ITALIABSOLUTELY TTG Edition 2023

ItaliAbsolutely, your trus t e d s o u r c e f o r t r a v e l intelligence about Italy, has just forged a ground b r e a k i n g p a r t n e r s h i p with Regiondo, the allin-one B2B booking software system for the travel leisure industry

This collaboration marks a p i v o t a l m o m e n t i n

ItaliAbsolutely’s growth,

as it allows our portal to expand our horizons and bring Italy's rich tapestry of travel offerings even closer to global inbound Italy specialists

International Italy buyers r e l y o n I t a l i A b s o l u t e l y for daily news, views and inspirations on what is happening in the everchanging Italian market-

TTG 2023 EDITION

place, and now we take our commitment to them a step further

Because with Regiondo

we have become a hub

f o r p a c k a g e s a n d a u t h e n t i c e x p e r i e n c e s offered by Italian operators

Page 3

Green sustainable t ourism for of values

Travellin in Tuscany the charter

BY MONICA LISI

FLORENCE - with sustainable travel and tourism no longer an option but a necessity, Tuscany has adopted a long-term vision of sustainability under the guidance of the regional Toscana promozione Turistica agency, a group of eco-sensitive tour operators joined forces to design a manifest of values of sustainable tourism This manifest, to which all regional businesses can voluntarily adhere, formalizes the principles of sustainable tourism in Tuscany, advocating practical actions and an awareness of the impact of human actions on the environment and on local communities

The manifest, which is in the final drafting stage, is being presented at TTg experience in Rimini alongside a communications campaign in the coming months Tuscan companies will be invited to collaborate with the regional tourism portal by forwarding offers and proposals consistent with the manifest These hundreds of certified enterprises, which include those in parks that

Cycling Walking

l Tuscany is the first region in italy to have created the Atlas of Cycling Tourism Routes and the Atlas of walking Routes and boasts more than 6,500 hotels and non-hotel facilities committed to sustainability

Editor in Chief GIUSEPPE ALOE g.aloe@italiabsolutely.com g aloe@travelquotidiano com

Executive Editor PAMELA MCCOURT FRANCESCONE p mccourt@italiabsolutely com

Sales Manager BARBARA BATTAGLIONI salesmanager@italiabsolutely.com barbara@travelquotidiano.com

adhere to the european charter of sustainable tourism, and the thousands of Tuscan concerns with the Sustainable Booking travel badge, have all implemented measures to make their guests’ stays more sus t a i n a b l e o r g a n i c a n d m i c h e l i n green Star restaurants will also join, as will organic producers and participants in Vetrina Toscana, the

Massimiliano Sarti m sarti@italiabsolutely com m sarti@travelquotidano com

Manuela Ippolito m ippolito@italiabsolutely com

mARkeT Ng

Ligia Hofnar Marketing Manager marketing@ taliabsolutely com commerciale@travelquot diano com eventi@travelopenday com

STRATegy Monica Lisi Project Lead m lisi@italiabsolutely com m lisi@travelquotidiano com

battaglioni@italiabsolutely com d battaglioni@travelquotidiano com

Mariella

The Mani fest

Region’s project promoting wine and food tourism, in collaboration with unioncamere

Tuscany is the first region in italy to have created the Atlas of Cycling Tourism Routes and the Atlas of walking Routes and boasts more than 6,500 hotels and non-hotel facilities committed to sustainability.

