{"id":1584,"date":"2025-04-03T16:09:28","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T16:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gatewai.creazionesitoefficace.it\/gatewai-2025\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T09:19:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T09:19:08","slug":"gatewai-2025","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/gatewai-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"GatewAI 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4th April 2025<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    09:00 \u2013 09:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Registration<\/p>\n

    09:30 \u2013 09:45<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Welcome and Opening
    Edoardo Colombo, President, Turismi.ai<\/p>\n

    09:45 \u2013 10:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

    AI in Tourism: Institutions and Public Policies
    Discussion on public policies and the role of institutions in the digital innovation of tourism.<\/p>\n

    Moderator: Antonio Barreca, Director General, Federturismo Confindustria; Founder and Vice President, Turismi.ai<\/p>\n

    Speakers:
    Barbara Mazzali, Regional Minister for Tourism, Fashion, Design, Territorial Marketing and Major Events, Regione Lombardia
    Federico Lasco, Director of Promotion, Italian Ministry of Tourism
    Alessandra Priante, President, ENIT
    Marina Lalli, President, Federturismo Confindustria
    Misa Labarile, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission<\/p>\n

    10:30 \u2013 10:45<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Presentation of the Repower White Paper \u201cInnovation and Tourism 2025\u201d<\/p>\n

    Scenarios and Opportunities in the Digital Era
    Davide Damiani, Head of PR and Sales Promotion, Repower
    Edoardo Colombo, President, Turismi.ai<\/p>\n

    10:45 \u2013 11:00<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Introducing Julia: the first new-generation virtual assistant<\/p>\n

    Antonio N. Preiti, CEO \u2013 Fondazione per l\u2019Attrazione Roma & Partners<\/p>\n

    11:00 \u2013 11:45<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Hospitality and Customer Experience
    How AI improves hospitality and customer interaction in accommodation facilities.<\/p>\n

    Moderator: Anthony La Salandra, Manager, SMARTLAND \u2013 Regional Innovative Network<\/p>\n

    Speakers:
    Mariangela Colasanti, Head of Innovation, BWH Hotels Italy and Malta
    Pietro Catello, Head of Amazon Alexa for Hospitality, Italy & EU
    Cristina Spata, Area Manager, Booking.com
    Luca Vescovi, Solution Development Manager, Jampaa
    Alessandro Marin, Co-Founder, Otello AI<\/p>\n

    11:45 \u2013 12:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Training and New Professional Skills<\/p>\n

    Moderator: Giancarlo Carniani, Founder, HIA Hospitality Innovation Academy<\/p>\n

    Speakers:
    Francesco Felici, Director of Programming and Tourism Policies, Italian Ministry of Tourism
    Pino Italiano, Prorector for Artificial Intelligence, Luiss Guido Carli University
    Valeria Minghetti, Head of Research, CISET \u2013 International Centre for Studies on the Tourism Economy, founded by Ca\u2019 Foscari University of Venice
    Giulia Trombin, President, Associazione Startup Turismo
    Gualtiero Carraro, CEO, Carraro LAB<\/p>\n

    12:30 \u2013 12:45<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Forecasting the Tourism Season: Artificial Intelligence Applied to Tourism
    The Mastercard proposal
    Saverio Mucci, Vice President Government Industry Lead, Mastercard<\/p>\n

    12:45 \u2013 13:00<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Google for Tourism
    Luigi Delfino, Head of Travel & Tourism, Google Italy<\/p>\n

    13:00 \u2013 14:00<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Lunch break and networking<\/p>\n

    14:00 \u2013 15:00<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Data and Offer Personalisation
    How data analysis and AI personalise the tourism offer and optimise communication strategies.<\/p>\n

    Moderator: Mirko Lalli, CEO, The Data Appeal Company; Founder and Vice President, Turismi.ai<\/p>\n

    Speakers:
    Vincenzo Sciacca, Head of Product, Almawave
    Francesco Ciuccarelli, Chief Innovation & Technology Officer, Alpitour World
    Francesca Benati, SVP Travel Seller Europe and Managing Director Italy, Amadeus<\/p>\n

    15:00 \u2013 15:45<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Advanced Technologies: Algorethics and Robotics
    How the ethics of algorithms and robotics can revolutionise tourism services and visitor assistance, improving efficiency, personalisation and staff recruitment.<\/p>\n

    Moderator: Paola Olivari, Journalist, Guida Viaggi<\/p>\n

    Speakers:
    Rodolfo Baggio, Bocconi University
    Bruno Siciliano, Professor of Robotics, University of Naples Federico II
    Mons. Giulio Dellavite, Episcopal Delegate, Diocese of Bergamo
    Claudia Ferrero, CEO & Founder, HorecaJob
    Francisco Javier Martin Romo, Country Manager, KEENON Robotics<\/p>\n

    15:45 \u2013 16:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Smart and Sustainable Destinations
    Transforming destinations into \u201csmart destinations\u201d and the contribution of AI to sustainable management.<\/p>\n

    Moderator: Paola Olivari, Journalist, Guida Viaggi<\/p>\n

    Speakers:
    Bruno Pellegrini, Founder & CEO, Loquis
    Francesco Tapinassi, Director, Toscana Promozione Turistica and Scientific Director, BTO Be Travel Onlife
    Marco Orlandi, Digital & Consumer Experience Director, Bluvacanze<\/p>\n

