Regular users of the Internet in Italy make up only 56% of the population aged between 16 and 74 years, compared with the European average of 72%, while conversely 34% of Italians have never used the Internet, compared with the European average of 21%.

The usage levels of the different online services are normally less than half the average value within in the European Union and, therefore, very far away from the European targets set for 2015. The diffusion of the purchase of goods and services online is slightly less than 20% in Italy, compared to the 47% average of the European Union.

This is just some of the data showing the digital gap in our country.

Moreover, Italian innovation policies have traditionally thought more about digitizing existing processes, rather than using digital as a lever for economic and social change.

What are Italy’s strategies for bridging this gap?

What attention is now given to tourism as a specific sector to be tackled as part of a more general process of innovation in the country?