Turin is set to welcome professionals, institutions, and stakeholders from across the globe for the World Summit on Accessible Tourism – Destinations for All 2025, taking place from 5 to 7 October at the Lingotto Conference Centre. After the successful editions in Montreal (2014) and Brussels (2018), the Italian city will host the third instalment of one of the world’s most important events dedicated to accessibility in tourism.
The Summit is designed to promote and exchange best practices within the tourism industry, with the objective of strengthening a worldwide network of inclusive destinations for all travellers, including those with specific access requirements.
Turin will serve as an ideal setting for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation. The event will bring together experts, institutions, and international organisations to share insights and propose practical solutions, supporting the vision of tourism as a universal right and reaffirming the city’s standing as a centre for social innovation.
Programme Highlights
The programme includes keynote speeches, oral presentations and poster sessions, debates, thematic workshops, and networking sessions on key topics such as:
- Accessible Tourism in the visitor economy
- Destination management
- Technological innovation and AI
- Hospitality, safety and service design
- Mobility and transportation
- Leisure products
- Training, employment and workforce retention
- Accessible cultural tourism
- International best practices
Sunday 5th October, the opening day, will be dedicated exclusively to tourism professionals, with a B2B matchmaking session designed as professional “speed dating”. During registration, participants will be able to choose their preferred theme from the Summit topics (e.g., tourism business, education and training, new technologies, mobility and transport, etc.). Based on their choices, thematic matches will be organised to connect stakeholders who have shared interests.
Distinguished Guests
Alongside Italian authorities such as Daniela Santanchè (Minister of Tourism) and Alessandra Locatelli (Minister for Disabilities), who will attend the Opening Ceremony on Monday 6th October, the Summit will host prominent international figures, including:
- Barbara Casagrande, Secretary General, Ministry of Tourism
- Isabelle Ducharme, Co-President of the 3rd World Summit and CEO of Kéroul, Canada
- Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director, UN Tourism
- Igor Stefanovic, UN Tourism Coordinator for Accessibility, Cultural Tourism, and Indigenous Peoples
- Anna Grazia Laura, President, ENAT – European Network for Accessible Tourism
- Inmaculada Placencia-Porrero, Senior Advisor, European Commission
- Alessandra Priante, President, ENIT – Italian National Tourism Agency
- Olaf Schlieper, Representative, German National Tourist Board
- Pierluigi Di Palma, President, ENAC – Italian Civil Aviation Authority
- Gianmaria Patti, Head of Concept & Customer Assistance Alpitour World
- Mirko Lalli, Founder & CEO, Data Appeal, Italy
- Giampiero Strisciuglio, CEO, Trenitalia
- Roberta Alverà, Deputy Mayor, Cortina d’Ampezzo
Also attending the ceremony will be Maurizio Montagnese, President of the Congress and of CPD – Consulta per le Persone in Difficoltà, Daniela Broglio, President of ISITT – Istituto Italiano per il Turismo per Tutti, and representatives of the Italian Youth Agency.
The plenary session on 6th October will be moderated by Angelo Pittro, Director of Lonely Planet Italy.
Turin: Smart and Accessible City
From Italy’s first capital to the 2025 European Capital of Smart Tourism, Turin is a city that has made innovation one of its hallmarks. Surrounded by the Alps and crossed by the Po River, the city offers a unique mix of art, history, culture, food and wine, and entertainment. At the same time, it has become a living laboratory of urban experimentation, blending heritage with cutting-edge solutions.
Among its highlights:
- The UNESCO-listed Royal Residences
- Four national museums, including the world-renowned Egyptian Museum
- Elegant piazzas and historic cafés
- A rich calendar of international events and contemporary cultural offerings
Turin’s long-standing commitment to inclusive, barrier-free tourism is exemplified by the Turismabile project, which works to make the Piedmont region’s cultural and natural heritage accessible to everyone.
Inclusive Welcome: the “Welcome Tours” by Turismo Torino e Provincia
To ensure participants feel welcome from their very first moment in the city, the Summit will offer “Welcome Tours – Your First Time in Turin”: guided accessible itineraries that include blind experience modules and international sign language interpretation. The initiative is coordinated by Turismo Torino e Provincia, in collaboration with the City of Turin, the Chamber of Commerce, and the tourism associations Federagit Confesercenti and G.I.A. Torino, offering a heartfelt example of inclusive hospitality.
Tour bookings are managed by Turismo Torino e Provincia.
Sponsors
The success of the World Summit on Accessible Tourism 2025 is made possible thanks to the support of sponsors who share a strong commitment to inclusive and sustainable tourism.
Platinum Sponsors include:
- Alpitour World, a leading travel group investing in accessible holiday experiences
- The German National Tourist Board, promoting Germany as an accessible destination
- The Liguria Region, which is implementing initiatives for barrier-free hospitality along its coast and inland villages
Gold Sponsor:
- Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, a pioneer in combining culture, nature, and inclusive experiences
Supporters
Institutional support comes from regional and national bodies that promote a fair and innovative tourism system, including:
- Italian Youth Agency
- Piedmont Region
- Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation
- CRT Foundation
- Chamber of Commerce of Turin