T h e r e g i o n ’ s f o u r n a t i o n a l a n d three regional parks, 130 nature reserves and minor parks also adhere to the european Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CeTS) that defines and verifies actions for the development of tourism that respects all living species

ADVERTISING LICENSEE

Claudiana Di Cesare Communicat on Manager c dicesare@italiabsolutely com c dicesare@travelquotidiano com

SAleS DepARTmeNT Claudio dell’Accio sales@italiabso utely com

Carmen Tricarico account@italiabso utely com Olga Vaglio o vaglio@italiabsolutely com

ADmiNiSTRATioN admin@ita iabsolute y com

ADVeRTiSiNg DeliVeRy adsdelivery@italiabso utely com eNquiRieS info@italiabsolutely com

Network & Comunication Srl

Address: Via Aosta, 30 – 00182

Rome

T: +39 06 89 01 75 77 direzione@network-comunication it

Maria Carniglia: Liguria maria carniglia@libero it cell 335 6131882

Sonia Moura: Veneto soniamoura60@gmail com cell 335 8454397

l Formalizes the principles of sustainable tourism in Tuscany, advocating practical actions and an awareness of the impact of human actions on the environment and on local communities

ItaliAbsolutely and Regiondo:

A NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP IN BOOKING SOFTWARE

BY PAMELA MCCOURT FRANCESCONE

ROME -

ItaliAbsolutely

offices in Europe

Regiondo already has over 7,000 travel industry partners

trusted source for trave gence about Italy, has j ged a groundbreaking p ship with Regiondo, the one B2B booking softw stem for the travel leisur stry This collaboration marks tal moment in ItaliAbso growth, as it allows ou to expand our horizo bring Italy's rich tapestry vel offerings even closer bal inbound Italy special International Italy buye o n I t a l i A b s o l u t e l y f o news, views and inspirat what is happening in th changing Italian marke and now we take our c ment to them a step B e c a u s e w i t h R e g i o n have become a hub for ges and authentic expe

can connect with ply chain, gain acalleled opportuniand expand their ensure added vastomers a comprehensive g n e d e x c l u s i v e l y cialists, and with in Europe, it alr 7,000 travel ins Regiondo's pog software into utely portal, we he gap between d offers from leaencies, tour opeDMOs and travel buyers who regis new service will nging and unprechoice of tours, and services ofy Italian experts all in one place, ks to Regiondo’s antgarde booking x p e r i e n c e a n d taliAbsolutely.

Italy in a nutshell

Italy specialist buyers who register to use this new service will unlock a changing and unprecedented choice of tours, activities, and services offered by Italian experts And all in one place

Ma rche N ord

BY PAMELA MCCOURT FRANCESCONE

PESARO - The Marche Nord’s

I t i n e r a r y o f B e a u t y g u i d e s , which are an exploration of an untouched environment rich in art and history, are adding a new edition featuring its regional theatres. These historical theatres are in many of the 21 towns that have already showcased their attractions in the Itinerary of Beauty guides and will feature cities like Fano, Pesaro and Urbino as well as smaller towns including Apecchio, Pergola and Cagli Like the earlier Itinerary of Beauty editions, this new guide will be distributed at major Italian and foreign trade fairs, and in regional tourism offices

Features

«The latest edition features our h i s t o r i c t h e a t r e s , m a n y o f w h i c h a r e s t i l l a c t i v e - s a i d

A m e r i g o V a r o t t i , d i r e c t o r o f

Confcommercio Pesaro e Urbino/ Marche Nord which has

adds regiona s to its Itinerary of Beauty guides

FOOD TIPS

Prosciutto di Carpegna Olio di Cartoceto Caciotta di Colfiorito cheese

Tacconi, a type of pasta made with broadbean flour

produced the guides - We have been producing these guides to our region for the last six years They showcase the attractions of our large and small municipalities which also produce many excellent food products like our Prosciutto di Carpegna, Olio di Cartoceto and Caciotta di Colfiorito cheese, all of which have the protected designation of origin »

