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ANNO I - N. 2 1 NOVEMBER 2021

ALLEGATO A TRAVEL QUOTIDIANO N. 32-33 DEL 27-29 OTTOBRE 2021 POsTE ITALIANE sPA - sPED. IN ABB. POsT. D.L. 353/2003 (cONV. IN L. 27.02.2004, N° 46), ART. 1, cOmmA 1, c1-TR-0143 PREzzO PER cOPIA € 0,10

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Travel Talk, News & Experiences

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WTM 2021 EDITION

PROCIDA

2022 Italy’s capital of culture

MILANO - Speaking to ItaliAbsolutely Giorgio Palmucci looked back on the last 18 months.

«There was a lot of uncertainty, and then the second Covid wave hit. Today there is more positivity and greater confidence in a recovery, thanks to the vaccination programme and to investments made by industry players to ensure greater peace of mind and guarantees for visitors. We are at the WTM to send out the message, to neighbouring markets and to the world, that we guarantee safety to those who choose our country.»

«We have to grow, not in volume but in value»

«Before Covid tourism was already in a phase of evolution, and we, as the operative arm of the Ministry of Tourism, were starting to think about trends, and how the ways of using a holiday and of traveling were changing. Covid accelerated these processes. In 2019 we were worried about over-tourism. Now we need to grow back not in volume but in value, keeping people longer in our country and making sure they don’t just visit the most popular destinations.»

Boosting domestic and international markets

«Italy is a very diversified country and we can not limit ourselves to selling certain times of year and the classical overcrowded destinations. Tourism can work 365 days a year and there is no such thing as a minor destination; what we have are amazing lesser-known destinations. The first step is to work on the domestic market as Covid has shown us that Italians do not know their country very well. The next step is to make sure that more mature neighbouring markets like Germany, the UK and France come back fast.»

t TOURISM INDUSTRY

t NEWS Operators

FACEto Giorgio Palmucci, President, Italian National Tourism Board

We are at the WTM to tell the world we can guarantee safety to those who choose our country

FACE

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t INSPIRATIONS

«The number one variable for a holiday is safety»

For intercontinental visitors, from the USA to Canada, from Australia to Japan, and from South America to China, over these difficult months ENIT recounted a virtual story. «We told international visitors that Covid has not touched the hardware. That Italy is the same as it always was, and we have worked very hard to respond to what is now the number one variable in choosing a destination which is safety.»

We need to move fast before other destinations

At the end of last October, before the second wave hit, the perception of 84% of international travellers surveyed was that Italian operators had done everything possible to ensure safe holidays. «The message we want to get across now is that visitors don't have to worry about Covid or anything else that doesn’t add value to their stay. But if we want to be competitive we have to move fast, before other destinations. In 2022 we will bounce back though not to the levels of 2019. It will be a year of recovery, although MICE and business travel will only kick-in later.»

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Digital

m o c . y l e t u l o s b ItaliA

y l a t I g n i t c e n n o s C r e y u b l a b o l g with

MILAN - we wanted to go one step further, to move outside our confines and speak directly to the global players who specialize in italy. So we created italiAbsolutely.com, a showcase of all the nuances of our country, a format packed with information, suggestions, technical details and peculiarities to give you a totally different idea of italy.

A cultural, but also a carefree and enogastronomic italy. A country of fun and refinement, of luxury and major events, of great art cities and colourful towns, of ancient Roman roads and boundless beaches. in a nutshell a constant inspiration for professionals want to create itineraries and organize travel in one of the most extraordinary countries on the planet.

Our name says it all: italiAbsolutely. Absolutely italy. A place you can’t be without.

italiAbsolutely.com, the new b2b digital hub by Travel quotidiano, connects italy with thousands of international buyers. it is a magazine with a mission presenting our de-

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Travel Talk, News & Experiences

Quotidiano www.travelquotidiano.com

Editore: Travel Open Day srl Proprietà: Network & Comunication srl Autorizzazione del Tribunale di Milano numero 793 del 30/11/91 Iscrizione a R.o.c. numero 13242 del 26.03.2005 Spedizione in abb.postale (pubblicità al 45%)

General Manager DANIELA BATTAGLIONI d.battaglioni@italiabsolutely.com d.battaglioni@travelquotidiano.com

stinations to a global audience, and is the only professional information site entirely in english that features the country as a travel and tourism destination, providing specific and quality news, essential business advice and all-important facts and figures.

