BTO 2023, Italy's largest event on travel and innovation returns to Florence
Artificial intelligence is the star of the new edition, scheduled at the Stazione Leopolda on 22 and 23 November with over 100 events
How will Artificial Intelligence change the travel experience and the organisation of tourism services while keeping the human factor central? This is the red thread of BTO - Be Travel Onlife 2023, Italy's leading event dedicated to technological innovation in the tourism sector. SAPIENS meet AI is, in fact, the theme of this 15th edition: the appointment is at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence on 22 and 23 November with more than 100 events featuring leading experts in the sector among in-depth analyses, seminars, workshops, contaminations and futuristic speeches, to find out about the new technological trends applied to travel, declined in the 4 topics: Destination, Digital Strategy, Food & Wine Tourism and Hospitality.
Among the most eagerly awaited speeches are those by Federico Faggin, the inventor of the microchip, Stefano Quintarelli, IT entrepreneur, father of the SPID and founder of I.NET - Italy's first professional Internet Provider, Louis Rosenberg, pioneer of virtual and augmented reality with NASA and Nasdaq on his CV, and then Mafe de Baggis, expert in digital media and AI, Amy Wei, Senior Product Director Trip.com Group, together with representatives of big players of the calibre of Booking.com, Microsoft and Google. And then digital twins like Amelia to enhance the customer's experiential journey in the food and wine sector. A very rich programme built by scientific director Francesco Tapinassi together with the 80 experts of the Advisory Board, to investigate the new scenarios outlined by Artificial Intelligence software, generative AI and Chat GPT in the world of tourism.
All the new topics in the programme:
Destination. For the section curated by Emma Taveri, not to be missed is the panel with the organisational contribution of Fondazione Sistema Toscana on the theme of AI, which here means Asian Intelligence. On 22 November, in fact, there will be talk of the return of Asian tourism, in particular from China and India, between expectations, new travel styles, and innovation as seen by two major operators on the continent, with speeches by Stefano Generali - General Manager Intarget Shanghai, and Francesco Boggio Ferraris - Director at the Italy China Council Foundation's Permanent Training School. The implications and opportunities linked to AI for destinations will then be explored from different perspectives: sustainability with Mara Stotti, Director of Tourism Development of the National Institute of Tourism of Nicaragua; declinations in MICE and events, with Convention Bureau Italia and Copenhagen, IMEX Group; immersive sensorial experiences with Carlos Chaguaceda, the Communication Director of the Prado Museum in Madrid.
Digital Strategy. At the centre of the area curated by Giulia Eremita and Rodolfo Baggio, all the scientific, thematic and practical references on AI as a tool that empowers the "Sapiens" in its new ability to interrogate, create and build value, also in tourism. In addition to the eagerly awaited Faggin-Quintarelli duet, focus on travel & hospitality with Adrienne Enggist, Director of Product Development at Booking.com, Fabio Galetto Sales Industry leader at Google, and Pier Luigi Dal Pino, Senior Regional Director Government Affairs Western Europe at Microsoft. In the boundless heritage of open data, a discussion between figures such as Maurizio Napolitano, coordinator of FBK - Fondazione Bruno Kessler's Digital Commons Lab (DCL), Alice Corona of Sheldon Studio and Ilaria Vitiello, urban planner and entrepreneur.
Food&Wine. In the section dedicated to food and wine tourism curated by Roberta Milano, the presence of nutritionist Giorgio Calabrese stands out, who speaks in a panel with Ente Turismo Langhe Monferrato e Roero. Destinations and wine and food tourism in an international dimension are then discussed with Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Marketing Director, and Marta Domènech, Director General Catalonia. Special attention will be paid to wine tourism, with data from the Nomisma Wine Monitor Observatory and Wine Meridian, while sustainability and wine and food tourism will be discussed with Alex Giordano, author of FoodSystem 5.0 and Roberta Garibaldi, author of the Food and Wine Tourism and Sustainability Report. There will be much talk about catering with Alberto Lupini, director of Italia a Tavola, Fondazione Barilla and Alma; with The Fork we will address the problem of the 'no show'.
Hospitality. The thematic area curated by Nicola Zoppi sees among the speakers Alessandro Callari, Booking.com's regional manager, protagonist of a 'panel ring' to discuss the function of the platform as a booking site and as a marketing tool. Current issues such as the difficulty of finding qualified personnel for the hospitality industry are also discussed, together with Federalberghi, Confindustria and Confesercenti, and how AI can make a contribution.