Agri travel and Slow Travel Expo (ATEST) is an international exhibition dedicated to slow, outdoor and active tourism at a local, national and international level, scheduled from March 30 to April 2 (30-31th March B2B for operators and March 31-April for B2C for the general public with free entry) at Bergamo Fiera.

It’s a great opportunity to promote natural beauties, art, customs and good food for tourists and operators of the field which are searching for authentic and emotional journeys, which are showing strong relations with concept as the standard of living, sustainability and environment.

The knowledge of the territory is developed in this contest also through travel modes like walks, trekking, cycling, itineraries in the hills and mountains, waterways, gastronomical and oenological experiences and spiritual paths to taste also the unexplored aspects of a place linked to its culture, excellence and landscape. In all this, each aspect of the travel chain, which find in AGRITRAVEL AND SLOW TRAVEL EXPO a space for lively and attractive expression for everyone, is brought to light.

The exhibition will take place in Bergamo (Italy), which will be the Italian Capital of Culture in 2023, together with Brescia. It’s a significant opportunity in the heart of Lombardy, a well-located region with a rich catchment area looking for authentic and emotional experiences. The region also boasts of a strategic position with the other European countries and our beautiful country as well.

Furthermore, there are many national and international users that are attracted by unparalleled benefits of the fairground, which is only seven minutes away from Milan Bergamo airport (BGY), first Italian and international airport Bike Friendly and Italy’s third-largest hub by number of annual passengers. It is also located less than an hour from other airports of Linate and Malpensa.

The format includes:

• B2C AREA in presence (31 March – 2 April 2023) rich of events so that the audience can appreciate the resources and the opportunities of a slow and experiential tourism in an ACTIVE way, at the Bergamo exhibition centre. Among different subjects matters, a space will be dedicated in that area to:
  – FOOD & WINE as identity of a territory and excellence reference of the actual tendence to consider our Country as a slow, experiential and sustainable tourism destination. A place where FOOD becomes not only the cultural attraction and the symbol of typicality, but also a place where the culinary offer plays a crucial role in order to decide the destination, package and/or accommodation of their own vacation. Presentations and culinary exhibitions held by chef and industry experts will celebrate the territories and their beauties to taste their authenticity. For this reason, a dedicated area will be set up, in which one can “savour the territories” through local, branded products that are linked both to the UNESCO heritage sites and the local cuisine.
  – CYCLING, a slow travel mode to savour the most intimate aspects of a place related to its culture, excellences and landscape as well as being an important strategic lever for the development of a zero-impact territory. This context also includes the development of the Milan-Bergamo Airport BGY “Bike-Friendly” Project by SACBO. For that reason, during the ATEST edition in 2021 the SACBO’s acknowledgement (managing company of the Caravaggio airport in Orio al Serio) received the award as a “Bike-Friendly” company, first step for the recognition of the entire airport structure which was achieved last 15th of December.
  – MOUNTAIN, as treasure chest of nature, culture, food and wine to enhance and guard. To this end, an attention will be given to the mountain, also in view of the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games in 2026. Many exhibitions and skills tests to involve the audience will be organized, with the aim of bringing mountain enthusiasts closer to the mountain and to the endless experiences which it offers in every season.
  – WALKING PATHS, today more than ever are one of the slow travel experiences that is able to bring places to life in an authentic and sustainable way by means of the wide quantity of walking paths that one can find in our country.
  – ACCESSIBILITY, is a topic that requires more and more consideration and attention in order that the journey could be an experience for everyone. The affordable tourism must therefore be considered a priority for the sake of tourists and for the long-term sustainability of the tourism industry. A careful hospitality which pays attention to everyone does not only represents an ethic choice, but also economic.
  – WATERWAYS, how a good management of water resources represents an opportunity for both local economies and a high quality of life.
  – FOLKLORE, an important part of the intangible heritage of different territories to be protected. Music, dances, songs, clothes and dialects to restore the cultural and expressive heritage of the territories.
  – SUSTAINABILITY, in view of the Agenda 2030 objectives as well, in its environmental, economic and social dimensions, which today more than ever represent a challenge for all those urban, rural, maritime and mountain tourist destinations that pay attention to visitators needs and sensitivity.
• B2B AREA (30 – 31 March 2023) for operators in the sector who can have access to a rich program of conferences, workshops and inclusion in the B2B meeting agenda, which has always been a generator of profitable exchanges and discussions. During these days there will be a buyer-seller workshop in which numerous buyers will be present, including associations and intermediaries, tour operators and tour organizers, mainly from Italy, but also from other European and non-European countries, with particular reference to the American market. An important opportunity to keep contacts with the reference markets alive and develop fruitful collaborations in view of the restart of the new tourist seasons. Due to the health emergency, the meetings could take place through a specific platform.

The event will be accompanied by an intense promotional campaign to promote this important tourist market segment.

Stefania Pendezza
Project Manager

Alessandra Tadini
Communication and International Affair