PRESS RELEASE
Press Release n. 3 of 09/10/2026 ( download download )
- TTG Next Startup will now be in Hall C3 – Italy area: around 1,300 square metres and 40 start-ups to connect new businesses, industry professionals, destinations and investors
- From artificial intelligence to automation, data and smart destinations: technologies are moving beyond the experimental stage and entering day-to-day operations in hotels, businesses and local areas
- New features for 2026 will include the new TTG Star Award format: 12 candidates in the Transport, Hospitality, Destination and Tour Operator categories with the awards ceremony in the Main Arena
ttgexpo.it | inoutexpo.it
Rimini, 9th October 2026 – Artificial intelligence automates tasks and personalises the guest experience; data help destinations gain a better understanding of visitor behaviour; and new platforms are reshaping hotel management, the workplace and the travel experience. At TTG Travel Experience 2026, scheduled to take place from 14th to 16th October at Rimini Expo Centre, innovation is increasingly being measured against market needs.
This is the picture painted by TTG Next Startup, the project for new businesses and technologies applied to tourism, organised in collaboration with Associazione Startup Turismo. For the 2026 edition, the area will be housed in Hall C3 – Italy Area at the heart of the event’s visitor flow, and, covering approximately 1,300 square metres, will feature 40 start-ups ranging from emerging ventures to businesses already in the growth phase.
FROM AI TO HOTEL MANAGEMENT: INNOVATION BECOMES OPERATIONAL
The recurring theme for 2026 is a more mature technology sector in which innovation is no longer confined to the experimental stage. The solutions on display at TTG focus on process efficiency, task automation, the use of data, relations with travellers and the development of new service and hospitality models.
Artificial intelligence is one of the most prominent areas of development: virtual assistants, personalised experiences, data analysis and tools to support marketing, sales and management are being integrated throughout the entire tourism value chain. At the same time, smart destinations are also making progress with technologies designed not only to interpret visitor flows but also to gain a better understanding of visitors, promote local heritage and forge closer links between local areas, operators and travellers.
Alongside technology, the event will also feature experiential tourism, outdoor activities, wellbeing and solutions for human capital, from talent recruitment to training and the encounter between labour supply and demand.
The debate will continue in the TTG Next Startup Arena, again in Hall C3, with a programme of pitches, talks and meetings on artificial intelligence, automation, smart destinations, new business models and skills.
Supporting the project in 2026 are PwC Italy, Repower and Alpitour World as main partners alongside the start-up partners Freedome, Its4kids, eSIMTravel, RedoMap and Hotiday.
TTG STAR AWARDS: INNOVATIONS COMES THROUGH PEOPLE
Tourism transformation is not just about technology. New features at the 2026 edition will include the debut of the TTG Star Awards new format. These awards are given to professionals who, within their own organisations, interpret and drive change through new ideas, products and solutions.
There are twelve candidates divided into four categories — Transport, Hospitality, Destination and Tour Operator — to express innovation through those who put it on the market. The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 15th October at 3.30 pm in the Main Arena and will culminate with the special TTG Star EXIST Award for the professional who best embodies the values of the 2026 edition’s central theme.
ABOUT TTG TRAVEL EXPERIENCE – INOUT | The Hospitality Community
Event: international trade show; organiser: Italian Exhibition Group SpA; frequency: annual; edition: 63rd; entry: trade only; website: www.ttgexpo.it - #ttgexpo
PRESS CONTACT IEG, TTG TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
Elisabetta Vitali, head of corporate communication & media relation; Marco Forcellini, Pier Francesco Bellini, press office manager media@iegexpo.it
MEDIA AGENCY TTG TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
Martina Vacca: martina@mindthepop.it, mob. +39 339 748 5994; Fabrizio Raimondi: fabrizio@mindthepop.it, mob. +39 335 389 848; Stefano Chiossi: stefano@mindthepop.it, mob. + 39 388 739 4358; Maria Laura Piazza: marialaura@mindthepop.it, mob: +39 393 564 1179
This press release contains forecast elements and estimates that reflect the management´s current opinions (´forward-looking statements´), particularly regarding future management performance, realization of investments, cash flow trends and the evolution of the financial structure. For their very nature, forward-looking statements have a component of risk and uncertainty, as they depend on the occurrence of future events. The effective results may differ (even significantly) from those announced, due to numerous factors, including, only by way of example: food service market and tourist flow trends in Italy, gold and jewellery market trends, green economy market trends; the evolution of raw material prices; general macroeconomic conditions; geopolitical factors and evolutions in the legislative framework. Moreover, the information contained in this release, does not claim to be complete, and has not been verified by independent third parties. Forecasts, estimates and objectives contained herein are based on the information available to the Company as at the date of this release.