    16:30 \u2013 16:45<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Closing Remarks and Thanks
    Edoardo Colombo, President, Turismi.ai
    Paola Olivari, Journalist, Guida Viaggi<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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    PROCEEDINGS OF THE GATEWAI CONFERENCE – NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN TOURISM<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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    <h2>Bergamo Trade Fair \u2013 4 April 2025<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<h3>OPENING SESSION<\/h3>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 09:30 \u2013 09:45<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Paola Olivari, journalist at <em>Guida Viaggi<\/em> and moderator of the entire day, opens the event by underlining the historic significance of the first national conference dedicated to the relationship between artificial intelligence and tourism. She defines AI as a \u201cgame changer\u201d for society as a whole and presents the conference as an opportunity to explore, with vision and pragmatism, the impact of technology on tourism practices and policies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cArtificial intelligence is not an absolute novelty, but in recent years it has undoubtedly had an extraordinary boost and is truly proving to be a game changer for society, for our everyday lives and therefore also for the world of business and tourism.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Olivari introduces the event\u2019s partners, thanking Repower as main partner, the contribution of Regione Lombardia, and sponsors Mastercard, Almawave and The Data Appeal Company.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Opening address \u2013 Edoardo Colombo, President of Turismi.ai<\/h4>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Edoardo Colombo officially opens the proceedings, outlining the three founding objectives of the Turismi.ai Association and of the conference:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Build a bridge between the world of technological innovation and that of tourism, which often operate in separate silos.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Share concrete experiences and know-how through dialogue between operators, institutions and companies.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Offer a useful occasion, without wasting time, focused on impactful solutions, tools and visions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThis day has three objectives: one is to act as a bridge \u2013 the association aims to be a bridge between innovation and tourism. It doesn\u2019t always happen, there are many organizations dealing with innovation, and many dealing with tourism. The second is to share knowledge and experiences, so today we have a series of very relevant contributions. And the third is not to waste your time.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He stresses the Association\u2019s aim to become a regular and structured meeting point to identify technological needs and workable solutions, and hopes that the event will become an annual appointment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PANEL I \u2013 INSTITUTIONS AND PUBLIC POLICIES<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Panel title:<\/strong> AI in Tourism: Institutions and Public Policies<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 09:45 \u2013 10:30<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Moderator:<\/strong> Antonio Barreca, Director General of Federturismo Confindustria, Vice President of Turismi.ai<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Barbara Mazzali, Regional Minister for Tourism, Fashion, Design, Territorial Marketing and Major Events, Regione Lombardia<\/li>\r\n  <li>Federico Lasco, Director of Promotion, Italian Ministry of Tourism<\/li>\r\n  <li>Alessandra Priante, President, ENIT<\/li>\r\n  <li>Marina Lalli, President, Federturismo Confindustria<\/li>\r\n  <li>Misa Labarile, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Antonio Barreca introduces the panel by noting how, for the first time in Italy, an entire session is devoted to artificial intelligence applied to travel and tourism. He highlights the epochal change underway: the adoption of AI does not concern only large companies but now extends to small and medium-sized operators, making automation and forecasting tools accessible on an unprecedented scale.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThis is a very important event because it\u2019s the first time that, in our country, we take stock of artificial intelligence dedicated to the travel and tourism sector. [\u2026] A transformative process is underway and we see it every day. Even people who previously had no familiarity with these tools are now using their smartphones to plan trips, ask for information or access tools that are increasingly accessible and affordable.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Barreca calls on public bodies to guide and coordinate this change, stressing that digital competition is accelerating and companies that fail to adapt risk being left behind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Barbara Mazzali \u2013 Regione Lombardia<\/h4>\r\n<p>The Regional Minister opens the panel with a strategic reflection: although artificial intelligence does not replace human intervention, it has already proved to be an extremely high-performing tool. She describes the experience of the Lombardy Tourism Observatory, where AI is already integrated into the systematic analysis of flows, online reputations, behaviours and visitors\u2019 choices.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAs Regione Lombardia we have an observatory that we are enhancing on a daily and systematic basis, where artificial intelligence applied to tourism is providing us with a whole set of data which we realize can truly make the difference for operators in terms of offer and solutions.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Key points highlighted:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Today, reputation \u2013 more than star ratings \u2013 is the main factor in choosing accommodation facilities.<\/li>\r\n  <li>AI enables personalization of services even in smaller destinations, improving both experience and competitiveness.<\/li>\r\n  <li>So-called \u201cminor\u201d destinations (villages, inland areas) are recording higher performance than provincial capitals.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Tourism is finally seen as an economic policy: data analysis becomes a tool to guide territorial development.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Mazzali presents impressive results for tourism in Lombardy:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>2024 closed with almost 10% more tourists compared to 2023<\/li>\r\n  <li>In 2023 there were already 17% more tourists than in 2019 (pre-Covid)<\/li>\r\n  <li>The region generates 44% of Italy\u2019s Tax Free shopping<\/li>\r\n  <li>It welcomes almost 20 million visitors, 75% of whom are international<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>She concludes by recalling the public administration\u2019s responsibility to provide tools to support operators and to sustainably enhance territories, reiterating that the \u201cAI train\u201d has very few stops and we need to get on board now.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThis is definitely one of the issues that will involve us in the coming year, but it\u2019s a train we need to get on because it will make very few stops, very few stations, as it is now moving at an embarrassingly high speed.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Federico Lasco \u2013 Italian Ministry of Tourism<\/h4>\r\n<p>The Director of Promotion at the Ministry of Tourism begins by recognizing the value of building stable coordination between institutions and innovators. He points out that AI is now an accessible commodity, but stresses the need to govern it strategically.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cToday we are in a phase where artificial intelligence has become a commodity. [\u2026] We must focus on strengthening the ability of the supply side to extract value from demand.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Key points:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>The focus must shift from merely forecasting demand to enhancing the capacity of the supply side to generate value.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Italian tourism is characterized by a network of micro and small enterprises: AI must serve their flexibility rather than create uniformity.<\/li>\r\n  <li>It is necessary to move away from price-based competition towards competition based on quality, coordination and added value.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>His core message is that investing in AI does not mean chasing trends, but equipping the tourism offer with tools to dynamically adapt in a changing geopolitical, economic and cultural context.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Misa Labarile \u2013 European Commission<\/h4>\r\n<p>Speaking from Brussels, Misa Labarile takes the floor as a representative of the European Commission\u2019s DG Move. After stressing the importance of a common approach among Member States, she explains the guiding principles of the European AI Act: transparency, ethics and risk management.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWhen we talk about AI, we\u2019re not just talking about generative AI. In my view there is an even greater potential to be exploited in so-called traditional AI, that is, advanced analytics and machine learning.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Highlights of her speech:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>The AI Act does not aim to hinder innovation, but to channel it into a regulatory framework that prevents harmful or distorted uses.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The regulation applies only to commercial uses of AI in the European market, not to the research phase.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Practices such as social scoring of tourists or emotional surveillance of employees are prohibited.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Conversely, the use of biometrics or AI in booking systems is allowed, but requires transparency and risk assessment.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Labarile invites tourism professionals to join the ACT Network, which offers support and training for applying the regulation, and reiterates Europe\u2019s role as a guarantor of sustainable and safe innovation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Alessandra Priante \u2013 ENIT<\/h4>\r\n<p>The President of ENIT takes the floor with an invitation to move beyond the prejudice that technological innovation is the sole prerogative of big digital platforms.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cItaly has the opportunity to become an ethical player in artificial intelligence applied to tourism.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>She emphasizes the value of public data and predictive capabilities for more targeted and measurable promotion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Priante reflects on three key themes:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>The importance of creating a reliable public digital ecosystem, as an alternative to private ones, to ensure fairness and control over data.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The need for a common language between public and private operators to design coherent tools and narratives.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The necessity of investing in continuous training and technological transfer to territories and tourism SMEs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>She closes with a provocation: \u201cAI will not replace us, but it could make us irrelevant if we don\u2019t learn how to use it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Marina Lalli \u2013 Federturismo Confindustria<\/h4>\r\n<p>The President of Federturismo delivers a strongly business-oriented speech. She stresses that artificial intelligence should not be understood as an elite resource, but as an accessible and transformative tool for all components of the tourism system, starting with SMEs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Main points:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li><strong>Technological inclusiveness:<\/strong> public policies must support the adoption of AI, including in micro-enterprises, by offering training tools, incentives and enabling platforms.