Bit4you: the 2011 edition is on the starting blocks

Although it has retained its B2B and B2C multitarget formula, the 2011 edition will aim the spotlights on a Bit more oriented towards the B2B area. This event has become a “consultant”, which can guarantee not just an excellent infrastructure but also tailor-made services for exhibitors, to maximise the validity of the trade fair moment and ensure participation that is effective from the business point of view.

Bit 2011 will enhance with contents and services the historical large areas of Italy, The World and Tourism Collection, joined by Bit Technology, a space targeting the world of technology for online and offline tourism, CRS, HRS and online tour operators. To complete the offer, strengthening the B2B heart, are the two Buy Italy workshops, focusing on the product of Italy, where private operators will also be involved for the first time and Buy Club, targeting the world of associations. From the point of view of trade visitors, great attention is paid to the presence of travel agents, who will find both special offers for hospitality and a calendar of training sessions just for them. On the other hand, Exhibitors will be able to count on a brand new innovation – the Italian Market Overview, a study by BIT on trends and characteristics of the Italian tourist panorama.

Bit 2011 reconfirms its international vocation that has always distinguished it and at the same time stresses the fact that it is a privileged meeting place for the tourism system of the entire Mediterranean basin, an area that will see almost all the Countries and where Italy has earned the natural role as leader over the years. But the world of Bit 2011 will be even bigger: important new entries like Indonesia, Oman and Gambia have already guaranteed their participation and India and Japan have also confirmed that they will reinforce their presence this year.

Backed by an innate capacity to make the most of market trends, Bit 2011 also aims to be a magnifying glass for the main trends that are progressively emerging in the world of tourism and that more and more are guiding travellers’ choices. Two elements fit into this area: on the one hand, the qualification of the B2C area, centred on the experience of the journey and featuring the best of the Italian and international offer, and on the other hand, the creation of theme islands, used to focus attention on the main, most attractive market segments that are marking the direction of tourist trends: from sport to honeymoons, from games to the mountains.

“With Bit 2011 coming up, we are working to increasingly support the development of tourism in Italy and in the Mediterranean area and the 31st edition of BIT will certainly take a significant step towards that end”, states Marco Serioli, Executive Director Fiera Milano Rassegne who concludes: “Right now, the tourist industry is particularly varied and the reasons behind selecting one kind of holiday over another are also more and more wide-ranging. The wealth of the Italian and international offer that will be present at BIT 2011 will be able to fully satisfy this need. In general, with BIT 2011, we will be able to count on a high presence of key players in the sector, a strong desire to strengthen agreements with trade associations and an expansion of the international tourist offer, which will be joined by a bigger and better multimedia platform”.

Lastly, restyling is already online for the official BIT website www.bit.fieramilano.it and for the BIT Tourism Award competition.

– 5,000 Exhibitors from 130 countries
– More than 150,000 Visitors of whom 107,000 Operators
– 3,400 journalists
– 15 international media partners
– over 100 countries covered by advertising

The 31st BIT – Italian Tourism Exchange will be held at the Fieramilano exhibition centre in Rho from 17 to 20 February 2011.