Israel has been barred from participating in one of the world’s leading tourism fairs, after organizers of the TTG Travel Experience in Rimini said the country no longer met the conditions for participation.
Rimini Fiera, the company that runs the event, informed Israel’s Tourism Ministry over the weekend that the decision was made in coordination with Rimini’s municipality and authorities in the Emilia-Romagna region.
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Tourism Minister Haim Katz at the ITB Berlin trade fair
(Photo: Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
The TTG fair, scheduled for Oct. 8-10, is considered a key date on the global tourism calendar. Each year it draws thousands of travel agents, airlines, hoteliers, national representatives and entrepreneurs who showcase innovations, form partnerships and identify industry trends. Beyond being a professional exhibition, it serves as a strategic hub where business ties are forged that shape tourism in the years ahead.
Rimini’s mayor, Jamil Sadegholvaad, who was born in Iran, said in a post on X that the decision was linked to both security and political concerns. “The Israeli booth will not be among the exhibitors,” he wrote. “Security concerns, the risk of attacks and protests, but also the enormous tension in Italy surrounding Tel Aviv’s attack on Gaza, led the region and the city to request a reconsideration of Israel’s participation.”
Israel’s ambassador to Italy, Alon Bar, condemned the move as politically motivated. “The decision to exclude the Israeli tourism board from the TTG fair in Rimini represents yet another penetration of political ideology, exploiting every opportunity to use the attack on Israel for election propaganda, regardless of the serious consequences such decisions have on cultural, religious and business relations between Italy and our country,” he wrote on X.
Bar added that hundreds of thousands of Italians travel to Israel each year for work, tourism and religious purposes, while Israel provides a significant flow of visitors and business to Italy. He said the decision fuels antisemitic demonstrations and strengthens the strategy of Hamas and other militant groups.
Israel’s Tourism Ministry said the move does not reflect the position of the Italian government or people. The ministry noted that Italy’s tourism minister and other cabinet members condemned the decision, and that leading figures in the Italian tourism sector have already invited Israel to take part in alternative activities during the fair.
The ministry said Israel participates regularly in international tourism events and will continue working to strengthen ties with its Italian partners.