Pasta Marche Style

Another specialty of the Marche are tacconi, a type of pasta made with broad-bean flour «To hold the mixture together we add wheat flour and then form it into long thin noodles,says Adele Cerisoli of La Palomba Hotel in Mondavio - The

tacconi can be enjoyed in soups or in the traditional Marche style, tossed in lard with garlic and topped with crunchy pork jowl and parsley » The Marche city of Pesaro, which is famous as the birthplace of the great o p e r a c o m p o s e r G i o a c c h i n o Rossini, will be Italy’s Cultural Capital 2024

falkensteiner to open a 5-star and 170 apartments on Lake Garda

BY MASSIMILIANO SARTI

ROME - Falkensteiner’s new 97-room 5-star hotel, on the 4 5-hectare site of the former Tavani waterworks in Salò, on Lake Garda, is in collaboration w i t h a r c h i t e c t M a t t e o T h u n , and will be built on land acquired during the Covid period by the South Tyrolean group It will be flanked by 170

the project (costing €140 million) expected to be completed in June 2025, in time for the summer when the hotel and 96 apartments will be available The remaining 74 residential units will be built later The premium-living apartments project is essential for the economic sustainability of the entire project,» said FMTG Group CEO Otmar Michaeler n Italy, the first development as at the Falkensteiner Jesolo h e r e t h e a p a r t m e n t s h a v e w all been sold The appeal is ch that in Salò, with the proct still on paper, 20% of the a i l a b l e s t o c k h a s a l r e a d y en pre-purchased,» said the airman of FMTG’s superviry board Erich Falkensteiner ith F&B outlets and the weless concept Acquapura Spa, e resort will primarily target e adults-only segment and falies The latter will benefit om tailor-made programmes pecially in summer, while in ring and autumn the focus ll be on active holidays and estination experiences, and in inter wellness is expected to

take the lion's share «Generalist hospitality has no future,said Falkensteiner, - today, the key to success lies in specialization It is an approach that guarantees, among other things, a specific identity for each of our properties, generating added value »

The Falkensteiner Group’s Ital i a n e x pa n s i o n pl a n s d o n o t stop at Lake Garda The next steps include the opening of the 113-room 4-star Hotel Bozen in Bolzano in 2024, and the opening of the 160-room 5-star Hotel Licata in Sicily «We are constantly looking for new opportunities,- said Erich Falkensteiner -but we remain focused on leisure destinations We are looking with particular interest at the sea in Tuscany, Apulia, S i c i l y , S a r d i n i a a n d C a l a b r i a . Our objective is to consolidate our identity as a regional brand, w i t h o u t c o m p e t i n g w i t h t h e large international chains in the urban centres »

At a group level the year got off to a very good start with a +15% average occupancy up to

Expansion

l The next steps include the opening of the 113-room 4-star Hotel Bozen in Bolzano in 2024 and the opening of the 160-room 5-star Hotel Licata in Sicily

l The Group is looking with particular interest at the sea in Tuscany, Apulia, Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria

April Then, with the drop re corded in almost all sectors of tourism, the growth trend weakened somewhat, settling at +7-8% compared to the same period in 2022: «There is the inflation issue, which undermines p e o p l e ’ s p u r c h a s i n g p o w e r ,says Falkensteiner - And then there is the competition from Turkey, which has devalued its currency, making its destinations particularly competitive If at the end of the year we manage to maintain 2022 levels I would be happy » In terms of turnover the company closed the last 12 months at €230 million, around ten million above budget «For 2023 the goal is to increase by a further 10%,» said Falkensteiner

The premium-living apartments project is essential for the economic sustainability of the entire project

Otmar Michaeler

Amerigo Varotti

Otmar Michaeler

A rendering of the new hotel on Lake Garda

Sustaining the legacy

na&Garda Foundation.

, blished by the Verona Chamber of Commerce, encompasses 66 provincial municipalities and is t h e o p e r a t i o n a l a r m o f t w o

DMOs: Lake Garda Veneto and V e r o n a S t i l l i n i t s s t a r t - u p stage, the Foundation will manage the two destinations and their brands, supporting sustainable tourism growth and bring i n g t o u r i s m p r o m o t i o n a n d commercialization to new levels

T h e F o u n d a t i o n ’ s c h a i r m a n

Paolo Artelio outlines the objectives and strategies: «The organization of our tourism products, hospitality, and promot i o n a l a c t i v i t i e s a r e t h e k e y through which we can further grow in terms of quality and added value » At the heart of the Foundation’s mission there is a commitment to nurture a robust B2B network to position Verona and Lake Garda as a unified tourist destination that connects with domestic and international tourist flows