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Aggregation and interoperability:<\/strong> Lalli highlights digital fragmentation and calls for the creation of common spaces for interoperability between systems and data, including shared standards.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Culture of innovation:<\/strong> the technological fear that often stops companies must be overcome, creating environments favourable to continuous learning.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI don\u2019t have a ready answer [on where the limit of AI lies], but it is equally true that artificial intelligence is ultimately a projection of what we tell it and what we feed it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>She concludes with a wish addressed to attendees and organizers: \u201cMay this conference not be a one-off event, but the beginning of a structural transformation of Italian tourism, in which artificial intelligence is put at the service of hospitality, sustainability and competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>REPOWER WHITE PAPER PRESENTATION \u2013 INNOVATION AND TOURISM 2025<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Title:<\/strong> Scenarios and Opportunities in the Digital Era<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 10:30 \u2013 10:45<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Davide Damiani, Head of PR and Sales Promotion, Repower<\/li>\r\n  <li>Edoardo Colombo, President, Turismi.ai<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>The presentation of the White Paper, produced by Repower in collaboration with Turismi.ai, is one of the central moments of the day. The document, the result of interdisciplinary work, aims to offer an overview of the trajectories of innovation in tourism, going beyond technical analysis to embrace the social, environmental, cultural and energy dimensions of change. Particular attention is given to the role of sustainable mobility and energy infrastructure as strategic levers for destination development.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Davide Damiani opens the session by explaining why an energy-sector operator chose to invest in a project dedicated to tourism:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cRepower is a B2B company with a history of more than twenty years in Italy. In recent years we have seen, in an organic and progressive way, a closer and closer dialogue between energy and tourism. What initially might have seemed like two distant worlds coming together has actually proved to be fertile ground for developing high-impact projects. Today this segment is a strategic area for us, where the energy transition, sustainable mobility and destination enhancement intersect. We don\u2019t just supply energy: our goal is to enable new opportunities for the territory, becoming a partner that helps accommodation facilities, local authorities and operators build more resilient, sustainable and attractive tourism ecosystems.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Damiani also highlights the centrality of a technology that is not only high-performing, but also human \u2014 capable of listening, empathy and trust in relational processes. In a fast-paced world, innovation that remains human becomes the real competitive advantage. In this context, Repower presents itself not just as a provider of energy solutions but as a systemic actor capable of supporting territories in a cultural and infrastructural transformation process.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Edoardo Colombo, co-editor of the document and promoter of the conference, takes the floor with passionate, visionary tones:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cArtificial intelligence is not just a technical topic, but a cultural issue. It concerns the way we think about the human being, the community, the journey, the experience.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He reiterates the significance of the collaboration between Repower and Turismi.ai, stressing that the White Paper is a first concrete attempt to open a systemic reflection on innovation in tourism, with particular attention to artificial intelligence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Colombo explains that the document was conceived not as an abstract exercise, but as a platform for dialogue and a working blueprint for policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, destinations and operators.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe don\u2019t want to make predictions, but ask questions. Not give answers, but offer scenarios. Because innovation is not something you can manage alone: it is a collective process.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Among the core concepts of his speech, he recalls the idea of \u201caugmented tourism\u201d: a tourism where AI does not replace the human factor but reinforces, amplifies and extends it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cArtificial intelligence is not meant to make tourism less human, but more intelligent, more accessible, more sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He mentions some examples of how AI can already be applied today: from forecasting tourist flows to optimizing mobility, from managing carrying capacity to real-time multilingual assistance, and building predictive tools for energy resource management.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Another central point concerns the need for a shared vision: Colombo insists that Italy must avoid the risk of passively undergoing innovation and instead take the initiative, becoming a benchmark for ethical, contextual and culturally oriented AI.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe have the opportunity to give our own imprint to artificial intelligence. An Italian, European imprint, made of relationships, beauty, territories that not only want to attract but also listen.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Finally, he emphasizes that the White Paper is not an endpoint but an invitation to dialogue \u2014 a document that aims to stimulate proposals, ideas and alliances.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cInnovation is not a topic for insiders only. It is something that concerns everyone. And today more than ever we need an open, curious, concrete approach. This document is the first step.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He closes with a reflection:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe challenge is not technological, but narrative. We have to decide which story we want to tell about our tourism for the next ten years. The White Paper is not a destination, but an invitation to build that story together.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"#\">Link to download the White Paper<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PRESENTATION OF JULIA: THE FIRST NEW-GENERATION VIRTUAL ASSISTANT<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 10:45 \u2013 11:00<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speaker:<\/strong> Antonio N. Preiti, CEO \u2013 Fondazione per l\u2019Attrazione Roma &amp; Partners<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Address by Antonio N. Preiti<\/h4>\r\n<p>Antonio Preiti presents Julia, described as \u201cthe first truly operational virtual assistant dedicated to the tourism and cultural sphere\u201d. Preiti goes beyond a technical description of the tool, and narrates the genesis and philosophy behind it: Julia was born as a response to a dual need \u2013 efficiency in urban tourism services and relational warmth in a digitalized context.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cJulia is not just an improved chatbot. It is a conversational interface that integrates natural language, geolocalized knowledge and access to public and private databases in real time.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>The assistant, developed with LLM technologies and semantic customization, can answer complex questions about cultural heritage, events, mobility, local services, accommodation facilities and experiences in the area. Preiti stresses that the interface is multichannel and can be integrated into apps, websites, information totems and voice platforms.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The real revolution, he explains, lies in the assistant\u2019s degree of contextual adaptability: Julia learns from dialogue and improves over time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cIt is a dialogic, not static AI. It does not replace operators; it works alongside them. It is a tireless co-worker for those in tourism.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Presenting the pilot project launched in Rome, Preiti highlights the strategic value of an AI capable of representing a city like Rome not only through its monuments, but also through the voices of its inhabitants, daily life, minor events and shared emotions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>During the presentation, he demonstrates Julia\u2019s capabilities, showing how the assistant responds to queries about restaurants, wood-fired pizza and even emergency services such as the nearest ER with waiting times.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>He concludes with an ethical reflection:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cBuilding a virtual assistant also means choosing what kind of relationship we want to promote between visitors and the city. If we humanize artificial intelligence, we must also remember to humanize our cities.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PANEL II \u2013 HOSPITALITY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Panel title:<\/strong> How AI Improves Hospitality and Customer Interaction in Accommodation Facilities<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 11:00 \u2013 11:45<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Moderator:<\/strong> Anthony La Salandra, Manager, SMARTLAND \u2013 Regional Innovative Network<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Mariangela Colasanti, Head of Innovation \u2013 BWH Hotels Italy and Malta<\/li>\r\n  <li>Pietro Catello, Head of Amazon Alexa for Hospitality \u2013 Italy &amp; EU<\/li>\r\n  <li>Cristina Spata, Area Manager \u2013 Booking.com<\/li>\r\n  <li>Luca Vescovi, Solution Development Manager \u2013 Jampaa<\/li>\r\n  <li>Alessandro Marin, Co-Founder \u2013 Otello AI<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<h4>Introductory address \u2013 Anthony La Salandra<\/h4>\r\n<p>The panel opens with a reflection by moderator Anthony La Salandra, who underlines how the hospitality sector has become an advanced testing ground for artificial intelligence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cFrom voice to data, from automated check-in flows to real-time review analysis, there is no segment of the hospitality experience today that cannot be enhanced \u2013 or compromised \u2013 by the (un)conscious use of AI.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>La Salandra invites the panelists to share concrete use cases, but also to reveal operational difficulties, technological limits and organizational implications.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Mariangela Colasanti \u2013 BWH Hotels<\/h4>\r\n<p>Colasanti focuses on BWH\u2019s experience in adopting artificial intelligence to improve customer relationships. The spotlight is on the Alexa for Hospitality project, active in more than 500 rooms across the hotel group.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cBWH Hotels uses artificial intelligence more or less everywhere, but this is the project that has had the greatest impact, because guests interact with a device they already know and are used to using at home. So there is no need to explain anything.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Main innovation areas:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Optimization of front-office processes with voice assistants able to handle information, requests and multilingual assistance.