Barbara Casillo (Confindustria Alberghi): “Italy is ready for a new era of major international events”
In the heart of Rome, where the breath of history meets the pulse of innovation, SiGMA Central Europe 2025 once again proves to be a privileged gathering point for those looking towards the future of global events. Among the bustling stands, the voice of Barbara Casillo, Director General of the Italian Association Confindustria Alberghi, offers a clear yet pragmatic perspective on how occasions like this can redefine the role of Italian hospitality.
Casillo notes that major events do far more than simply “fill” cities for a few days.
Their true power lies in their ability to spread tourist flows during quieter seasons and, more importantly, to create new attraction hubs beyond the usual circuits. In a country like Italy, where every region has a story to tell, international delegates can become ambassadors for destinations often left out of traditional travel routes.
A sector evolving alongside its travellers
According to Casillo, Italian tourism is undergoing a profound transformation. While the pandemic accelerated many trends, the shift was already underway: today, international tourism outweighs domestic tourism and continues to grow at a pace that demands hotels rethink their strategies. The work of Confindustria Alberghi, she explains, is geared precisely towards this: equipping businesses with the tools they need to invest, innovate, and communicate effectively with a global audience. Italian hotels are adapting to the expectations of new travellers – more digital, more conscious, and more attentive to sustainability. Three key concepts guide this evolution: technology, environmental responsibility, and a renewed approach to guest experience.
Casillo highlights how many hotels are redesigning their operational models, upgrading services and processes to meet the needs of guests who look for digital convenience, cultural authenticity, and a deep respect for the places they visit. Italian hospitality, historically rooted in warmth and human connection, is finding a fresh balance between tradition and innovation.
Rome as an ideal testing ground: infrastructure, spaces, and vision
The choice of Rome as the host city for SiGMA Central Europe is far from accidental. Casillo is direct: welcoming an international event of this scale is already a test that Rome has passed with distinction. Symbolic value merges with operational reality. Fiumicino Airport, with its extensive network of connections and strong international traffic, is a strategic asset that makes such initiatives possible.
The Director General of Confindustria Alberghi also stresses how the exhibition spaces at Fiera di Roma – almost entirely occupied by SiGMA -represent precisely what is needed to remain competitive in the global events arena. Not all Italian cities, she reminds us, can offer such large and well-equipped venues. Yet it is by observing what works in Rome that other destinations can find inspiration to grow.
Beyond Rome: building an Italy ready to welcome the world
While the capital confirms its international vocation, Casillo urges a broader outlook: Italy possesses all the elements needed to become a network of competitive destinations. But this requires investment, continuity in long-term projects, and a shared vision that integrates infrastructure, hospitality, and sustainability. She emphasises an essential point: to attract global events, being a beautiful and welcoming country is not enough. Italy must be ready. It must guarantee efficient transport, high-quality services, suitable accommodation capacity, and a coordinated offer. Above all, it must unlock the potential of its inland areas – those more authentic, less saturated, yet rich in opportunities.
In this context, digitalisation is not merely a trend but the key to improving guest experience and internal management. Similarly, sustainability is no longer a fashionable concept but an essential requirement for engaging a public that is increasingly sensitive to environmental and social responsibility.
Italy poised for a new season of international tourism
Casillo’s reflections paint a clear picture: major events like SiGMA are not temporary episodes but accelerators of progress. They put destinations to the test, reveal untapped potential, and drive the hospitality sector to raise its standards.
With its history, culture, and innate inclination for hospitality, Italy has all it takes to become one of Europe’s leading hubs for global events. But this ambition must be supported by targeted investment, ongoing improvement of services, and an approach to hospitality capable of blending innovation, authenticity, and responsibility.
Casillo affirms this with conviction: “Rome has shown that it has everything required. Now we must ensure that other Italian destinations are equally ready to welcome events of this scale.”
This article was first published in Italian on 24 November 2025.
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