Top of the agenda the need to boost the number of returning visitors, and entice fresh waves of tourists by crafting innovative and compelling offerings that transcend the confines of

mere pricing strategies «For example, our commitment to inclusivity extends to all kinds of special needs travellers These go from couples seeking romantic getaways, to individuals with disabilities, as well as families with children, and even those who travel with their dogs This thoughtful differentiation sets the stage for attracting a diverse array of visitors,» explains Artelio

With the para-Olympics scheduled in Verona in 2026, after the Milano Cortina winter Olympics, the Foundation is working with public and private stakeholders to ensure the success of this global sporting event «Our iconic Arena will be at the epicenter of the games, and as the event draws nearer we are seeing interest from international hotel chains who view the Verona area as a strategic

location for expansion »

Leading inbound markets for Verona and Lake Garda have always been Germany, Austria, Switzerland, with France and the Netherlands also posting strong growth, while Poland, and the Czech Republic are new entries that show a lot of promise «To boost arrivals we are planning B2B familiarization trips for international partners in conjunction with local industry players »

Proximity ensures a seamless experience for travelers, with the city of Verona less than half-hour from the shores of Lake Garda An interesting new travel option are the SkyAlps flights connecting Verona to Rome Fiumicino, while Milan and Venice are just an hour away by train or car, enhancing the area’s accessibility «As for extra-European visitors, the

United States and South America are prominent markets, with a particular interest in heritage tourism that celebrates ancestral roots » Long-established local industries like Giovanni Rana, Carrera Jeans, and Calzedonia are global household names and serve as testaments to the region's exceptional products and territorial appeal, and the Foundation is poised to build on the region’s reputation as one of Italy’s most captivating and hospitable destinations

The organization of our tourism products, hospitality, and promotional activities are the key through which we can further grow in terms of quality and added value

Paolo Artelio

Frasassi Caves

municipality, with the Frasassi C a v e s C o n s o r t i u m ’ s T o u r i s t Passport signed by the mayor of Genga

The Tourist Passport proposes an itinerary of five unmissable stages that reveal the area’s artistic, cultural and environmental heritage, and it will be available to every visitor to the Frasassi Caves

Having the document stamped at each site will allow the visitor to receive his personalized certificate of honorary citizenship of Frasassi at the Info Point located in the car park ticket office All they have to do is show their passport

Together with the Tourist Passport, each visitor will receive a detailed map of the area with information about the attractions on this fascinating historical, natural and artistic heritage site «The Tourist Passport was

signed by Genga’s mayor

created to promote the art and culture of the area in a single s h a r e d p r o j e c t r e v o l v i n g around the Frasassi Caves and the most prestigious sites in G e n g a , - s a i d G e n g a ’ s m a y o r Marco Filipponi -The idea of creating honorary citizens of Frasassi with real certificates of c i t i z e n s h i p a n d T o u r i s t P a ssports allows us to personally involve visitors, and make them feel part of our territory » Each Frasassi Tourist Passport will be signed personally by the mayor Marco Filipponi, and will be handed to visitors inside a

of

Madonna di Frasassi Sanctuary

Abbey of San Vittore delle Chiuse

Castle of Genga

Pierosara and the Fortress of Pierosara

the Caves

handmade paper casket from the Cartiera Manualis of Fabriano, together with a filigree representing the Temple of Valadier which is a symbol of Frasassi A little gift will also be offered to children These are the stops visitors have to make to obtain the Tourist Passport: the Frasassi Caves, the Hermitage of Santa Maria Infra Saxa and the Madonna di Frasassi Sanctuary The Abbey of San Vittore delle Chiuse, the Castle of Genga. Pierosara, and the Fortress of Pierosara

