The Riva del Garda exhibition centre, in Italy, is set to become, from 2 to 5 February 2026, the international HoReCa hub as it celebrates fifty editions of Hospitality – Il salone dell’accoglienza. What began in 1979 as Expo Riva Hotel has evolved into a major business platform covering over 45,000 square metres and hosting more than 750 exhibitors.
These figures reflect the health of a sector that, in the past year alone, generated over €107 billion in revenue in Italy (2025 report by The European House – Ambrosetti in collaboration with Italgrob and AFDB). However, this year’s fair aims to go beyond the numbers, exploring the quality and very essence of hospitality.
Within this context, the Outdoor Boom Pavilion remains one of the most dynamic and eagerly anticipated areas, reflecting Italy’s open-air tourism market, which now generates €8 billion in economic impact. The focus extends beyond facilities themselves to embrace a new holiday philosophy that blends luxury, nature, and social responsibility.
A case in point is the project “Di Ognuno – Orizzonti Possibili”, an initiative designed to transform perceptions of accessibility in open-air accommodations. The aim is no longer simply to overcome physical barriers but to design spaces welcoming to all sensibilities, ensuring a universally enjoyable experience – a new competitive frontier for campsite and holiday village operators.
The dialogue between production and territory
On the importance of this segment, Fabio Poletti, President of FAITA Trentino, highlighted how the fair mirrors a profound transformation. “We operate in one of Italy’s largest tourist districts, and our mission is to meet the evolving needs of an increasingly diverse clientele through the quality of our offer,” Poletti explained at the presentation conference. According to the President, the dialogue between production and territory is the only way to maintain strong international appeal, emphasising that “our capacity to network is what allows us to evolve constantly, turning the challenge of sustainability into a tangible growth opportunity for our businesses”.
The strategic vision of the event was proudly underlined by the leadership of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, who view this anniversary as a starting point rather than a conclusion. Alessandra Albarelli, the company’s Managing Director, stressed the centrality of human relationships in an age dominated by algorithms. “At the heart are the people who make hospitality possible: entrepreneurs, professionals, operators, and guests,” she asserted. Albarelli added that “for 2026, we again expect a highly qualified presence of exhibitors representing the entire HoReCa supply chain, alongside top-level strategic partnerships”.
Rounding out the fair’s programme, Giovanna Voltolini, Exhibition Manager of Hospitality, highlighted the bespoke approach behind this special edition. “Hospitality is an event designed around people and their professional needs,” she said, describing the experiential journeys offered to visitors. Voltolini concluded by emphasising that “the integration of technological and digital innovation, sustainability, and relational aspects creates a context for authentic engagement, further enhanced by the active involvement of the city and surrounding region. The fair doesn’t end at the exhibition halls – it continues in the streets and venues hosting us. Moreover, we will host the inaugural Best Camping Village Awards, dedicated to open-air tourism establishments in collaboration with Teamwork”.
The innovation Out&About
The 50th edition di Hospitality – Il salone dell’accoglienza, for which Camping Business is a media partner, strengthens the connection between the event and the local area by introducing one of 2026’s main innovations: Out&About – The Outside Side of Hospitality, a programme of distributed events actively engaging the city of Riva del Garda and some of its most iconic locations. This initiative complements and expands the fair’s content, transforming Hospitality into an experience that extends beyond the exhibition halls.
The inauguration will take place on Monday 2 February at 11:00, with the opening talk “Celebrating with You”.
The Digital Green Certificate to facilitate free movement within the EU may arrive in June