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Personalization of the hotel offer through algorithms that suggest services and experiences based on the customer profile.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Sentiment analysis of reviews and digital requests, enabling predictive and targeted interventions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Results obtained:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>267,000 minutes of music streaming in 6 months<\/li>\r\n  <li>One in four interactions concerns services or features of the property that guests did not previously know about<\/li>\r\n  <li>20% of interactions are still managed by staff, optimizing operational processes<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Colasanti insists on a key point:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cArtificial intelligence is not an end in itself, but an enabler. Value is created only if it is integrated into a clear organizational framework shared with all staff.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Pietro Catello \u2013 Amazon Alexa for Hospitality<\/h4>\r\n<p>Catello brings Amazon\u2019s perspective and presents the evolution of the Alexa platform in hospitality. He focuses on voice as a natural interface that allows guests to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Interact with the room (lights, climate, music)<\/li>\r\n  <li>Access personalized information (breakfast, spa, opening hours)<\/li>\r\n  <li>Manage their stay with maximum autonomy<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAlexa is first and foremost a conversational interface, but when integrated with management systems it becomes a true agent that performs actions.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Catello highlights the growing demand for touchless experiences in the post-pandemic period and the role of voice as an empathetic technology that humanizes interactions. He adds that successful adoption depends on the ability to offer localized, relevant content:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cA voice assistant that gives a proper answer is useful. One that understands the context is unforgettable.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Cristina Spata \u2013 Booking.com<\/h4>\r\n<p>Cristina Spata focuses on the use of AI to automate interactions with users, from the booking stage to post-stay.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cToday, 20% of consumers already use some form of artificial intelligence, whether it\u2019s ChatGPT or other chatbots. When we look at younger generations, this figure rises to 30%.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>She shares relevant data on AI adoption in the sector:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>48% of users would trust an AI system to plan a trip.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Younger generations display even higher levels of trust.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Italy is below the European average in AI adoption in hospitality.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Booking.com uses predictive models to:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Recommend properties that maximize expected satisfaction.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Prevent cancellations and manage overbooking dynamics.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Automatically intervene in case of complaints or mismatches between offer and expectations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Spata emphasizes the importance of transparent and understandable AI that does not generate distrust.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cTrust is the real capital of digital hospitality. Without transparency, no automation works.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Luca Vescovi \u2013 Jampaa<\/h4>\r\n<p>Vescovi explains how the Jampaa platform uses AI to build immersive digital experiences before, during and after the stay. Among the solutions presented:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Augmented reality systems to explore hotel services.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Platforms for smart self check-in.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Dynamic customer profiling tools to manage real-time offers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe big difference is not confusing a specialized agent such as Open Rosetta, which does one thing very well, with generic systems such as ChatGPT or many others that rely on data which are often incredibly wrong.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He pays particular attention to differentiating generic AI from tools specialized for hospitality:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe question is not so much whether you use Manu-AI or Gemini, but: are you able to provide value to your travellers? Do I get a benefit from using your application?\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Alessandro Marin \u2013 Otello AI<\/h4>\r\n<p>Marin closes the panel presenting Otello AI, created to simplify the relationship between people and destinations by developing personalized virtual assistants for hotels, resorts and incoming operators.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe are a specialized AI assistant, a vertical agent for accommodation facilities.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>The platform is based on generative models trained on customer-specific content and constantly updated. Marin shows how Otello AI allows facilities to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Reply in real time to frequently asked questions.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Offer content consistent with the style and brand identity of the property.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Gather insights and behavioural data for subsequent actions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>He shares feedback from hoteliers:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cDuring demos we see hoteliers are very curious. They test, experiment and even try to \u2018trick\u2019 the AI by asking the most bizarre questions.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He concludes by highlighting the value of saved time and operational efficiency:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWhen they realize they can engage in a conversation on an equal footing, they start trusting it more and try the system\u2026 Once they see it brings real value \u2013 time savings, less stress, more satisfied customers \u2013 they want more of it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PANEL III \u2013 TRAINING AND NEW PROFESSIONAL SKILLS<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Panel title:<\/strong> How Work in Tourism Changes with Artificial Intelligence<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 11:45 \u2013 12:30<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Moderator:<\/strong> Giancarlo Carniani, Founder \u2013 HIA Hospitality Innovation Academy<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Francesco Felici, Director of Programming and Tourism Policies \u2013 Italian Ministry of Tourism<\/li>\r\n  <li>Pino Italiano, Prorector for Artificial Intelligence \u2013 Luiss Guido Carli University<\/li>\r\n  <li>Valeria Minghetti, Head of Research \u2013 CISET \u2013 Ca\u2019 Foscari University of Venice<\/li>\r\n  <li>Giulia Trombin, President \u2013 Associazione Startup Turismo<\/li>\r\n  <li>Gualtiero Carraro, CEO \u2013 Carraro LAB<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<h4>Introduction \u2013 Giancarlo Carniani<\/h4>\r\n<p>Giancarlo Carniani opens the panel with a direct reflection:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cArtificial intelligence in tourism is not just one technology among many, but a transformation of the very way we work.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>As a trainer and entrepreneur, he draws attention to the growing gap between the speed of technological change and the slowness with which skills are updated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Carniani invites the speakers to discuss how to train a new generation of tourism professionals able not only to use digital tools, but to govern, adapt and interpret them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Francesco Felici \u2013 Italian Ministry of Tourism<\/h4>\r\n<p>Felici offers the institutional vision on skills. He describes the Ministry\u2019s work to redesign tourism labour policies with a future-oriented approach, promoting not only training but also the dignity and attractiveness of jobs in the sector.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI am a strong supporter of natural stupidity and consider myself an excellent example of this school of thought.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>With this provocative opening, Felici starts a reflection on the relationship between technology and the human dimension in tourism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Key points:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Tourism must be recognized as a knowledge-based value chain, not just a service industry.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The most sought-after profiles today are transversal: operators are needed who can integrate technology, communication and experience.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The Ministry is working to create specialized training paths through ITS (higher technical institutes), academies and professional programs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Felici emphasizes the importance of bringing training to where work takes place: in territories, enterprises and destinations. He offers a critical vision of artificial intelligence:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe are in the prehistory of the future [\u2026] While AI algorithms are fairly inexpensive, developing a physical system obviously comes at a different cost.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He concludes with a reflection on the distinctive value of the Italian tourism experience:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI want to change my mind, I want to have an itinerary and then change it, I want to stop, I want someone to keep me company at dinner even if I\u2019m travelling for work. [\u2026] When I have my tourism experiences, I need my own specificity.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Pino Italiano \u2013 Luiss Guido Carli University<\/h4>\r\n<p>The Prorector for AI at Luiss offers a systemic reading: artificial intelligence not only reshapes course content, but requires a rethinking of educational architectures. It is not enough to teach how to use AI; it is necessary to teach how to live with AI.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cOur experience at Luiss is quite unique because from this year we have decided to teach artificial intelligence courses \u2013 what we call AI literacy \u2013 to everyone, regardless of their future professional trajectory.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Main points:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Develop a culture of data in tourism management programs.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Introduce interdisciplinary modules combining ethics, economics, technology and experience design.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Promote critical thinking and adaptive thinking as key skills.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Italiano highlights an alarming issue:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cDESI, the indicator the European Union uses to measure the digitalization of member states\u2019 economies and societies, reminds us every year, mercilessly, that only 46% of our population has basic digital skills.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He insists on the responsibility of universities not to chase trends, but to prepare minds for the future, emphasizing the importance of soft skills such as empathy, which \u201cwe are partly losing\u201d and which technology can hardly provide.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Valeria Minghetti \u2013 CISET \/ Ca\u2019 Foscari University of Venice<\/h4>\r\n<p>The CISET researcher provides an empirical analysis: according to the centre\u2019s surveys, the demand for AI-related skills in tourism is growing strongly, but awareness of training needs remains fragmented.