Italian hospitality and commerce sectors face youth engagement challenges

The Italian hospitality and commercial sectors are facing significant challenges regarding workforce retention and demographic engagement. Riccardo Orlandi, President of Aigrim-Fipe, noted during the Aigrim Day 2026 forum in Milan that while 40% of the workforce in large-scale commercial catering is under the age of 30, the primary difficulty lies in retaining these employees as they seek different career ambitions.

Orlandi emphasized that despite the potential of technology and artificial intelligence, the labor-intensive nature of the industry requires human resources to maintain operational hours, particularly during high-intensity periods like weekends. He highlighted that competitive contracts and fair compensation remain decisive factors in recruitment.

In a separate regional context, data from the Confcommercio Modena Cities Analytics platform regarding events in Carpi revealed a demographic gap. While major events like Festivalfilosofia and Carpinfiore attracted significant crowds, visitors under the age of 25 accounted for less than 10% of total attendance. Local officials indicated a need for targeted strategies to attract younger generations to revitalize commercial activity.