ITALY AT HAND 2022

ITALY AT HAND - 2022 CAMPANIA 16-18 NOVEMBER 2022

Convention Bureau Italia and ENIT are proud to announce the 4th edition of Italy at Hand, which will be held on 16-18 November 2022.

After 3 editions aimed at consolidating the event, this year will mark the beginning of its evolution, which aims to expand its offer and to elevate Italy at Hand as the benchmark event for international buyers interested in Italy as a top-tier MICE Destination. The most obvious consequence of this process concerns the destination: after organising the previous editions in Bologna, Rome and Milan, the host destination of Italy at Hand 2022 will be the Campania Region; with Naples hosting the B2B sessions and the social and team building activities, while a best-selling destination such as Sorrento will team up with other 'rising stars' such as Salerno, Campi Flegrei, Ischia and Procida in hosting post-tour activities, underlining Italy’s signature feature of being the quintessential multi-destination for MICE events.

However, the evolution does not stop there: although Italy at Hand will maintain the same format that determined its success in the first three editions, there will also be a significant increase in the number of participants.

In fact, the event will include, as usual, 3 days of networking, distinguished by the seamless integration of business and entertainment. However, this year there will be 40 of the best Italian MICE suppliers meeting 55 high-profile international buyers - against the 45 buyers and 35 suppliers of the previous editions – for an estimate of over 1,200 B2B scheduled appointments.

In addition, the guests will experience 4 informal and fun activities connected to the emotions, images, sensations and inspirations sparked by Italy’s identity and its traditions. The detailed program will be announced at a later stage this year once it will be made final.

The Campania Region had the foresight to see in Italy at Hand a unique opportunity to enchant international buyers with the magic of their places, their food and their culture: “It is with great pride and satisfaction that Campania Region is looking forward to hosting, for the first time in southern Italy, Italy at Hand, the international MICE workshop organized by Convention Bureau Italia and ENIT.” -states Felice Casucci, Campania Region Councilor for Administrative Semplification and Tourism. “Campania with its extraordinary beauty, it’s fascinating thousand-year history, the largest number of UNESCO awards in Italy, the inestimable food and wine heritage, the distinctive hospitality and its proverbial authenticity, will allow international buyers, coming from the main MICE business generator markets, to live the emotion of a UNIQUE experience and to touch the variety of the offer of “Campania Divina” at hand.” The countdown to Italy at Hand, The Event has officially begun!

Organisers of World Travel Market London have hailed the performances of sister events in April and May, saying their achievements have laid the groundwork for a successful trade show in London.

WTM Latin America 2022 – held in Brazil from 5-7 April – was the biggest edition of the event ever held. Held in São Paulo, it attracted 20,000 travel professionals over the 3-day show.

It was followed by WTM Africa 2022, held from 11-13 April in South Africa, which hosted more than 7,000 unique pre-scheduled appointments (both online and in person), up by more than 7% compared to 2019. And last month saw Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, during which visitor numbers reached 23,000 – more than double the last edition.

With the strapline “Reshaping Travel Together”, World Travel Market London will be a fully live event, taking place at ExCeL London from 7-9 November; showcasing how the sector has evolved and how to embrace the opportunities of a post-pandemic world.

At the event, which hosted key religious dignitaries noted that with such a rich religious and cultural heritage that the two countries have, further development of this kind of tourism should be promoted.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RELIGIOUS TOURISM IN CYPRUS AND GREECE

At the recent RECULT event, the importance of the promotion of cultural heritage and the development of religious tourism in Cyprus and Greece was highlighted.

The importance of both nations intangible and material cultural ecclesiastical heritage, contributes to the development of Cyprus and Greece. While the importance of pilgrimage tourism was paramount to the promotion of the countries heritage, with the appropriate training of experts in the field. At the event, the Ministry of Tourism of Cyprus and the Ministry of Tourism of Greece presented the work and actions undertaken in the framework of RECULT.

OPEN EYES AND SUSTAINABLE STEPS - THE MESSAGE OF THE ULYSSESFEST

Over 3 days of meetings, readings, shows, concerts, films and workshops, the gathering of writers and artists, photojournalists and journalists, bloggers, musicians and professional travellers will be together at the Piazza del Popolo in Rome from 15-17 July.

Among the 35 meetings and 10 workshops with 350 guests, the figures of 3 great travellers of the 20th century will be celebrated: Chatwin, Kapuscinski and Ella Maillart. Guest of honour the founder of Lonely Planet Tony Wheeler together with the co founder of Avventure nel Mondo, Paolo Nugari. Wheeler will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary 1972 trip from London to Melbourne through Asia, which gave birth to the 1st Lonely Planet guide.

Forty years of the United Africa Returning to the Earth theme, "knowing how to grasp the signals it transmits to us, learning to know it, respect it, love it, be aware of the impact and value that each of our journeys has on it" is increasingly important. "It is said that travelling, together with reading and listening, is the shortest way to reach oneself - comments the director of Lonely Planet-Italy Angelo Pittro and this is why we have invited