We wanted to take on a new editorial and digital challenge so we set up a hub entirely dedicated to foreign markets

«we wanted to take on a new editorial and digital challenge so we set up a hub entirely dedicated to foreign markets - says Daniela Battaglioni general manager italiAbsolutely -. it is a complex undertaking, but we have a high-profile team and very clear objectives. we want to give new impetus to the incoming market, connecting foreign

Daniela Battaglioni

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PRINTED EDITION The first printed edition, will be distributed to buyers at the Rimini TTgTravel experience fair from 13 to 15 october and will also be sent digitally to the more than 10,000 buyers around the world on www.italiAbsolutely.com’s mailing list

buyers with italian players, showcasing our great cities but also our small villages - an italy that is still little known abroad with its ancient traditions, fascinating culture and great food and wines.

As we are an editorial medium catering to major global markets, to avoid any confusion have chosen to use only the english language. This is an outstanding project and product.»

italiAbsolutely by travel Quotidiano will be present with a print edition at the most important italian and international tourism events, becoming a benchmark for industry players who will be able to keep up-todate on everything

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that’s happening in the travel and tourism industry in italy. This second printed edition will be distributed to buyers at the world Travel market from 1 to 3 November and will also be sent digitally to the more than 10,000 buyers around the world on www.italiAbsolutely.com’s mailing list. paving the way for a new form of communication, and in constant contact with buyers worldwide, italiAbsolutely by travel Quotidiano and italiAbsolutely.com a voice to the thousands of italian tour operators, hoteliers, travel companies, DmCs, tour operators, and incoming agencies who want to make their products known.

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t NEWS t TOURISM INDUSTRY Cities and Regions

t INSPIRATIONS

PROCIDA

2022

We are doing our best to support cultural and tourist activities in every possible way, and today’s designation as the Italian Capital of Culture for 2022 is a signal for recovery

NAPLES - Procida, which is one of the Fleagrean Islands in the province of Naples, and has just over ten thousand inhabitants, will be the Italian Capital of Culture 2022.

This is the first time the recognition goes to an island rather than a provincial or regional capital.

Dario Franceschini

“The island’s landscape and heritage are extraordinary”

The motivation: “The cultural project presents excellent elements of attractiveness and quality. There is well-structured local and regional public and private support. The heritage and landscape are extraordinary. While the laboratory dimension with social aspects of technological diffusion is dedicated to the Tyrrhenian islands, it is also relevant for the smaller Mediterranean islands. Thanks to this the project could break the mould and become a model for sustainable development based on island and coastal areas. The project can also transmit a poetic message and is a vision of culture that extends from a small island as a wish for everyone in the months ahead.”

The Procida project endorses the island as an example of relational dynamics

Procida, Non-island culture is the title of the candidacy dossier that highlights how “island land is a place of exploration, experimentation and knowledge, a model of cultures and a metaphor for contemporary man. The power of imagination and concreteness of vision

Procida, the little Mediterranean island off the coast of Naples, will be Italian Capital of Culture 2022

The programme for the Cultural Capital year focuses on five elements show us Procida as an example of relational dynamics and of practices of inclusion, as well as of care for the cultural and natural heritage.” The procida2022.com website lists 44 cultural projects, 330 days of programming, 240 artists, 40 original works and 8 regenerated cultural spaces that are scheduled for next year.

«In 2022 culture and tourism will be as important and strong as they were»

«This is a complicated year for everyone - said Minister for Cultural Heritage and Tourism Dario Franceschini at the proclamation ceremony -. We are doing our best to support cultural and tourist activities in every possible way, and today’s designation as the Italian Capital of Culture for 2022 is a signal for recovery. In 2022 we will be back to normal and culture and tourism will be as important and strong as they were before the pandemic».

l Procida invents.

Projects for artistic processes and events: exhibitions, cinema, performances and site-specific works l Procida inspires.

Projects promoting the island as a source of inspiration, both as a real place and as an imaginary space

l Procida includes.

Social inclusion projects that use the languages of art as tools for the expression of the individual in relation to the community l Procida innovates.

