Ha preso il via oggi, lunedì 2 febbraio, la 50ª edizione di Hospitality – Il Salone dell’Accoglienza, importante fiera internazionale per il settore HoReCa e, da qualche anno, con uno sguardo importante anche al settore del turismo en plein air. All’opening talk, intitolato “Celebrating with you”, hanno preso parte i vertici di Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, il Presidente Roberto Pellegrini e la Direttrice Generale Alessandra Albarelli, insieme all’Exhibition Manager della manifestazione, Giovanna Voltolini, e a rappresentanti delle associazioni di categoria e delle istituzioni, tra cui Fabio Poletti, presidente di FAITA Trentino.
The 50th edition of Hospitality – The Hospitality Exhibition officially opened today, Monday 2 February. This major international trade fair caters to the HoReCa sector and, in recent years, has also placed significant focus on open-air tourism. The opening talk, entitled “Celebrating with you”, featured the top management of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi: President Roberto Pellegrini and General Director Alessandra Albarelli, together with Exhibition Manager Giovanna Voltolini, and representatives from trade associations and institutions, including Fabio Poletti, President of FAITA Trentino.
The fair, running until 5 February, hosts over 750 exhibitors across four main thematic areas – Contract & Wellness, Beverage, Food & Equipment, Renovation & Tech – as well as special zones dedicated to tasting and mixology experiences, including RPM-Riva Pianeta Mixology, Solobirra, Spazio Vignaiolo, and Dimensione Gusto. Ample space is also devoted to open-air hospitality with the Outdoor Boom pavilion, and to accessible hospitality through the “Di Ognuno – Orizzonti Possibili” project.
With Camping Business as its official media partner, the exhibition offers over 150 events featuring around 100 speakers, encompassing both educational sessions and experiential initiatives. This provides a comprehensive overview of trends, technologies, and innovations that define the world of hospitality.
A brief history
Fifty years of history is no small feat, and Alessandra Albarelli sought to retrace the story of this exhibition. The first edition, held in 1979 under the name Expo Riva Hotel, featured just 38 exhibitors. Even then, the fair was born with a clear vision: to make hospitality a point of reference at an international level. In 1993, Expo Food was launched, marking the entry of food into the exhibition and expanding the scope of hospitality: travellers were no longer seeking only a bed, but a complete experience, with cuisine becoming a distinctive element of Italian identity.
In 1996, the exhibition moved from the congress centre to the trade fair district, marking the start of a more structured and innovative phase. Three years later, in 1999, education became central: the fair’s focus shifted towards the educational and training aspect, providing practical tools to envision the future of hotels and accommodation facilities.
In 2003, wellness entered hotels, aiming to care for guests, slow down the pace of life, and transform the facility into a place of wellbeing. In 2007, the ecological shift arrived with EcoHotel, signalling the fair’s commitment to sustainability. In 2011, the exhibition was organised into macro-areas, introducing new perspectives to meet the diverse needs of hospitality more effectively.
In 2020, the fair underwent a rebranding, becoming Il Salone dell’Accoglienza, shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. In 2021, the event transformed into Hospitality Digital Space, with a fully online programme. Nevertheless, the fair remained a hub for networking, and in 2022 it reopened physically, gaining certification as an international exhibition.
Finally, in 2024, a true cultural revolution took shape with the launch of the “Di Ognuno” project, designed to make hospitality genuinely inclusive. This is not a niche initiative or a compliance obligation, but a shared value – an initiative that will also be presented at the Sanremo Festival, with the aim of building a fairer, more human, and open future.
Voices from the key figures
“50 is not just a number: it represents a journey charted by pioneers and visionaries, defined by major decisions, courage, and daily work,” said Roberto Pellegrini, President of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi. “Today, Hospitality is a stage for relationships, experiences, and knowledge, but also a business platform where economy and entrepreneurship find their place”.
Giovanna Voltolini, Exhibition Manager of Hospitality, presented the highlights of this fiftieth edition: “This year we are launching a new project called Dimensione Gusto, in collaboration with the local APT, to showcase the flavours of Trentino’s Garda region. In addition to the classic educational programme, we have also added immersive experiences, the H Experience. We have also launched Startup for Hospitality, focusing on HoReCa innovation, and the first edition of an award organised with Teamwork Hospitality: the Best Camping Village Awards”.
Plenipotentiary Minister Fabrizio Lobasso – Deputy Director General for Growth and Exports, Central Director for the Italia System and Investments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – provided an original perspective on the theme. “I had a little fun exploring the etymology of the word and discovered something wonderful,” he said. “The term ‘ospite’ (guest) has two parts: the first – Hos – in all languages of the world means ‘foreigner’, while the second – Pati – in ancient Sanskrit meant ‘lord, master’. A guest is therefore a master, a lord, and as a Neapolitan, I feel a great responsibility in hospitality”.
He concluded: “Hospitality is the art of turning service into experience, and experience into memory. But we must be careful, because memory is not only a function of the mind, but a function of the heart”.
The importance of outdoor hospitality
The Outdoor Boom pavilion and its associated Arena, hosting numerous events over the coming days, is particularly vibrant this year, reflecting a sector in excellent shape. “2025 ended with 74 million visitors, a result that reflects the vitality of an entrepreneurial fabric capable of long-term investment, prioritising quality and actively engaging with sustainability, understood primarily as a cultural value,” said Fabio Poletti, President of FAITA Trentino.
“In the German market, for example, 45% of customers aged between 30 and 60 choose their destination based on eco-sustainability, demonstrating how much this criterion influences travellers’ choices. New trends such as glamping are growing, responding to demand for authentic experiences, while traditional pitches remain undersized compared to actual demand: over one million recreational vehicles circulate in Germany, and accommodation capacity cannot fully meet the demand”.
Poletti closed by emphasising the importance of spreading tourism throughout the year: “We cannot focus solely on the high season; we must encourage visitors to explore our territory all twelve months, highlighting sports, cultural, and food and wine events. It is essential that the local community sees tourism as a valuable resource rather than a nuisance, adopting a serious and conscious approach to building a sustainable and inclusive future for the entire sector”.
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