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cArtificial intelligence currently has two roles: it is a tool that supports learning, or it is the object of learning.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Identified priorities:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Train managers capable of reading and interpreting data, not just collecting it.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Develop modular, short and real-time updatable training tools.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Strengthen the link between academia, startups and accommodation businesses.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Minghetti identifies three critical issues in training on AI for tourism:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Avoid turning AI into just a marketing label in training programs.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Plan training by considering starting skills and targeted learning outcomes.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Show companies the value of AI along the entire value chain, not only at the front office.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>She issues a call to action:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe can no longer afford to train generic profiles. We need precision, specialization, and a constant dialogue with the evolution of work.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Giulia Trombin \u2013 Associazione Startup Turismo<\/h4>\r\n<p>Trombin brings the voice of the innovation ecosystem. She notes that tourism startups are an advanced laboratory of digital skills but often struggle to find people trained in AI, APIs, no-code tools and automation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cTalking about skills for a startup means starting from the basics: when you create a startup, founders are the first people with the idea \u2013 and we know very well that ideas are worth very little. What matters is execution.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Key themes:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>The need to hybridize training paths: profiles halfway between tourism and technology, between design and data.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The urgency of continuous, informal, horizontal training: podcasts, workshops, digital communities.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The value of entrepreneurial culture and experimentation: \u201cMaking mistakes is part of training. But the system today does not allow it.\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Trombin describes initiatives by Associazione Startup Turismo to bring innovation directly to SMEs:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAs Associazione Startup Turismo, we created the Innovation Startup Tour, which is basically the reverse of trade fairs. [\u2026] We physically bring startups to entrepreneurs\u2019 premises to introduce technological and innovative solutions.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Gualtiero Carraro \u2013 Carraro LAB<\/h4>\r\n<p>Carraro closes the panel, drawing on his long-standing experience as an innovator. He brings a design-based approach, developed through years of work with museums, destinations and digital platforms.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI\u2019d like to talk about this through concrete experiences carried out in hospitality and tourism institutes, ITS Tourism Academies and universities. We are talking about at least 400 educational institutions in which we work directly.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He identifies three levers for future-oriented tourism education:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li><strong>Simulation:<\/strong> use virtual and augmented reality to train on complex scenarios.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Experiential labs:<\/strong> hands-on learning in controlled yet realistic environments.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>AI as tutor:<\/strong> develop personalized learning environments based on interaction with intelligent assistants.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>He presents concrete projects carried out with educational institutions:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>An immersive marketing lab in Scampia with a tourism and hospitality institute in collaboration with the Campi Flegrei archaeological park.<\/li>\r\n  <li>\u201cVenetia with AI\u201d, an AI agent specialized in guiding more sustainable behaviour in Venice.<\/li>\r\n  <li>A project with ITS Academy Turismo Puglia where they created \u201cVirgilio\u201d as a guide and digital influencer for the G7.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The reconstruction of a lesser-known cultural and tourism heritage in Lombardy: \u201cThe Comacini, The Masters of Cathedrals\u201d.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>He concludes with a vision for the future of learning:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWhen photography \u2013 an artificial tool that immediately captures portraits \u2013 arrived in Nadar\u2019s studio in the 19th century, portrait and landscape painters lost their role and felt discouraged. [\u2026] What did they do? They invented Impressionism, then Expressionism, Abstract art\u2026 [\u2026] We must learn to imagine new forms of human intelligence that will interact with and react to artificial intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>MASTERCARD ADDRESS: AI AND TOURISM SEASON FORECASTING<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Title:<\/strong> Forecasting the Tourism Season: Artificial Intelligence Applied to Tourism<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 12:30 \u2013 12:45<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speaker:<\/strong> Saverio Mucci, Vice President Government Industry Lead \u2013 Mastercard<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Address by Saverio Mucci<\/h4>\r\n<p>In his speech, Saverio Mucci presents Mastercard\u2019s approach to applying artificial intelligence in the tourism sector, focusing on AI\u2019s ability to extract predictive meaning from large volumes of transactional data.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cIn this very quick speech, we want to show you what we are working on, with artificial intelligence at its core, with the goal of giving territories the tools they need to forecast spending in the upcoming season.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Mucci explains that, thanks to the anonymous and aggregated analysis of electronic payments, Mastercard is now able to:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Anticipate tourist flows weeks or months in advance.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Identify new emerging types of travellers in different markets.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Compare performance between similar destinations.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Offer reliable indicators for both public and private planning.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>In this context, AI is not only used to produce numerical forecasts but to build strategic scenarios capable of guiding investments and operational decisions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cData are no longer just an archive of the past, but a map of possible futures.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Mucci illustrates a concrete example: Mastercard\u2019s collaboration with H-Benchmark to develop a predictive model of tourism spending by correlating the hotel sector\u2019s RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) index with Mastercard spending data.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cBy correlating the two sets of information, we found a 90% correlation between trends. [\u2026] So, knowing the bookings already made for the next three months and using the AI model, I can estimate how spending will change.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>This predictive model provides detailed, practical information to local operators, for example:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Summer spending in municipality XY will increase by 15% for German visitors, mainly in July.<\/li>\r\n  <li>American tourists will increase by 10%, with visits concentrated in June.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>These insights can be used to optimize:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Procurement of goods and services.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Temporary hiring of staff with specific language skills.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Personalization of the offer based on preferences in different source markets.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Mucci concludes by expressing Mastercard\u2019s willingness to collaborate with public bodies, DMOs and tourism businesses to develop customized predictive tools that combine scientific rigour with decision-making immediacy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>GOOGLE FOR TOURISM<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 12:45 \u2013 13:00<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speaker:<\/strong> Luigi Delfino, Head of Travel &amp; Tourism \u2013 Google Italy<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Address by Luigi Delfino<\/h4>\r\n<p>Delfino closes the morning session by sharing Google\u2019s vision of the role of artificial intelligence in travel and digital tourist behaviour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cEvery journey begins with a search. And more and more often, the one answering that search is an artificial intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He outlines recent developments in the Google Travel ecosystem, where AI is integrated into:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Dynamic suggestions for flights and hotels.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Forecasting prices and availability.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Automatic itinerary organization.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Real-time translation and language accessibility.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Main points:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li><strong>Evolution of AI at Google:<\/strong> Delfino recalls that Google has been investing in AI for more than 10 years, culminating in the recent launch of Gemini 2.5. He stresses how search is evolving towards a more conversational, multimodal experience (text, images, video).<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>AI Overviews:<\/strong> he presents AI Overviews, recently released in Italy, which brings AI into the search engine to answer more complex questions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Applications in tourism:<\/strong> Delfino shows how AI can support the entire customer journey:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li><strong>Inspiration:<\/strong> with models such as Gemini to explore destinations and personalized itineraries.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Planning:<\/strong> with features such as Price Tracking to monitor hotel price fluctuations.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>During the trip:<\/strong> with tools such as Google Lens to translate menus or identify monuments.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Challenges for companies:<\/strong> Delfino shares the results of a study carried out with McKinsey, highlighting the main obstacles companies face in adopting AI:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Lack of skills.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Need for adequate technological infrastructure.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Need to respond to new consumer expectations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cYou saw the slide about the e-self concept, an almost fully automated outlet in Barcelona airport, a project by Arias and Iberia. What we see are operations that combine human teams with advanced software and robotics.