rasassi Caves

Hermitage

Santa Maria Infra Saxa

The C

Visitors must stop at

e n g e m s

dh e h i d

with Martulli Viaggi of Southern Italy

BY PAMELA MCCOURT FRANCESCONE

MATERA - Martulli Viaggi of Matera is a specialist for southern Italy with the focus on Puglia, Basilicata and the Marche «We are very strong in the South of Italy and we have unique tours to the borghi, which are small towns and villages w h e r e t i m e s e e m s t o h a v e stood still - says director Michele Martulli - Our internation a l c l i e n t s a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n these kind of genuine experiences, many of which encompass food and wine like, for example, picking figs or tomatoes with the families that grow them, helping with the cooking and t h e n s i t t i n g d o w n t o e n j o y them together We revitalize these small towns with our tailor-made experiences, and for longer stays in outlying areas we have an excellent range of villas and residences »

Experiences for

everyone

T«Our business is chiefly that of an OTA, and now we are gearing up to attend the autumn trade fairs like Travel Hashtag in New York, TTG Travel Experience in Rimini and the WTM

and ETOA events in London

Every year we like to add at least ten new experiences, ranging from culinary tours to excursions on the Maratea coast by boat, canoe or kayak This year these sea products were particularly successful with the Spanish market » Martulli’s top

markets are America, Germany, France and Spain, with clients looking to rediscover places of the past, where ancient traditions are still alive «They like to interact with the locals like the grandmother who invites them into her home and shows them how she makes pasta It is a re-

discovery of ancient traditions and ancient roots We work w i t h b o t h i n d i v i d u a l s a n d groups of all kinds, and we have hot-air balloons over Matera where we also have an openbus in collaboration with IoBus of Rome for the Sassi and Murgia areas »

We are very strong in the South of Italy and we have unique tours to the borghi, which are small towns and villages where time seems to have stood still

On Course for success: Grandi Navi Veloci’s strong balance sheet in

BY MARIA CARNIGLIA

The big news for 2024, will be the arrival at the end of the year of the first of the four new ships under construction in Chinese shipyards Matteo Della Valle

GENOA - With three months still to go to the end of 2023, Grandi Navi Veloci has posted a healthy balance Having celebrated its 30 years of activity, the MSC Group company is now projected towards a future in which it will continue to play a leading role in the marine passenger and car transport sector «The big news for 2024,- says Matteo Della Valle, passenger sales and marketing staff director, - will be the arrival at the end of the year of the first of the four new ships under construction in Chinese shipyards These will be state-of-the-art craft in terms of both the customer experience on board and energy efficiency Starting in December 2024 these motor-vehicle and passenger craft, will be delivered every six months » An initial estimate puts this investment at half a billion euro, a figure not yet confirmed by GNV which is currently evaluating on which route the first new ship will be positioned

«Although 2022 is considered an annus mirabilis in terms of volumes for

Italy’s maritime transport sector, also thanks to less competition due to the persistence of some post-Covid resistance to travel abroad, demand and volumes have held in 2023 This is thanks to the recovery and we registered a slight growth in volumes compared to 2022 Demand was particularly strong from Italy as well a s f r o m G e r m a n y , S w i t z e r l a n d , France and Austria Sales went very well from October 2022 to May 2023 Then the demand slackened somewhat as we had to deal with new destinations, the cost of living

The Group autumn/winter season and on-board services

and the many promotions on the market However, last minute sales and some ad hoc promotions led to a realignment of the results »

GNV’s relationship with the trade is fundamental for its growth «From this year there will be an even more elite cluster: the Elite Premium We will highlight the ten Italian and foreign travel agents with the best seasonal results for payment efficiency, and they will be able to access further advantages, discounts and special benefits »

