Sport is no longer just a reason to travel. It is the spark that sets destinations in motion. As the Olympics Winter Games of Milano Cortina 2026 approach, Italy enters a defining moment. Sport is already a major tourism driver for the country, generating an estimated €12 billion in 2024 (ENIT, Osservatorio Sport System).
In this context, BIT 2026, presented by Fiera Milano at the Rho fairgrounds from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 February, positions itself as the professional platform where the relationship between sport and tourism is interpreted, discussed and translated into concrete opportunities for destinations, operators and institutions.
At the heart of this reflection lies the Travel Makers Fest – a three-day programme spread across six dedicated plazas, fully integrated into the BIT exhibition layout and featuring more than 200 debates, seminars and discussions – where sport tourism is explored through a series of focused talks examining its long-term impact on destinations.
Beyond the Olympics: when the event becomes the destination
The Olympic Games represent the highest expression of global sports spectacle, but the real challenge for host cities begins once the spotlight fades. The concept of Olympic legacy opens a crucial question for tourism: what truly remains after the event?
This is the focus of Olympics. And then? The long wave of sporting events in Olympic cities, which places Milan alongside Paris and Barcelona to examine how major events can become catalysts for lasting attractiveness. The discussion looks beyond short-term visitor numbers to explore how redesigned infrastructure, renewed urban narratives and sustained international visibility can continue to generate tourism flows over time.
Tourism is framed as a core component of legacy-building: not only increased arrivals, but a rethinking of travel experiences, urban quality and cultural identity. The key takeaway is clear: major sporting events create long-term value only when embedded in a strategic vision capable of transforming sporting excellence into a permanent reason to return.
BIT 2025
Sport as storytelling: football and the city brand
The role of sport as a storytelling engine for cities emerges again in Squad Goals: How Football Drives City Branding, with a strong focus on football as a driver of urban tourism.
If the Olympics speak to the world at specific moments, football engages millions of people every day. More than a sport, it is a universal language that shapes collective imagination and influences travel choices. Iconic stadiums, historic clubs and legendary rivalries transform cities into year-round destinations for sport-driven urban tourism.
From Como to Bergamo, from Milan to Naples, football becomes a powerful tool for destination branding. Fans evolve into travellers, attracted not only by matches but by neighbourhood atmospheres, club museums, stadium tours and experiences that blend sport with lifestyle. The result is tourism that animates cities all year round, not just on match days.
Experiencing sport tourism first-hand
This narrative extends beyond content into lived experience. During BIT 2026, some Olympic disciplines will be hosted inside selected pavilions at Fiera Milano, adjacent to those hosting the exhibition itself. A unique spatial closeness that brings the connection between sport and tourism to life, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the Olympic atmosphere while engaging with the international travel marketplace.
Alongside the Travel Makers Fest, the exhibition layout reinforces this vision by bringing together destinations, operators and specialised know-how. Here, sport tourism is positioned as a strategic tool for destination branding, seasonality management and international positioning, capable of activating mountain regions, cities and landscapes year-round.
As the countdown to Olympics Winter Games accelerates, sport is already reshaping how Italy is discovered and experienced. At BIT 2026, the industry gathers to understand how the momentum generated by sporting events can be transformed into long-term tourism value — turning global attention into lasting impact.
BIT 2026 takes place at Fiera Milano from 10 to 12 February.
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