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Delfino concludes by presenting the \u201cAI for Made in Italy\u201d portal, a Google initiative to help SMEs develop AI-related digital skills. He invites attendees to use the AI Smart Rebor, a tool for an initial assessment of AI-related skills and potential areas of development.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe turned it into a QR code that allows companies to make a preliminary assessment of their skills and status in AI, already providing some ideas on what to do and what to implement to advance on this journey in the world of AI.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PANEL IV \u2013 DATA AND OFFER PERSONALIZATION<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Title:<\/strong> How Data Analysis and AI Personalize the Tourism Offer and Optimize Communication Strategies<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 14:00 \u2013 15:00<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Moderator:<\/strong> Mirko Lalli, CEO \u2013 The Data Appeal Company, Founder and Vice President \u2013 Turismi.ai<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Vincenzo Sciacca, Head of Product \u2013 Almawave<\/li>\r\n  <li>Francesco Ciuccarelli, Chief Innovation &amp; Technology Officer \u2013 Alpitour World<\/li>\r\n  <li>Francesca Benati, SVP Travel Seller Europe and Managing Director Italy \u2013 Amadeus<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<h4>Introduction \u2013 Mirko Lalli<\/h4>\r\n<p>Mirko Lalli opens the session by emphasizing that data have become the beating heart of modern tourism strategy, and that artificial intelligence is now the key tool to turn these data into real value.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cIt\u2019s no longer enough to collect data. We must learn to read them at the right time, in the right context, and above all to return them in a meaningful form to public and private decision-makers.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Lalli presents a significant figure: 67% of travellers report having felt frustration during the trip planning phase, while 79% of users are open to using artificial intelligence to plan their travels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAccording to Phocuswright research, 67% of travellers say they experienced some frustration while organizing their trip. [\u2026] You see? Any technology that can solve this problem falls on very fertile ground.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He focuses on the need for intelligent interfaces to help destinations, DMOs and tourism businesses tailor communication and offers to real behaviours, not just stated intentions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Francesca Benati \u2013 Amadeus<\/h4>\r\n<p>Benati explains Amadeus\u2019s approach to generative artificial intelligence, stressing the importance of understanding its practical applications in the travel sector.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI took the microphone and looked at the timer; this will be a challenge because I speak fast but I speak a lot.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>She explains that Amadeus has a turnover of about \u20ac6 billion and a forward-looking approach to AI, starting from the conviction that this technology must be an enabler, not an end in itself.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Main use cases presented:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li><strong>Conversational Search for Travel Inspiration:<\/strong> a chatbot system powered by AI agents that helps travellers in the inspiration phase by suggesting destinations in a conversational, personalized way.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Amadeus Discovera:<\/strong> a solution that personalizes the choice of experiences in destination, avoiding the information overload typical of current platforms.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Amadeus Io:<\/strong> a virtual concierge assisting travellers throughout the journey, providing real-time information and support in the event of disruptions, as shown during the recent closure of Heathrow Airport.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe app rebooked them completely. [\u2026] As soon as they received the alert that Heathrow airport was closed, they found on their iPhones a whole series of rebooked travel options, including hotel and transfers.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Benati also shows how Amadeus uses AI internally to:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Improve multilingual communication via Microsoft Copilot.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Optimize call centers, allowing human resources to focus on more complex issues.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Reduce marketing costs through automated campaign generation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>She concludes by highlighting six ethical principles that guide AI development at Amadeus:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Quality, including fairness, with 3 million fake photos generated to train facial recognition systems without ethnic bias.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Transparency in the use of AI technologies.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Sustainability, with close monitoring of CO<sub>2<\/sub> emissions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAI is not magic, it doesn\u2019t solve all our problems. [\u2026] The opportunities are enormous, but it depends on how we use it. We must not bypass the legal and ethical aspects.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Francesco Ciuccarelli \u2013 Alpitour World<\/h4>\r\n<p>Ciuccarelli shares the experience of a large integrated tourism operator, explaining how Alpitour is evolving towards a data-driven model, where product, pricing and promotion choices are guided by predictive models.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAdopting artificial intelligence requires technological enablers and skills to capture the benefits that have been widely discussed since this morning.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He describes Alpitour\u2019s digital transformation journey, which has led to:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Doubling the number of employees in technology compared to pre-Covid.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Launching two transformation programs: one digital and one AI-based.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Reaching 200 professionals dedicated to technological innovation within the group.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe have a run rate of investment, aside from transformation programs, of around \u20ac14 million per year.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Key points of his speech:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>The need to complete digital transformation (cloud, data platforms, big data) as a prerequisite for adopting AI.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The importance of partnerships through open innovation.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The adoption of governance standards such as ISO 42001 certification for AI systems.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Ciuccarelli describes Alpitour\u2019s AI adoption journey, begun in 2018 with early NLP experiments and culminating in the release of AlpiGPT, an internal assistant based on LLMs, in 2023, and Amelia, the first customer-facing assistant on turisanda.it, in 2024.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cIn 2024 two things happened: the first is that we released Amelia, AlpiGPT\u2019s sister and our first assistant for the public, for the end customer.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Areas with the greatest AI impact for Alpitour:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li><strong>Personalization:<\/strong> through analytics and machine learning for profiling, and for generating personalized content.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Contact center:<\/strong> assistants supporting internal booking, travel agencies and end customers.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Voice:<\/strong> progress towards increasingly natural and conversational voice assistants.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>B2B:<\/strong> support for travel agencies with tools such as CasaBook.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Software development:<\/strong> using AI to automate and optimize code writing.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>He concludes with two considerations:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>The need for AI governance addressing ethical, legal, technological and business aspects in an integrated way.<\/li>\r\n  <li>The importance of creating a shared tourism ontology to standardize the entities cooperating along tourism value chains and produce interoperable data.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>He ends with a call for collaboration:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe Tourism Digital Hub was conceived before the acceleration of GenAI and left us with the ambition of building, together, a shared tourism ontology that can feed AI models, systems and applications used by individual companies in the sector. Fully and jointly realizing that ambition would greatly help accelerate the diffusion and adoption of generative artificial intelligence in Italian tourism companies, especially SMEs: we need to join forces.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Vincenzo Sciacca \u2013 Almawave<\/h4>\r\n<p>Sciacca presents Almawave\u2019s approach as an Italian company specialized in AI applied to voice, natural language and big data analysis. His speech focuses on Almawave\u2019s decision to develop its own Italian proprietary Large Language Model.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe started working on natural language processing, and specifically on artificial intelligence, well before 2010. Before people spoke about ontologies, we were already working precisely with ontologies.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He explains why Almawave invested in its own language model, Velvet:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>To maintain control over technology and the data used.<\/li>\r\n  <li>To ensure an ethical AI that respects privacy.<\/li>\r\n  <li>To develop a model specialized in the needs of Italian companies.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Velvet\u2019s features:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>14 billion parameters (compared to 70+ for GPT).<\/li>\r\n  <li>Trained on 4 trillion tokens.<\/li>\r\n  <li>128K token context window (equivalent to a 400-page book).<\/li>\r\n  <li>Supports six languages, with a strong focus on Italian (50% of the dataset).<\/li>\r\n  <li>Dataset curated with special attention to filtering out toxic data.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe discarded more than half [of the data] because it was toxic. And to do that we used other AI algorithms we had developed over time. This allowed us to obtain a clean dataset.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Sciacca highlights Velvet\u2019s unique ability to be customized for specific business tasks, making it more efficient and sustainable than larger generic models:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cToday GPT-4o \u2013 if I\u2019m not mistaken \u2013 they published the number of parameters, and we\u2019re beyond the billion mark. [\u2026] We need to solve tasks, not make clones of ChatGPT. We have automation tasks within companies and we need to solve those.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>An additional distinctive feature is the ability to remove sensitive data from the model, a function that is not available in other systems. The model is available free of charge on HuggingFace and Ollama as well as via cloud providers such as Oracle and AWS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Sciacca concludes by highlighting how generative AI is often overestimated in terms of capabilities, yet underutilized in its practical potential:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of talk, but in the end 90% of usage is for personal productivity, even inside companies \u2013 writing documents, speeding up drafting, creating slides\u2026 Thankfully today we\u2019ve seen many enterprise use cases, but in reality there are still many difficulties.