Projects promoting the relationship between culture and innovation, fostering moments of confrontation between the national community of innovators and the local community, and a strategic rethinking of their cultural heritage l Procida learns.

Projects promoting the strengthening of an educating community, through the creation of open alliances aimed at involving all public and private parties

Among the motivations

l Thanks to this the project could break the mould and become a model for sustainable development based on island and coastal areas. l It transmit a poetic message and is a vision of culture that extends from a small island as a wish for everyone in the months ahead

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t TOURISM INDUSTRY

t NEWS Transportation

New trains and enhanced High Speed, Intercity and Regional services

We want to pass on the levels of trust and reliability in our company to our customers

Pietro Diamantini

ROME - «We are working to integrate the leisure and business sectors in such a way that the competitive value of our company is evenly distributed and becomes a value for everyone. We want to pass on the levels of trust and reliability in our company to our customers, and the intermediation of travel agents is crucial,» said Pietro Dia-

mantini, High Speed Business Director Trenitalia

High Speed in Europe, and a new International Business Unit

The recovery of the domestic market post-Covid is picking up and Trenitalia has many interests on foreign markets. In Spain there is company for high speed, in Great Britain regional and Intercity services as well as high speed as in Switzerland and Germany, and soon Greece too will have high-speed trains. «Given our many international interests a new business unit has just been set up.

The International Business Unit is our fourth, after High Speed, Intercity and Regional, and will coordinate Trenitalia’s international interests.»

Intercity trains.

Connecting provincial capitals and main italian cities

«Intercity is a public service for the Ministry of Transport, operating medium and long-distance routes that connect all the provincial capitals and main Italian cities. The Intercity has a dual function, first as a commuter service and in recent years growing in importance in the leisure sector,» said Business Intercity Director Domenico Scida.

Back to 70% of pre-Covid traffic levels

«In the summer of 2021, with the recovery of tourism post–Covid, we worked together with holiday destinations and there was strong demand for the Adriatic, the South and Sicily. We operate 130 connections a day across Italy. The domestic

We have plans to improve the quality of the rolling stock and services on board

Domenico Scida

Almost 50% of our trains are new, with high-quality services increasingly aimed at local tourism

Sabrina De Filippis

market has picked up, and in terms of passengers we are now approaching 70% of preCovid traffic.»

Improving the quality of the rolling stock

“We have plans to improve the quality of the rolling stock and services on board. Intercity has two products: day and night, the latter with berths as well as seats. By the end of the year all Intercity day trains will have places to carry bicycles and vending machines for food and beverages.»

«In Italy the regional train is the true protagonist of mobility»

«In the last two years the true protagonist has been the regional train - said Regional Business Director Sabrina De Filippis -. Almost 50% of our trains are new, with high-quality services increasingly aimed at local tourism. The summer of 2021 was exceptional with a 20-30% increase in demand over 2020, which had already gone well. Now we are working on new pricings aimed at families, friends and couples.»

Train+bus services to minor localities

l Last year the Regional Business Unit took agency sales from 3% to over 12%.«Our big dream is to see our regional services in all tour operator packages,» said De Filippis. «The regional train is the true protagonist of mobility, and where we do not reach by train we have local partnerships that allow our passengers to conclude their journey by bus to smaller localities. Visitors already know the Frecciarossa.

Through our travel agent partners we want to get the message across that our regional trains are the best way to get from one end of the country to the other.»

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e y B e y B l ita l ia A

NAPLES - Ita Airways, the fledgling Italian airline, is painted sky blue and on the tail proudly carries stylized icons reflecting Italy’s national artistic heritage. The new aircraft will take off with a network of 44 destinations and 59 routes and by 2025 these will increase to 74 and 89. The young and sustainable fleet consists of 52 aircraft (7 wide bodies and 45 narrow bodies). From next year there will be 78 aircraft (26 new aircraft, a 50% rise over 2021) of which 13 wide bodies (+6 compared to 2021) and 65 narrow bodies (+20 over 2021), and with the gradual introduction of new generation aircraft by 2025 it will count 105 new aircraft (23 wide bodies and 82 narrow bodies).

