In October the first Apreski Milano Mountain Show

Milan will host the first edition of the Apreski Milano Mountain Show, a trade fair-event conceived to become the international mountain forum, a place where different worlds can meet, see and compare. A new project involving insiders, companies and the mountain industry chain, from ski lift operators to hospitality. The inauguration is on Thursday 16 October and the Apreski spaces will be open until 19 October in the Big Theatre - MIND, Milano Innovation District at Rho Fiera. The first two days of the event will be dedicated to B2B discussions between companies, tourist destinations, public bodies, universities and research centres. The weekend (18-19 October) will instead be open to the general public, with experiential activities, shows, talks, and meetings with athletes and industry professionals. All this just a few months before the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, with the aim of transforming the mountains from a tourist destination to a living, competitive and sustainable ecosystem. The programme of the event includes moments of in-depth analysis, including the annual assembly of Anef, the National Association of Cableway Operators and Confindustria, as well as previews, meetings, immersive and equipment experiences, and a schedule full of guests, companies and institutions: a unique opportunity to create a system and rethink the mountains not only as a place of sport and natural beauty, but as a territory of social, cultural and economic innovation.

"The mountains, in addition to representing an iconic and characteristic element of many of our territories, are a natural laboratory of excellence and innovation, skills and traditions that every day are measured against the desire to look to the future and the need to ensure sustainable development for territories and communities," explains Cristian Celoria, Partner PwC Italy, Strategic Advisor Apreski Milano Mountain Show. During Apreski, thanks to the participation of the most representative companies, institutions, universities and experts of the Italian mountains, we will discuss all the most significant challenges that the mountain ecosystem has to face, from the green and digital transition to the valorisation of local supply chains, from conscious and sustainable tourism to the improvement of competitiveness and attractiveness. It will be an opportunity to start building a narrative of the mountains not only as a place to preserve or visit, but as an ecosystem of innovation, sustainability and the future of the country". "Apreski Milano was therefore created as an open and authoritative square," specifies Michele Budelli, president of Fandango Club Creators, which produces Apreski, "where institutions, businesses, operators, media and local communities can meet, exchange ideas and build together a new narrative of the mountains: a place that does not live only in the myth of winter, but that looks to the future as a shared space, resilient and generative of opportunities.

Bringing the mountains and their people to life is the other aspect of the snow industry that engages the general public of summit enthusiasts. "We feel the need to share our commitment, which lasts 12 months of the year. Apreski is not just about relaxation: it is a world full of values, experiences and challenges that we want to bring to light. Starting with sustainability - environmental, social and economic - without which the mountains have no future,' emphasises Valeria Ghezzi, president of Anef. 'In recent decades, depopulation has profoundly marked the Alpine territories: without people there is no community, and without a community there can be no real environmental protection. For us, technology is a fundamental tool for making the mountains truly sustainable, innovative and welcoming. This is why we have chosen to bring our national assembly to Apreski, entitled 'Ritmo verticale' (Vertical Rhythm): rhythm for the great dynamism we are experiencing, and verticality as a symbol of the ascent towards the highest peaks, which are also those of the future'.

Also present at the event will be, among others, the San Donato Group, Oasi Zegna, mountain machinery manufacturers such as Leitner, Prinoth and Demaclenko, as well as representatives of territories such as Trentino Sviluppo, Val di Fassa, the Veneto Region and Valle d'Aosta, the Dolomiti Superski consortium, tourism realities such as TH Resorts, and finally Fisi as the event's presenting partner and Pool Sci Italia. "Pool Sci Italia represents the alpine skiing industry at the Apreski Milano Mountain Show. The companies of the consortium, which on Saturday 18 October will flank Fisi in the innovative event 'The champions fit show by Pool Sci Italia', have been working for weeks to guarantee the best support for this new event, in the hope that it will become a fixed appointment over time. On this occasion we intend to make our contribution to bringing attention back to winter sports, in view of the season leading up to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The 27 consortium brands of Pool Sci Italia, official suppliers of the national Alpine Ski teams, represent technical excellence at the service of both athletes and fans. For this reason, our presence will not only be institutional: we will propose the 'stage zero' of the Prove Libere Tour, the largest ski test open to the public in Italy. The village will be set up as a large open-air showroom, where it will be possible to discover and try out the novelties of the 2025-26 ski collections on the synthetic downhill slope set up next to the exhibition area. The specialists present will be on hand to provide visitors with technical information and advice on how to choose the best equipment for next winter,' explains Alessio Meda, President of Pool Sci Italia.