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PANEL V \u2013 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES: ALGORETHICS AND ROBOTICS<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Title:<\/strong> How Algorithm Ethics and Robotics Can Revolutionize Tourism Services and Visitor Assistance, Enhancing Efficiency, Personalization and Staff Selection<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 15:00 \u2013 15:45<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Moderator:<\/strong> Paola Olivari, Journalist \u2013 Guida Viaggi<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Rodolfo Baggio, Bocconi University<\/li>\r\n  <li>Bruno Siciliano, Professor of Robotics \u2013 University of Naples Federico II<\/li>\r\n  <li>Mons. Giulio Dellavite, Episcopal Delegate \u2013 Diocese of Bergamo<\/li>\r\n  <li>Claudia Ferrero, CEO &amp; Founder \u2013 HorecaJob<\/li>\r\n  <li>Francisco Javier Martin Romo, Country Manager \u2013 KEENON Robotics<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<h4>Introduction \u2013 Paola Olivari<\/h4>\r\n<p>Paola Olivari opens the panel with a provocative question:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cCan we trust algorithms? And can we welcome robots as part of our tourist experience without feeling depersonalized?\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Her introduction strikes a balance: on one hand, the extraordinary potential of advanced technologies to improve services, accessibility and labour management; on the other, the need for an ethical, cultural and social reflection to accompany this transformation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Bruno Siciliano \u2013 University of Naples Federico II<\/h4>\r\n<p>Professor Siciliano speaks as a robotics scholar, explaining the fundamental difference between artificial intelligence and robotics:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWhat distinguishes robotics from artificial intelligence? The fact that, in addition to a cognitive component and a perceptive component, the robot provides a physical dimension, it gives a body to artificial intelligence, therefore adding an actuating component.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He explains that the hospitality sector, together with logistics, has the highest growth rate in the adoption of professional service robotics. He points out that technology should \u201craise the bar\u201d by freeing human beings from routine tasks:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cIf we are able to entrust to technology all the routine parts of our days, whether professionally or socially, we can raise standards and free ourselves from some tasks, gaining greater clarity of mind and expressing our most natural intelligence: creativity and emotionality.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He then discusses empathy with machines, explaining the concept of the \u201cUncanny Valley\u201d:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAt a certain point, if we keep racing to build machines that increasingly resemble living beings, we risk people not knowing whether they are interacting with a machine or a human being.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Siciliano describes design solutions that generate empathy without entering the uncanny valley, such as robots that are not overly humanoid but have expressive elements (moving ears, constant movement) that facilitate social interaction.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Francisco Javier Martin Romo \u2013 KEENON Robotics<\/h4>\r\n<p>Romo explains KEENON Robotics\u2019 approach as an international company specialized in robotics for the hotel and restaurant industry.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWhat we are seeing is a sector \u2013 robotics in service industries, especially hospitality \u2013 with extremely high growth.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He highlights three main areas of development for robotics in hospitality:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li><strong>Delivery:<\/strong> transporting items from point A to point B (dishes, luggage, objects).<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Cleaning:<\/strong> robotics specialized in sanitation and maintenance.<\/li>\r\n  <li><strong>Interaction:<\/strong> robots that provide information and assistance to customers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cToday we are dealing with a new generation of robots that interact in public spaces with people who \u2013 on the operator side \u2013 have no specific training in robotics.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Romo stresses the importance of non-verbal communication by robots in public spaces:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAll aspects of safety and communication are no longer the responsibility of a human being who needs training, but of the robot, which must preserve people\u2019s safety and learn to communicate its intentions to those around it through movements, body language, colours\u2026\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Mons. Giulio Dellavite \u2013 Diocese of Bergamo<\/h4>\r\n<p>Monsignor Dellavite offers a deep ethical reflection on the relationship between technology and humanity. He immediately clarifies that there can be no ethics of machines, only human ethics applied to machines:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe machine, artificial intelligence, like any tool, is neither positive nor negative \u2013 it is a tool; it depends on the hand that uses it. And the hand that uses it can be positive or negative.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He introduces the concept of algorethics, a neologism that combines \u201calgorithm\u201d and \u201cethics\u201d:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cAlgorethics presupposes that there is a person who reflects on an algorithm. Paradoxically, in Italian the letters are the same, because the IA of intelligenza artificiale divides into two areas: there is an \u2018io\u2019 (self) and there is an algoritmo. Ethics plays out on the \u2018io\u2019 that uses the algorithm.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Dellavite expresses concern that the \u201cI\u201d might become increasingly small, while \u201cA\u201d (for AI) becomes more and more capitalized. His view is that both letters should be capital and balanced: the human I using the algorithm and the algorithm at the service of the I.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>He uses a powerful metaphor to describe our current relationship with AI:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cIs artificial intelligence the light at the end of the tunnel? Yes, but it\u2019s the light of a train coming towards us. It depends on how you see the train: you can decide to stand aside and let it pass and decorate the tunnel; you can stand in front of it to stop it, but you will be crushed; some will cling to the back of the train to be pulled by AI; others will jump onto the train while it is moving, but someone else will decide where that train is going.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He concludes with an invitation to \u201cget on that train and start driving it\u201d, recalling that the word \u201ccybernetics\u201d means \u201cto have the helm in hand\u201d.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Claudia Ferrero \u2013 HorecaJob<\/h4>\r\n<p>Ferrero presents the experience of HorecaJob, a female-founded innovative startup that uses AI to improve recruitment processes in the HORECA sector (Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Caf\u00e9).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe founded a female-led innovative startup and benefit corporation based on my experience and my co-founder\u2019s. I worked for over 20 years in Travel Hospitality, she in Human Resources, and both of us unfortunately experienced discrimination in our careers.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Ferrero explains how AI can be used to combat bias and discrimination in recruitment:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>They replaced the CV with a smartphone chat that removes potentially discriminatory questions (age, sex, nationality).<\/li>\r\n  <li>They developed algorithms that focus recruitment on merit and soft skills.<\/li>\r\n  <li>They mainly target frontline positions (waiters, dishwashers, cleaners), often occupied by foreigners or low-educated workers.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201c80% of our searches concern frontline staff, about 30% of whom are foreign, often with low schooling, sometimes without a CV or a computer at home and with no idea how to write a CV.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Ferrero concludes by stressing technology\u2019s role in modernizing a recruitment process that has relied for over 60 years on a tool (the CV) that is no longer suited to current needs, while providing crucial support for small businesses:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe mustn\u2019t forget that 95% of companies in the HORECA sector are small, family-run businesses where there is no HR manager.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Rodolfo Baggio \u2013 Bocconi University<\/h4>\r\n<p>Baggio brings an academic perspective on the reliability of artificial intelligence and how to manage its limits.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cJoking aside, yes, there are reliability risks. First of all, we need to define exactly which type of artificial intelligence we are talking about.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He distinguishes between \u201ctraditional\u201d AI (machine learning and deep learning algorithms), where we already have substantial experience and understanding of both potential and limitations, and generative AI, which is more recent.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>On generative AI, Baggio mentions a phenomenon called \u201ccollapse\u201d:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cRecent studies have started to highlight the phenomenon you mentioned, which they call \u2018collapse\u2019. Basically, the early versions were trained on human-generated content, which we can consider to be, on average, reliable. Their huge success has meant that a lot of material is now generated by AI, with all the problems we\u2019ve seen \u2013 like the fake Tom Cruise. So at some point these systems become self-referential and their reliability and accuracy are declining in a worrying way.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>The solution, in his view, is to put humans back at the centre:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe Americans call it \u2018human in the loop\u2019. We must put humans back in the central position, empowering them to understand, assess, fix and correct.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He concludes with a reflection on the risk of cultural homogenization:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cTo be optimistic, I see a risk of flattening. [\u2026] If you remove creativity, you always play with the same pieces, the same topics, the same information. [\u2026] What distinguishes us, in my opinion, is creativity, and being creative is something that no machine will ever do.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Baggio also cites Ada Lovelace, the first programmer in history:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cDon\u2019t expect things from machines that they cannot provide, because machines can only give you what you have taught them to do. And that means creativity does not exist [in machines].\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PANEL VI \u2013 SMART AND SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS<\/h3>\r\n<p><em>Watch the video<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Title:<\/strong> Transforming Destinations into \u201cSmart Destinations\u201d and the Contribution of AI to Sustainable Management<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 15:45 \u2013 16:30<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Moderator:<\/strong> Paola Olivari, Journalist \u2013 Guida Viaggi<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Speakers:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Bruno Pellegrini, Founder &amp; CEO \u2013 Loquis<\/li>\r\n  <li>Francesco Tapinassi, Director \u2013 Toscana Promozione Turistica, Scientific Director \u2013 BTO Be Travel Onlife<\/li>\r\n  <li>Marco Orlandi, Digital &amp; Consumer Experience Director \u2013 Bluvacanze<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<h4>Introduction \u2013 Paola Olivari<\/h4>\r\n<p>Paola Olivari introduces the final panel by clarifying that the concept of \u201csmart destination\u201d is often misunderstood.