For the autumn/winter season GNV’s Sardinia route will end, but the historic Genoa-Palermo, Naples- Palermo and Civitavecchia-Palermo will continue to operate, as well as routes to Morocco, Tunisia, Albania and the Balearic Islands As far as on-board services are concerned, attention to the different targets and specific needs of customers is GNV’s guiding light «We realized that more customers are travelleing with their dogs In 2022 more than 73,000 animals boarded our ferries, some 60% more than the previous year. So we are increasing dedicated services on board like ad hoc cabins and dog runs And, until December passengers on all our 25 ships with the name Mediterraneo will find the cake created by Chef Damiano Carrara exclusively for our 30th anniversary in our self-services and restaurants »

A digital leap forward:

Inside Marche Live’s expansion with MarcheConnect

BY PAMELA MCCOURT FRANCESCONE

PESARO - Inside Marche Live, the

0 m e ms p r e a d

present new products and pack a g e s f r o m t h e r e g i o n ’ s i nbound operators, as well as to l a u n c h t h e M a r c h e C o n n e c t project, the first collaborative digital platform of Marche tour operators

a i m s a t b o o s t i n g its activit i e s i n

2 0 2 4 With its m e m b e r s cts rapidly Marche LiTG Travel ortunity to

The MarcheConnect platform includes more than 1,000 dedicated Marche operators’ packages, experiences, and tours that are immediately available for both operators and end-customers (therefore both B2B and B2C) The platform will be connected with the regional digital system and, consequently, with the italia it tourism digital hub through the new interoperability system

«This is a great opportunity for us,- says Federico Scaramucci, p r e s i d e n t o f I n s i d e M a r c h e Live, - because it will allow us to stimulate international demand,

notoriously the sector in which the Marche is weakest Today out of every 100 tourists who chose the Marche, only 20 are foreign arrivals With the platform we connect to a marketp l a c e o f o v e r 8 0 t h o u s a n d agencies and tour operators in the USA, Canada, Brazil, the UK, Australia and other countries, thanks to the partnership with Chameleon Global »

«This is a great opportunity for our region, and we must seize it as part of the platform’s promotion and communication strategy in the markets that interest us, and which are identified with the region and the Agency for Tourism and Internationalization » All of which correspond to Inside Marche Live’s strategy to further boost recognition of the Marche region in Europe and globally.

This is a great opportunity for us, because it will allow us to stimulate international demand, notoriously the sector in which the Marche is weakest Federico Scaramucci

Expo Tuscia DMO:

marketing

V the DMO - A profound change in distribution has led to new needs and lifestyles in a society that was changed by the pandemic This evolution has impacted strongly on travel and seen the arrival of a “new” kind of tourist Interpreting and addressing this change led to the setting-up of the Expo Tuscia DMO, as a tool to trigger virtuous p r o c e s s e s c o m b i n i n g t e r r i t o r i a l a n d e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l m a r k e t i n g through targeted actions involving both public and private players » «Destinations must be able to offer thematic tourism to a target clientele that is increasingly intere-

Tuscia aims at proposing alternative and complementary products on the Italian and international markets

Vincenzo Peparello

sted in the quality of life of a destination, its excellence and sustainability,- says destination manager Francesco Comotti. - With this awareness, and taking into account the objectives of the EU and of the PNRR, we have to reposition our destination to respond to the new needs of national and international tourism.»

«Tuscia aims at proposing alternative and complementary products on the Italian and international markets, but also niche products linked to our culture and traditions, food and wines,- says Pepa-

rello, and we will also promote the environment with trekking in all its forms » Ample space will also be given to heritage tourism and religious tourism in anticipation of the 2025 Jubilee, with an important focus on experiences «Experiential tourism enhances individual entrepreneurial skills, is more responsible and coherent and respects places and local communities »

In this scenario Expo Tuscia becomes an effective tool for the strategic objectives contained in the Lazio Region’s tourism develop-

ment plans, such as the redistribution of tourist flows, and lengthening the season and the stay. «We see ourselves as an instrument for the realization of these aims,» says Francesco Comotti, - and we will take concrete steps to put the spotlight on boosting the economic and cultural added value that tourists bring to a destination »

Federico Scaramucci

a blueprint for targeted territorial

Vincenzo Peparello