Innovation and sustainability in the spotlight at BTM Italy 2026, with the Regional Tourism Agency Pugliapromozione organizing workshops and moments of discussion, demonstrating how technology, data, and collaboration can transform Puglia's tourism into a more efficient, sustainable, and attractive system.
With active participation in the XII edition of BTM – Business Tourism Management, the Puglia Region, through the Tourism Agency, confirmed its central role in the national and international debate on tourist flows, particularly regarding new strategies for enhancing destinations, participating in moments of discussion, addressing the most current issues in the sector, and offering concrete insights for the development of tourism that combines authenticity, tradition, and innovation.
Among the main topics addressed during the three days of the event (which took place from February 25 to 27 in the new pavilion of the Fiera del Levante), a prominent role was reserved for digital innovation and artificial intelligence applied to tourism and gastronomy. In the dedicated panel, organized in the Taste Area, it was highlighted that generative AI will never replace human experience, but will enhance accessibility, readability, and competitiveness, confirming technology as a tool at the service of creativity and the quality of the Puglia offer, enhancing both the visitor experience and local skills.
Another central theme, examined in all its aspects, was the strategic use of data for businesses and tourist destinations. During the discussion, the “cross data innovation” model was illustrated, focusing on accessible data that, when updated and operable, become an essential tool for growing the sector, protecting people, and generating more effective and sustainable decisions. Intelligent data management thus confirms itself as a key element for developing innovative and responsible tourism.
Another topic analyzed in the fair context was that of the collective construction of the destination. In the workshops of the Say Yes Area, operators from the tourism supply chain were involved, including wedding planners, venues, artisans, hospitality operators, and institutions. An opportunity to reiterate that the promotion of a territory cannot disregard the collaboration between public and private sectors and the enhancement of the skills of all involved actors. Only through an integrated approach – this was the message that emerged at the end of the workshop – is it possible to strengthen the tourism system and build authentic experiences for visitors.
Through these moments of discussion and in-depth analysis, Pugliapromozione reaffirmed its strategic vision oriented towards an integrated, competitive, and sustainable tourism system, capable of uniting technological innovation, enhancement of internal areas, and economic growth of local supply chains.
A work continued beyond the debates, at the agency's stand where assistance, training, and information activities on the digital ecosystem were offered, with tutorials, forms, and operational tools designed for operators and institutions.
