FINE Italy will return to Riva del Garda in 2026

FINE #WineTourism Marketplace Italy will return to Riva del Garda, in Trentino, on Oct. 27 and 28, 2026, as organizers seek to build on the first edition of a trade event focused entirely on wine tourism in Italy.

The marketplace is aimed at wine tourism professionals and is structured around pre-arranged business meetings between exhibitors and international buyers. Organizers said the event is designed for wineries, wine tourism destinations, consortia, associations and wine routes that want to present their offers, meet travel trade decision-makers and expand into new markets.

The event is organized by Riva del Garda Fierecongressi and Feria de Valladolid. Great Wine Capitals will serve as a media partner and support the promotion of sustainable and innovation-driven wine tourism, according to the organizers.

The 2026 edition follows what organizers described as a strong debut in 2025. The first event brought together 76 exhibitors, 74 hosted buyers and 63 visiting professionals. It generated 1,440 B2B meetings, according to figures released by the organizers. Of the exhibitors, 78% came from 12 Italian regions and 22% were international. Among hosted buyers, 65% came from Europe, 15% from outside the European Union and 20% from Italy. Buyers represented tour operators, travel agencies, destination management companies, online travel agencies, professional congress organizers and tour guides from 24 countries.

Organizers said 89% of the meetings in the first edition were driven by mutual alignment between supply and demand through a matchmaking system. That system will remain central in 2026. Exhibitors and buyers use a digital agenda to select preferred contacts, and the platform schedules appointments based on shared interests. The goal is to make meetings more relevant and reduce time spent on general networking without clear commercial purpose.

The fair is part of a broader push to position wine tourism as a growing branch of the travel economy in Italy. The choice of Riva del Garda reflects that strategy. Located in northern Italy near Lake Garda, the town sits within Trentino, a region that combines mountain landscapes with established wine production and hospitality infrastructure. Organizers are presenting the destination not only as a venue but also as part of the product being sold to international buyers.

In addition to formal meetings, the program will include networking lunches, evening cocktails, guided tastings at a Wine Hub and coffee breaks intended to create informal contact among participants. A conference program under the “BE FINE” label will feature talks and roundtables on market trends and business strategies in wine tourism.

The event will also include familiarization trips beginning Oct. 29 for selected buyers who want to explore participating destinations after the marketplace ends. These trips will last two or three nights and will be activated for destinations with at least four exhibitors. Travel and lodging costs for those trips will be covered by participating wineries or destinations, while overall coordination will remain with Riva del Garda Fierecongressi.

For exhibitors, participation includes access to scheduled meetings with hosted buyers, networking events, tasting opportunities at the Wine Hub and a furnished meeting lounge in the exhibition area. Organizers listed an early bird exhibitor rate of €3,060 after a 15% discount available through May 31, with a standard rate of €3,600 afterward.

Hosted buyers will be selected through an application process based on business profile and objectives. Selected participants will receive accommodation arranged by the organization and access to scheduled meetings, networking events and optional fee-based familiarization trips. Visiting professionals and media representatives may also apply for admission. Organizers said access for approved visitors and accredited media will be free.

The event’s structure shows how specialized wine tourism fairs are becoming more targeted in Europe. Rather than operating as broad consumer festivals or general wine trade shows, FINE Italy is built as a business platform linking producers and destinations with intermediaries who package travel experiences for clients. That includes tour operators, agencies, consultants and destination specialists looking for winery visits, regional itineraries and hospitality products that can be sold internationally.

Italy has long had strong assets in this field because of its regional diversity, established appellations and food culture. But organizers argue that those strengths need more focused commercial channels if they are to translate into sustained tourism growth across different territories, including lesser-known areas beyond the country’s most visited wine regions.

The marketplace also reflects increasing competition among destinations seeking higher-value travelers interested in food, wine and local culture. In that context, trade events centered on matchmaking have become more important because they allow wineries and regional groups to present themselves not only as producers of wine but also as hosts of experiences that include tastings, vineyard visits, lodging, gastronomy and cultural activities.

By returning to Riva del Garda for a second edition, FINE Italy is betting that demand from both sellers and buyers remains strong enough to support a dedicated annual platform for this segment. The organizers are now using the results from the first year to attract more exhibitors and international participants ahead of October.