Palazzo dei Congressi to Host the Italian International Tourism Forum on Thursday, April 17

Florence, April 15^th, 2025. On Thursday, April 17^th, Palazzo dei Congressi will host the Italian International Tourism Forum, an event organized by Il Sole 24 Ore in collaboration with Firenze Fiera.

The Forum will provide a key platform for dialogue among institutions, stakeholders and tourism experts to explore opportunities and scenarios in the sector.

Opening remarks will be offered by Fabio Tamburini, Editor-in-Chief of Il Sole 24 Ore, Sara Funaro, Mayor of Florence, and Eugenio Giani, President of the Tuscany Region. The Italian Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanché, will then take the stage, followed by a debate with actress Serena Autieri, ambassador for the Italy Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025.

A wide range of timely and critical topics will be addressed during the Forum, including sustainability and inclusion for accessible tourism, the challenges of overtourism and the impact of artificial intelligence on the industry. Discussion will also focus on “smart destinations” to contrast overtourism and preserve cultural heritage, as well as inbound tourism with a particular focus on Italy-Spain relations. Additional highlights include the Jubilee and the Winter Olympics, which present exceptional challenges for the tourism sector.

The Forum will also feature a dedicated discussion on the large-scale events industry and the strategic role of business and conference tourism, with insights from Lorenzo Becattini, President of Firenze Fiera.

The Forum will be moderated by Lucilla Incorvati, journalist at Il Sole 24 Ore. Distinguished speakers include Marina Lalli (President of Federturismo), Bernabò Bocca (President of Federalberghi), Gabriella Gentile (President of Federcongressi&eventi), Massimo Manetti (President of the Florence Chamber of Commerce), Leonardo Marras (Regional Councillor for Economy and Tourism, Tuscany) and Jacopo Vicini (Councillor for Tourism, City of Florence).

Main Partner of the Forum is Toscana Promozione. Technical Partners include Destination Florence and TM Vision, with Unicredit and Unipol as Event Partners.

Participation is available both in person and online (to register visit: 24oreventi.com/fitifirenze2025).