«We intend realigning the balance between medium and long haul» Sustainability is one of the three main objectives around which the carrier’s industrial

t INSPIRATIONS

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and Happy landings Ita Airways!

plan revolves. «Profitability (operational break-even is expected for 2023) which in itself represents an immense discontinuity compared to the old company, - said Ita Airway CEO Fabio Maria Lazzerini then economic, environmental and social sustainability and, lastly, connectivity. Even before Covid Italy was under-served on intercontinental routes, so we will realign the balance between medium and long haul.»

Four classes and ad hoc fares

Ita Airways will focus on the Rome Fiumicino hub and on Milan Linate airport, where it will position itself as the reference airline for business and leisure traffic. The fare policy will be structured with ad hoc fares for the different types of passenger - business, leisure, young traveller, senior, kids and there are four classes, Business, Premium, Comfort and Economy.

OBJECTIVES: Profitability which in itself represents an immense discontinuity compared to the old company, then economic, environmental and social sustainability and, lastly, connectivity

Fabio Maria Lazzerini

«We are the right size in terms of fleet and destinations»

Following decades of difficulties for Alitalia now the time has come to turn the page: «This time its going to work - claims President Alfredo Altavilla - because Ita Airways is the right size, both in terms of fleet and destinations. For a country with a strong tourist vocation such as Italy, a national airline is not a possibility but an obligation. The low cost carries are not able to compete for the comfort on board, the flexibility of connecting routes, or the value for money. As the saying goes, “You pay peanuts you get monkeys”, and unfortunately this applies to many low cost carriers operating in Italy.»

Flying is Ita Airways’ new loyalty programme

The simplicity of earning and spending miles is the distinctive feature of “Flying” Ita

For a country with a strong tourist vocation such as Italy, a national airline is not a possibility but an obligation

Alfredo Altavilla

44

ations n i t s e D

59 routes

52

THE CLASSES

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Business Premium Comfort Economy

ft aircra e bodies s 7 wid rrow bodie 45 na

THE FUTURE l

From 2022 78 aircraft of which 13 wide bodies and 65 narrow bodies

THE FARES

Ad hoc for the different types of passenger: l Business l Leisure l Young traveller l Senior l Kids

l

By 2025 it will count 105 new aircraft 23 wide bodies 82 narrow bodies

Airways’ new loyalty programme.

Numerous commercial partnerships are planned to guarantee members a wide range of services and products. The accumulated points will allow them to fly every day of the year, without blocked dates, and it will also be easy to redeem miles, again with no blocked dates. Registration for the programme is available on the website www.ita-airways.com, and on the company’s App.

Looking for a strategic partner

By 2022 Ita Airways will have defined a series of industrial synergies and chosen a strategic partner. «I’m looking in any direction where there is the possibility of creating value for Ita», concluded Altavilla.

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t INSPIRATIONS

t TOURISM INDUSTRY Leisure

t NEWS

Gino Acampora President Acampora Travel

s r e y a l p l a c o L k r o w t s mu r e h t e g to

ROME - Acampora Travel, the Sorrento-based tour operator had a good summer, with many European and Eastern European arrivals from mid-July to the end of September.

«At the beginning of the year I took Acampora Travel and some of our clients back from Tui. Working with Tui we learned a lot. They are an exceptional group, and I hope they also learned from us - said president Gino Acampora -. Unfortunately UK visitors were missing this summer due to the quarantine measures.»

Requests and bookings for smaller groups

«2022 is going to be a year of transition but we should return to normal in 2023. We are already receiving a lot of requests and bookings, after two years without travel people really want to get on the move again. And there is a lot of interest in the classical Italian destinations and also for weddings from Europe, the US and now the UK». «One big difference - added Acampora -, is that people no longer want to travel in big groups. They are happier with smaller numbers, so we are getting requests for groups of 15 to 20.»

The Cilento region has something for everyone

One region that is really taking off, according to Acampora, is the Cilento, the beautiful coast in the Campania region below Salerno.

After the Jesolo area in Veneto the

Cilento takes off

2022 is going to be a year of transition but we should return to normal in 2023.

The Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport is to get an extended runway

Gino Acampora

In 2024 the runway of the Salerno Costa d’Amalfi airport, which is just 20 kilometres from Salerno, will be extended, making the Cilento more easily accessible. «Apart from the sea the Cilento has internal areas that are as beautiful as Sardinia, a wonderful National Park and amazing wines and foods, and even in the shoulder months and in winter the climate is mild.»

