming into contact with buyers, tourism operators, destination managers, journalists, and communicators, but also confronting new trends, business models, and promotion strategies. It means transforming their product into a tourist experience, building lasting relationships, and opening up to new market opportunities, both national and international.
The spaces of BTM Gusto are designed to provide real visibility, facilitate meetings, and generate value. A concrete opportunity for those who believe that the future of tourism also – and above all – passes through the table, the quality of raw materials, and the ability to tell a territory through its flavors. Participating is not just about exhibiting, but becoming an active part of a vision that places taste at the center of the regeneration of Italian tourism.
