35th Fafga trade fair

Much is digital, but hospitality remains

Why is a robot arm useful for growing cress? Farmionic founders Stefan Gritsch and Ana know.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Christof Birbaumer)

Digitalization and robotics are everywhere at the Tyrolean tourism trade fair, everyone is talking about artificial intelligence. All of this should help to free up time for the "real" strengths of Tyrolean tourism - a tour of the Fafga.

When it comes to wine, everything should go its usual course - or so you might think on a tour of the 35th Fafga tourism trade fair. "A mistake," snorts Dietmar Meraner from the well-known Innsbruck winery. EU laws are changing labeling, and a digital QR code is mandatory on bottles from this year's vintage onwards.

Dietmar Meraner with new QR codes on wine bottles, more of a nuisance.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Christof Birbaumer)

QR codes on wine bottles as an additional expense
"It leads to a data sheet that must contain all the information," explains the wine connoisseur. The result: "A huge amount of extra work, I'm probably in the office even longer at the weekend."

App for hotel guests and employees
Digitalization will hopefully be more of a blessing when Gastfreund is at work. "We offer an app for communicating with hotel guests. It makes everything simple, visible and bookable, even for older guests. The range extends from hiking tours to evening meals," explains Richard Vogler, sales manager of the Bavarian company with almost 2,000 customers in Tyrol. Another app allows employees to communicate with each other. The "paperwork" and often misleading verbal agreements can usually be dispensed with.

The company Gastfreund offers hotel apps for guests and employees.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Christof Birbaumer)

Robotics in vegetable growing
Digitalization and robotics have even found their way into vegetable cultivation, at least at the Tyrolean company Farmionic. A robotic arm picks up small boxes of cress at the trade fair stand. Just a gimmick? "No, the robot fills the pots with seeds. A very labor-intensive task for humans," explains Farmionic founder Stefan Gritsch. Robots are also involved in watering and rearranging the pots on the farm in Telfs. The company is hoping to win the Tyrolean Food Innovation Award at Fafga on Tuesday.

LH Mattle: More time to look after guests
LH Anton Mattle also addressed the "new times" in his opening speech. "Yes, digitalization and AI are the order of the day. But above all, digitalization is about freeing up employees' time so that they can experience genuine Tyrolean hospitality."

Above all, however, digitalization is about freeing up employees' time so that they can experience genuine Tyrolean hospitality."

LH Anton Mattle

This year's motto "Fafga meets future" generally shows that the focus is on new technologies. And with "Fafga Future Feast", international forward-thinkers will be brought to the stage in Hall A. Here, too, the world is becoming increasingly digital . . .

Exhibition Director Christian Mayerhofer welcomed the new President of Congress und Messe, Sebiye Çara.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Christof Birbaumer)

Premiere for new trade fair president
The stage fright was obviously limited when Sebiye Çara experienced her premiere as the new President of Messe und Congress at the Fafga opening on Monday. "I know the challenges in the economy from my 50-employee company. I will now bring this knowledge to bear," said the owner of a petrol station chain. She sees the fact that WK President Barbara Thaler does not also hold the highest trade fair function - as has been the case for many years - as a sign of the welcome promotion of young talent and the splitting of offices.

Digitalization is also awakening a longing for real encounters and trade fairs.

Messe-Präsidentin Sebiye Çara

"Digitalization is also awakening a longing for real encounters and trade fairs," says Çara, who sees unbroken potential for Fafga. It stands for a trade fair that is constantly reinventing itself. Trade fair director Christian Mayerhofer did not let a torn Achilles tendon slow him down and beamed on stage: "What the future means is visible and tangible here."

Alois Rainer, WK chairman of the tourism and leisure industry, referred to a method presented tomorrow at Fafga to make employee satisfaction in tourism visible. In times of labor shortages, this screw must be constantly turned.