Smaller groups

People no longer want to travel in big groups. They are happier with smaller numbers, in groups of 15 to 20

We must work together to everyone’s advantage

Cilento has Italy’s highest concentration of camping sites and holiday villages as well as hotels of all levels. «We are investing in our Palinuro hotel by adding 23 new rooms», said Acampora.

Traditionally the Cilento’s season lasts from May to September but Acampora says it has to be stretched to at least mid-October. «If there is no supply there can be no demand. We can attract visitors in the autumn months, but not if 80% of shops and restaurants close at the end of September. The local players have to understand this and work together to everyone’s advantage.»

l The Region has Italy’s highest concentration of camping sites and holiday villages as well as hotels of all levels l In 2024 the runway of the Salerno Costa d’Amalfi airport, which is just 20 kilometres from Salerno, will be extended, making the Cilento more easily accessible

l Traditionally the Cilento’s season lasts from May to September but Acampora says it has to be stretched to at least mid-October

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POPULAR VENUES FOR EVENTS, AND COURSES

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FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN

Italia

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The italian locations of Hard Rock Cafe Florence Rome and Venice

ROME Hard Rock Cafe Italia with its three Italian locations, Florence, Rome and Venice, has become a benchmark for the tourism industry and for inbound operators thanks to its unique hospitality model and the experiences it offers customers.

Gala dinners, fashion shows, team building and more

In the past 50 years, since the opening of the first London Cafe in 1971, Hard Rock Cafe has become a true icon not just for lovers of music and good food, but also for all those who fall under the spell of the Hard Rock myth. The Italian cafes, while remaining faithful to their origins, have become increasingly popular venues for private

events, corporate meetings, training courses, gala dinners, fashion shows, events for the launch of new products, team building, birthday parties, weddings and much more.

Courses for school children in total safety

This autumn saw the educational courses starting again in total safety and in compliance with national health regulations. Once again they tell the story of the Temple of Rock to hundreds of classes, giving their younger fans an all-embracing experience surrounded by the memorabilia of the greatest music stars of the last 50 years.

Courses in sustainable development and digital citizenship

In addition to the now traditional music, food and cuisine educational classes, for the school year 2021-2022 each café will focus on certain themes. For example in the Florence cafe the subject will be sustainable development, and focus on the objectives of the 2030 Agenda through the history and experiences of Hard Rock Café. Digital citizenship is another topic which will be addressed to understand how and what to communicate respectfully and consciously.

The history of rock for school goers

At the Rome cafe the novelty this autumn is about how great music festivals have contributed and been an integral part of the evolution of customs and society and, in some cases, have witnessed and been an integral part of epoch-making changes around the world. At the Venice cafe the 15 songs that have made the history of rock, and why they have become part of everyday life, will be explained to the children taking part in the courses.

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t INSPIRATIONS Tips

PromoTo

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urismFV G

g n i k n i h t Forward s n o i t c a e r and quick s i h t s s e c c spell su summer

«Operators dropped their dependence on the OTAs by at least 20-25%»

MILAN - German visitors made a welcome return to the Friuli Venezia Giulia region this year, arriving as early as 2 June. But, while other regions had a good summer thanks to domestic arrivals, Friuli Venezia Giulia registered a slump in Italian visitors, a drop that was handsomely compensated by the German and Austrian markets. «Unfortunately we lost out on the Italian market and also on traditional visitors from Hungary and Poland due not just to Covid but also to economic problems. German arrivals made all the difference and we had a really bumper summer». said Bruno Bertero, Marketing Director PromoTourismFVG, the region’s tourism development and operations agency.

The season ran to mid-October and choices shifted towards minor attractions

Summer continued on a positive trend, and unexpectedly extended after 15 August into September and up to 15 October. «Our operators changed their work methods and, rather than closing on 15 September and despite the problems they had finding staff, they were ready for the challenge and really pulled it off. The other novelty was that choices shifted, with people not only taking seaside holidays but also requesting our art cities and above all our smaller cities, UNESCO sites, towns and villages».

