Edoardo Colombo, President of Turismi.Ai, issues a call to the Government: “AI in tourism – he explains – is already delivering concrete benefits, particularly in productivity, personalization, content creation, and operational support. However, it is crucial for the Government to commit to supporting tourism in its digital transition; only if we manage this change effectively, seizing the opportunities provided by Artificial Intelligence, can we remain competitive. The future is on the horizon, but we are still in a phase that one day, not far off, we will remember as prehistoric. We will witness increasingly mature, integrated, and less experimental applications, which is why today it’s essential to establish true spaces for sharing and dialogue within the industry. GatewAi was created with this vision in mind, and the second edition will facilitate discussions among institutions, businesses, platforms, and tourism operators on the most practical aspects of innovation and AI in travel,” he stated.
Central to the conference are topics like the future of hospitality amid automation and personalization, featuring insights from Antonio Barreca, Vice President of Turismi.ai and Director of Federturismo Confindustria, along with contributions from Andrea Delfini, Founder and CEO of Blastness, Antonio Zacchera from Zacchera Hotels, and Alberto Mami of Lindbergh Hotels.
There will also be a focus on quantum AI and automation in tourism with Giuseppe Italiano, Deputy Rector and Professor of Computer Science at LUISS Guido Carli University, and a discussion on trust in AI as a technology, ethics, and new skill requirements with Stefano Quintarelli, Alessandro De Florentiis (Fondazione AI4I), Gualtiero Carraro (Carraro Lab), and Francesco Ciuccarelli (Alpitour World).
The discussion on smart destinations will feature representatives from Google, including Andrea Fogazzaro, Manuela De Carlo (Università IULM), Alessio Pisa (Instilla), Ferran Donate (Smart Cities Council), Francesco Tapinassi (Director General of Toscana Promozione), and Fabio Primerano (Vox Group).
Special attention will be given to distribution and new business models with Mirko Lalli, Vice President of Turismi.AI, and Marco Orlandi, Digital Consumer Experience at Gruppo Bluvacanze, along with authors like Luca De Giglio, Francesca Benati (Amadeus), and Alberto Yates (Regional Director for Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Booking.com).
Wrapping up the event will be a keynote speech on innovative finance in tourism with Francesco Caio (Chairman of Caio Digital Partner), followed by a backtalk featuring Leonardo Saroni (TravelTech2), Elena Plos (Credit Agricole Le Village), and concluding with insights from Karin Venneri (Associazione Startup Turismo).
