DATE 2026: success in Napoli

By Editorial Team
September 17, 2026

DaTE 2026 closed its Napoli edition on a high note, exceeding expectations and further confirming the strength of its distinctive format. From 12th to 14th September, the Salone Margherita in Napoli brought together 1,000 unique industry professionals, generating more than 1,080 attendances over the three-day event. The figures also highlight significant international growth: 77 international professionals from 18 countries attended this year’s event, more than twice as many as in 2025. International visitors accounted for approximately 8% of total attendance, compared with 3% last year.

The international dimension was further enhanced by a delegation of around 20 European buyers, who travelled to Napoli thanks to the collaboration with ITA – Italian Trade Agency. Their presence created additional opportunities for exchange and business for the brands taking part in DaTE. The success of the Napoli edition confirms the value of DaTE’s decision to embrace an itinerant format. Moving to Napoli significantly broadened the event’s reach across Central and Southern Italy, attracting professionals and retailers from areas that had been less represented at previous editions, while continuing to draw visitors from across the country.

The result is a particularly strong balance between opening up to new territories and maintaining a genuinely national audience – one of the defining features of this year’s edition.

“DaTE’s added value is that it gives professionals the chance to take their time – says DavideDegl’Incerti Tocci, President of DaTE. Time to look closely, to discover a product and understand its story, but above all, time to meet one another. DaTE is not a trade fair in the traditional sense. It is an event, and that distinction is fundamental to us. It creates space for manufacturers and professionals to stop, talk, exchange ideas, opinions and experiences. It is a meeting point for a community that needs to connect and engage in dialogue. The decision to make DaTE itinerant comes precisely from this need: to take the event to different places, continuing to bring professionals together and creating new connections and new forms of cross-pollination at every edition”.