During the lockdown ProTurismoFVG worked on new strategies, preparing operators and creating a wide range of new products. In August arrivals were up by 90-95% over 2019, with many hotels running at 110% occupancy. Digitalization was widely adopted with very positive results. «Our operators worked very well by going directly to the market. They dropped their dependence on the OTAs by at least 20-25%, embracing direct distribution and handling their own revenues, pricing and distribution.»

The lockdown months gave us a chance to do specialized training and the operators were pleasantly surprised by the cost savings

Bruno Bertero

In-house training and a dedicated staff

«The lockdown months gave us a chance to do specialized training and the operators were pleasantly surprised by the cost savings. We do tin-house courses, deciding on which projects we need to concentrate. I know my operator’s requirements, and I give them with what they need to succeed. We have a staff of six who respond to every single market request; Promoturismo FVG is dedicated to providing mediation between local operators and buyers.»

«The British market really wants to return»

Bertero is confident that the 2021/22 winter season can be a success, but only if the issue of access to the ski slopes is resolved.

He added that if limitations persist, working together with local operators they will find a way to over-

come them. «What we really need, and what we are asking for is to be kept in the picture. Now we are only getting partial information and this is holding us back. Hopefully the classical markets will return and Europe will restart. England has always been an important market for us and we know the British really want to return.»

t INSPIRATIONS Food & wine

PARMA

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t TOURISM INDUSTRY

and Emilia Romagna Fine food and wines, music and unhurried holidays

PARMA - This summer the Emilia Romagna region attracted chiefly French, German, Dutch and Swiss visitors, and every year from September its appeal are the many events and festivals focussing on its famous foods and wines like the Gastronomic September in Parma and the Wine Festival in the Piacentino region. There is something too for music lovers with the annual Verdi Festival which always draws international visitors. «It is a central festival for us, this is 100% the land of Giuseppe Verdi. In one weekend you can see four operas in Parma and Busseto», said Cristiano Casa, Parma’s Councillor for Tourism.

A generous region with gastronomic delights and great music

Emilia is a land just waiting to discovered, and it is wonderfully authentic. This is the land of food par excellence with products like Parma ham, Parmesan cheese, Culatello di Zibello, Salame Felino, Balsamic Vinegar, Piacenza’s cured meats and excellent wines. «We also have our three great art cities, and this year Parma is the Italian Capital of Culture. Our theatre season opens in early December with the Regio in Parma, the Municipale in Piacenza and the Valli in Reggio Emilia as well as in the many boutique theaters around the provinces.»

«At the World Travel Market the focus will be on food and castles»

t NEWS

«At the World Travel Market we will be focussing on two elements: food and castles. We have 50 castles; they can all be visited, and there are excellent services and stunning landscapes around them.

Then we have trails like the Via Francigena and outdoors activities in the Apennines mountain range and along the Po river. In 2022 we will present the region as a place of “slow mix” made for unhurried holidays. We’ll promote this at trade fairs and through the Internet which we have found gives an excellent return. The region is also very well linked with excellent high speed, Intercity and regional trains.

By car we are on the main northsouth motorway axis, and we are equidistant from Bologna and Linate Airports.»

Cristiano Casa

PAS. Charter flight solutions from private to commercial jets We establish a very close rapport with our clients and they are dealt with on a personal basis

MILAN - PAS Professional Aviation Solutions is an international broker providing a wide range of flight solutions, from private and commercial jets to helicopters and drones. «We are brokers specialized in aircraft charter. We launched in Italy in 2018 and have grown fast, building up a solid client base. Covid slowed things down initially, but then we picked up, especially with regard to private jets which offered clients very high levels of safety during and after the lockdown period,» said Country Manager Alessio Altamura.

Alessio «Our clients are also groups Altamura incentive and tour operators»

«We have over eighty airline partners and another hundred for private jet charters so we can provide flights from any airport at any time of day which means guaranteeing clients maximum flexibility. Our customers range from private companies to sporting clubs to NGOs, and we also work a lot with incentive groups and tour operators.

We establish a very close rapport with our clients and they are dealt with on a personal basis.» With offices in Italy, Portugal, Istanbul, Athens and Cairo, the head office is in Germany and in Italy the offices are in Milan. PAS, with its Spanish partner Alba Star Airline, won a three-year tender to provide air services for the Italian Ministry for Defence.