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cBeing smart does not simply mean using technology, but using it to improve life \u2013 for visitors and residents alike.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>She invites speakers to show concrete examples of how AI can become a lever for sustainability, inclusiveness and quality of experience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Bruno Pellegrini \u2013 Loquis<\/h4>\r\n<p>Pellegrini opens the panel presenting Loquis, a platform of geolocated podcasts, as a new form of territorial intelligence: a tool that allows users to \u201clisten to places\u201d in a personalized, intimate and immersive way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe are no longer a startup, because we\u2019ve been on the market for five years. We are active in Italy and Spain, and thanks to artificial intelligence, our partners and our users, we have created about 1.6 million stories around the world.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Pellegrini speaks of augmented environmental storytelling: AI helps select, contextualize and suggest stories based on the user\u2019s profile, location, time of day and weather conditions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cA destination becomes smart when it can tell its story, not just show itself.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Loquis is already used by cities, tourism boards and museums to promote alternative routes, encourage seasonality shifts and disseminate content in multiple languages, increasing cultural accessibility.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Pellegrini explains how AI has enabled the company to reduce operating costs by 90% and achieve global coverage in one year instead of the four originally projected using traditional methods. He looks to the future with a vision of increasingly fluid listening experiences:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cEverything will become much more fluid within the next three to five years, meaning the story itself can be re-told in real time based on the style that best suits the user.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Francesco Tapinassi \u2013 Toscana Promozione Turistica \/ BTO<\/h4>\r\n<p>Tapinassi brings the viewpoint of a public body that has been working on innovation in tourism governance for years. His reflection focuses on how destinations can use AI to make more conscious, timely and participatory decisions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe work we are trying to do now is to shift the focus from general, generic public promotion to promotion based on the region\u2019s real product. This necessarily requires a demanding, close public-private partnership.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Main points:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Use of predictive dashboards to manage flows.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Tools to monitor digital sentiment and improve perceived quality.<\/li>\r\n  <li>AI applications to tailor promotion according to sustainability indicators.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>Tapinassi insists on the need to measure the balance between attractiveness, liveability and carrying capacity:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cTourism is not an end in itself. It is a means to improve the lives of local communities. And AI can help us understand when we are achieving that \u2013 and when we are not.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He addresses the topic of overtourism with a critical perspective:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cOvertourism is a \u2018Tafazzi-like\u2019 conversation that admits the total incapacity to govern a territory. When things reach that point, it means that something is not working in terms of a forward-looking development vision.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Tapinassi proposes concrete solutions:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Real-time information to help visitors manage their time (e.g. less crowded time slots).<\/li>\r\n  <li>Dynamic pricing to encourage visits during less congested hours.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Closer coordination with tour operators, who know flows well in advance.<\/li>\r\n  <li>Better knowledge and promotion of alternative attractions within the region.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWe practically have a medal table for wine that is impressive \u2013 we are the most-loved region \u2013 but we don\u2019t know how many visitable wineries there are in Tuscany. [\u2026] If you go on Airbnb Experience Food &amp; Wine you will find more than 200 experiences that can be booked in one click. Those are Tuscany\u2019s wine tourism product, not our slides or our medal table.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Marco Orlandi \u2013 Bluvacanze<\/h4>\r\n<p>Orlandi closes the panel with a business perspective on the relationship between data, distribution and personalization. He explains how Bluvacanze is developing enhanced consultancy platforms, in which travel agents are supported by intelligent systems.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cIn a market with high value but very low margins, and with a very fragmented value chain, understanding the customer and his behaviour is crucial.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He stresses the value of human relationships enriched, not replaced, by technology:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cOur digitalization process, which fortunately started late \u2013 so paradoxically Bluvacanze embarked on its digital transformation at the very end \u2013 has turned out to be a good thing, because today we have the capabilities and in-house resources to thoroughly analyse the process.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Orlandi calls for an alliance between tour operators, DMOs and technology platforms to build a more interconnected system focused on relational and environmental sustainability:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThe interaction model includes a margin model. Because the interaction model includes knowledge of the customer, and what does knowing the customer allow you to do? You deliver content based on the consumer\u2019s needs. So you\u2019re no longer just proposing content; you are presenting content that the consumer already wants.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>CLOSING REMARKS AND THANKS<\/h3>\r\n<p><strong>Time:<\/strong> 16:30 \u2013 16:45<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>By:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n  <li>Edoardo Colombo, President \u2013 Turismi.ai<\/li>\r\n  <li>Paola Olivari, Journalist \u2013 Guida Viaggi<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<h4>Paola Olivari \u2013 Final remarks<\/h4>\r\n<p>Paola Olivari offers one last reflection capturing the spirit of the day:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cWhat we experienced today is not just a conference: it has been a laboratory of ideas, a shared exploration of possibilities. Here, artificial intelligence has not been presented as a fad but as a transformation that forces us to question who we want to be \u2013 as professionals, as communities, as destinations.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>She thanks the speakers, the participants and in particular Turismi.ai for having the courage to organize a cutting-edge event that successfully combines vision and concreteness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cThis is only the beginning. GATEWAI has shown that Italian tourism is ready to think, design and act intelligently \u2013 both human and artificial.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<h4>Edoardo Colombo \u2013 Official closing and the \u201cfour-handed\u201d farewell<\/h4>\r\n<p>In his final remarks, Edoardo Colombo thanks everyone present \u2013 both in the room and online \u2013 for their active and generous participation. He energetically summarizes the key themes that emerged: the need for an alliance between technology and humanism, the urgency of training new skills, and the value of an Italian, inclusive vision of AI in tourism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI truly hope that this will become, over time, an important date for Italian tourism \u2013 the beginning of a new journey into artificial intelligence, a moment that, one day, we may call the prehistory of the future.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He closes with a symbolic gesture: instead of reading his final speech in full, he records a spontaneous voice message and entrusts it to ChatGPT\u2019s artificial intelligence, asking it to interpret and return it as text for the official proceedings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI don\u2019t want the final remarks to be written by a human pen alone. I want AI to gather my words and synthesize what has been said today, as a witness of our trust in this possible dialogue between mind and machine.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>The result \u2013 the text you are reading now \u2013 is the first closing statement of an Italian conference co-authored by a President and a generative artificial intelligence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>This gesture encapsulates the core of GATEWAI: not only talking about AI, but talking <em>with<\/em> AI, recognizing it as a tool for interpretation, synthesis and collaboration. A bridge, not a boundary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Colombo announces that the Ministry intends to set up an incubator dedicated to artificial intelligence in tourism, underlining the strategic importance of this first conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cI hope that 4 April 2025 will be remembered as an important date for our sector.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>He closes with a simple yet powerful call to action:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n  <p>\u201cLet\u2019s not allow GATEWAI to be an isolated event. Let\u2019s turn it into a regular appointment, a community of thought, a collective endeavour. Tourism needs intelligence \u2013 and intelligence, today, needs vision.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<p>Colombo officially announces the second edition of the conference, confirming Turismi.ai\u2019s commitment to making GATEWAI an annual benchmark event for innovation in Italian tourism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>PARTNERS AND SPONSORS<\/h3>\r\n<p><strong>Main Partner:<\/strong> Repower<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>With the contribution of:<\/strong> Regione Lombardia<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Sponsors:<\/strong> Mastercard, Almawave, The Data Appeal Company<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>Organized by:<\/strong> Turismi.AI and Guida Viaggi<\/p>\r\n<\/code><\/pre>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
    4th April 2025 09:00 \u2013 09:30 Registration 09:30 \u2013 09:45 Welcome and OpeningEdoardo Colombo, President, Turismi.ai 09:45 \u2013 10:30 AI in Tourism: Institutions and Public PoliciesDiscussion on public policies and the role of institutions in the digital innovation of tourism. Moderator: Antonio Barreca, Director General, Federturismo Confindustria; Founder and Vice President, Turismi.ai Speakers:Barbara Mazzali, Regional […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1584","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1584"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1676,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1584\/revisions\/1676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatewai.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}