The Extra-Hotel Tourism Exchange (Borsa del Turismo Extralberghiero) returns to Palermo this weekend, organized by Confesercenti Sicilia.
Discovering Sicily’s hospitality beyond traditional hotels
Reaffirming Sicily’s growing role as a leader in experiential and sustainable tourism, the 9th Extra-Hotel Tourism Exchange, under the auspices of Confesercenti Sicilia, the regional branch of Italy’s confederation of small businesses, will run on November 15 and 16. It is expected to attract some 2,000 participants, from local businesses to travel professionals, and international buyers looking to discover the island’s rich hospitality beyond traditional hotels.
“Helping increase the GDP of destinations in Sicily”
The event will focus on understanding and enhancing the extra-hotel sector’s contribution to local economies. “We have commissioned a detailed research report from the Centro Studi Turistici of Florence,- explained Salvo Basile, regional coordinator of Assoturismo Confesercenti Sicilia. -It analyzes the phenomenon of extra-hotel tourism in depth, to understand how it can help increase the GDP of destinations in Sicily, especially by comparing them with other Euro-Mediterranean islands.”
The challenge of depopulation
The study also addresses key challenges such as social desertification - the depopulation and decline of small towns - exploring how tourism can help reverse the trend. “When we talk about desertification,- Basile continued, -we mean the social and economic emptiness that affects many small communities. Tourism can act as a regenerative force, encouraging young people to stay and set up business in their own territories.”
Seminars on AI, governance and brand reputation
Other important themes this year are sustainable destination management and the role of technology in the future of tourism. The programme includes seminars on AI applications, governance, and brand reputation, featuring representatives from major online travel agencies such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and Wonderful Italy. “Our goal is to promote an authentic form of hospitality, one that goes beyond traditional hotels and reflects Sicily’s true identity and community spirit.”
An ItaliAbsolutely fam trip for 20 international buyers
The two-day Palermo exhibition will include B2B meetings with twenty Italian and international tour operators and ten DMCs specialized in inbound tourism. Alongside the professional sessions, there will be an exhibition space designed as “an accelerator of encounters and an incubator of ideas,” fostering collaboration between private and public stakeholders. Adding an international dimension, ItaliAbsolutely has organized a fam trip for twenty European and Italian inbound buyers. After exploring Palermo they will take part in B2B meetings at the Extra-Hotel Tourism Exchange to experience firsthand the island’s hospitality and discover a Sicily that welcomes tourists as locals, offering them immersive, authentic travel experiences.
For information: https://borsaturismoextralberghiero.it
