Un piccolo Passo

On November 8th, DumBO in Bologna will host "Un piccolo passo," the official launch of the Passo dopo Passo fair, the first major Italian event dedicated to walking tourism.

A day for walkers, guides, operators, and slow travel enthusiasts, it precedes the launch of the actual fair, scheduled for April 17th to 19th, 2026. The fair aims to become a national and international reference point for those who walk, accompany, welcome, and share their experiences. Passo dopo Passo focuses on the culture of walking as a form of travel, encounter, and discovery, but also as a driver of sustainable development for local communities.

The fair was created as a showcase for an evolving, yet still fragmented, market in which very different entities coexist: guides, tour operators, walking trails, technical producers, and associations. The goal is to offer them a place of shared recognition, capable of maintaining a balance between the cultural dimension of walking—made up of stories, experiences, and values—and the commercial dimension, which concretely supports the sector.

This sector has seen significant and continuous growth in Italy in recent years. In 2024, there were an estimated 191,000 walkers, a 29% increase over 2023 (Source: "Italia Paese dei cammini" - Terre di Mezzo), while foreign walkers already represent 3.6% of the total. A movement that unites experiences, communities, and territories, creating an ever-expanding network of routes, guides, and businesses.