Finestre sull'Arte present at Destination Lab in Rimini: tourism, new challenges and management models

Italian tourism returns to confront its development models in Rimini, where the sixth edition of Destination Lab is scheduled for April 28. The event, dedicated to territorial marketing and destination management, comes at a time characterized by new critical issues for the sector, which include geopolitical factors and tensions affecting international mobility. Finestre sull’Arte is also participating in the initiative as a partner company.

The 2026 edition focuses in particular on the need for more structured destination governance, in a context where tourism management requires more timely tools for analysis and intervention than in the past. Topics include balancing the needs of visitors with those of residents, using data to predictbooking trends, and the ability of destinations to respond to crisis situations, including those related to communication and the image of territories.

A specific focus also covers the dynamics related to the so-called fuel emergency in the skies, an element that directly affects flow planning and route stability. At the same time, the program devotes attention to the evolution of the role of accommodation facilities, which are increasingly central in defining the identity of destinations, and to the emergence of new managerial figures called upon to interpret changing models of tourism development.

According to the organizers, the goal of the initiative is to provide operational tools for those involved in the management and promotion of territories, in a framework that requires continuous adaptability to market variables and external pressures.

“We have arrived at the sixth edition of Destination Lab with a different awareness: today promoting a location is no longer enough, you have to know how to manage it,” says Mauro Santinato, president of Teamwork Hospitality. “The market has changed and no longer allows planning errors. With this appointment we want to give precise indications to those who have to decide on tourism strategies, showing how data and new technologies can help make better decisions, protect the territory and generate real gains for the entire supply chain.”

The program opens with a talk by Alessandra Priante, president of ENIT - National Tourism Agency, joined by active figures in strategic consulting such as Josep Ejarque (FTourism & Marketing) and Antonio Preiti (Roma & Partners). The discussion continues with contributions from industry professionals such as Mirko Lalli, Emma Taveri, Antonio Pezzano, Giancarlo Piccirillo, Paolo Grigolli and Stefano Landi. One of the central elements of the edition is the discussion among local administrators from some of Italy’s leading tourist destinations. Speeches by mayors Roberto Rota (Courmayeur), Roberto Ragnedda (Arzachena), Cateno De Luca (Taormina), Paolo Falco (Capri), Vito Carrieri (Polignano a Mare) and Michele Cereghini (Madonna di Campiglio) are scheduled.

Alongside the institutional component, the program also involves directors and destination managers from leading Italian and European DMOs. These include Bruno Bertero (Langhe Monferrato Roero), Matteo Bonapace (Madonna di Campiglio), Chiara Astolfi (Visit Romagna), Carlotta Ferrari (Destination Florence), Fabio Sacco (Val di Sole) and Roberto Huber (Alta Badia). Representatives of tourism boards from Greece, Spain and Germany are also scheduled to participate, with the aim of comparing different models of destination management and promotion.

Further insight is devoted to the high-end hôtellerie segment, which is considered increasingly integrated in the construction of the overall tourism experience. Vito Spalluto (7Pines Resort Sardinia), Gianvito Mangano (Canne Bianche Lifestyle Hotel) and Biagio Spagnuolo (Sant’Angelo di Matera) will speak in this area, with a focus on the role of accommodations as active elements in destination definition.

The event is supported by ENEL, Mastercard, HBenchmark, 7Pines Resort, Progetto Turismo, Sojern, Factory, Blinkup, Finestre sull’Arte, APT Servizi Emilia-Romagna, Visit Romagna, Visit Rimini, Riviera di Rimini Convention Bureau, Hospitality Marketing, Radio Bakery, AiM Solutions - Ai Receptionist, Uberstudio and WAMI.

Finestre sull'Arte present at Destination Lab in Rimini: tourism, new challenges and management models

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