Great news for Pisa Airport as easyJet boosts its international network with two new routes from Paris Charles de Gaulle and Porto. 

Pisa Airport has flights to nine cities

Starting between late October and early November, the new flights will increase Pisa's international offerings to nine routes. The existing network includes flights from London (Gatwick and Luton), Paris Orly, Bristol, Berlin, Manchester, and Amsterdam. EasyJet is set to become the second-largest airline at the Tuscan airport.

The Berlin flights move to year-round

The Paris route is scheduled to commence on October 29, with flights operating every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Following closely, the Porto connection will start on November 1, offering two weekly flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays. As winter approaches, the Berlin to Brandenburg connection will become year-round, providing service during the Christmas holidays and winter long weekends. Looking ahead to summer 2024, easyJet plans to add a new route to Barcelona.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

Pisa-Barcelona ticket sales by end 2023

Lorenzo Lagorio, easyJet Italia Country Manager announced that the company will put the Pisa-Barcelona route on sale by the end of the year. In 2023, easyJet offered over 600,000 seats at Pisa airport, demonstrating its commitment to expanding connectivity at the Galileo Galilei airport. Roberto Naldi, CEO of Toscana Aeroporti, highlighted the importance of having a diverse range of airlines at the airport £to enhance competitiveness and passenger options.” 

A consortium of Italian regions – stretching from the central Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria to Friuli-Venezia Giulia and down to Campania – has launched the second phase of the Tourism Ministry’s “Discover the Italy you didn’t know campaign. The spotlight is on Italy’s breathtaking landscapes, sustainable and eco-friendly tourism, gastronomy, art, culture and the countless spectacular lesser-known places and one-of-a-kind attractions and experiences that make it the ultimate dream getaway choice.

In terms of figures, Italy boasts over 400 islands, ranging from the two largest, Sardinia and Sicily to one of the world’s tiniest inhabited islands, Isola Tiberina nestled in the heart of Rome. It has 365 regional nature reserves – yes, one for every day of the year.  Culturally, where does one even begin? Its cultural heritage is the most extensive on the planet, encompassing nearly 70% of all the artistic treasures worldwide and – the icing on the cake - it offers some of the world’s most sensational and best-loved cuisines and wines. And the list goes on. Still not convinced? Come and see for yourself, and prepare to be blown away.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

Exciting news! The opening of Italy’s first Casa Cook in Madonna di Campiglio, is confirmed for December 2024. 

A hotel with privileged views of the World Cup Slalom

Just in time for the classic World Cup Salom on the Miramonti Gully, guests will be able to enjoy live views of the event from the panoramic terrace with its rooftop bar. Originally launched by Thomas Cook in 2016, the Casa Cook brand merged with the Fosun group, and the hotel in Madonna di Campiglio will be managed by Treasurests Hospitality Group through a franchising contract.

“It has a special charm that makes it unique”

The former Milan Hotel, now owned by JP Hospitality, is to become the Casa Cook Madonna di Campiglio. JP Hospitality, led by Viennese entrepreneurs Daniel Jelitzka and Reza Akhavan, specialises in preserving the individuality and legacy of historic hotels. With a commitment to conscious resource use, Jelitzka emphasises their philosophy of preserving authenticity and enhancing beauty.  “Because it is a ski resort, like in Kitzbühel or Zermatt it is extremely varied in both summer and winter, with a special charm that makes it unique among leading destinations.”

Guests will delight in a luxurious dining experience 

Spanning 2,900 square meters, Casa Cook Madonna di Campiglio will have 50 rooms and suites and the project emphasises ecological responsibility, incorporating nature into every aspect of the hotel. The interior design, blending the legacy of the sixties with a contemporary lifestyle, will feature abundant use of wood, marble, and concrete. The hotel aims to provide a luxurious dining experience within an environment promoting mindfulness and relaxation. Exciting times ahead!

Tourism without seasonality: Italy is growing in value, sustainability and innovation, and its MICE industry holds a prime position among the top countries in the world ranking of conference tourism. 

Italy is one of the world’s top conference tourism countries

ENIT has a raft of important international events under its belt, including international workshops in collaboration with the Convention Bureau and the Italian Knowledge event that brings the industry's elite to Italy for a professional networking experience. The meetings industry segment is growing rapidly thanks to the all-Italian ability to combine the professionalism of specific services with the country's historical, architectural, and cultural heritage.  And it is riding the most promising wave of the MICE sector, which is the bleisure trend, that sees the conference tourist with or without his companion, enjoy not only meetings but also leisure activities that are often high-spending. 

Italy is 2nd in Europe and 3rd in the world for MICE events 

Italian MICE was high on the ranking of the world’s 9,042 international meetings in 2022; in second place in Europe with 522 meetings and third in the world ranking behind the USA (690) and Spain (528).  Among the cities, Rome came out top with 79 meetings and Milan with 66. (source: Enit Studies Office based on ICCA data). ENIT is committed to the development of the MICE segment with sector and luxury workshops like the Espacio Maldonado in the heart of Madrid which was attended by over 100 buyers and 35 sellers from all over Italy. 

Italy at Hand will attract 200 Italian buyers and sellers

ENIT will also be present at IBTM in Barcelona from 28 to 30 November with over 80 Italian partners, of which participation has been confirmed by Alto Adige, Campania, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Marche, Piedmont, Puglia, Sicily, Veneto, Rome Capital and Yes Milano.  Over 200 sellers and buyers will come together thanks to ENIT and Convention Bureau Italia at Italy at Hand, the benchmark event of MICE and Made in Italy that sees Italian cities take turns as business travel capitals.  With four days of networking, interaction between highly qualified buyers and the best operators of MICE, this unique event with its B2B meetings, workshops, shows and entertainment, stems from an ambitious idea: to become the leading connecting tool between Italian business tourism and international users.

The MICE sector is expected to return to its pre-Covid levels in 2026

In 2021 Italy recorded a total 86,438 events in presence or hybrid format with a growth of +23.7% over 2020, totalling 4,585,433 participants (+14.7% over 2020). The average duration of events was 1.34 days, in line with 2020 (1.36). 52.5% of congress and event venues are located in the North, 25.5% in the Centre, 13.9% in the South and 8.1% on the islands. International business travel expenditure in Italy in 2021 was approximately €4.3 billion (+50.8% over 2020) and was higher  than holiday expenditure (+16.8%). Some 10.8 million international travellers chose Italy for work/business in 2021 (+18.2% on 2020) for a total of some 33 million nights (+16.7%). (Source: Ufficio Studi on Bank of Italy data). In the first 6 months of 2022 foreign arrivals to Italy for business purposes spent almost €3 billion (Source: Ufficio Studi on Bank of Italy data - provisional 2022). The MICE sector is expected to return to its pre-Covid levels in 2026. 

“Effective networking experiences are crucial for success”

"In the future the success of face-to-face meetings will have to be based on the quality of the content and the contribution the destination can make to achieving the objectives of the event, the combination of virtual elements, the provision of an effective networking experience, and sustainability.  There is a need to focus on the intellectual value that the destination can offer to meetings with public-private interactions. Effective networking experiences by the organiser will be crucial for the success and ROI of the in-person meeting,” says ENIT president and CEO Ivana Jelinic. 

There is a demand for outdoors areas and flexible spaces 

“If we analyse the available data- continues Jelenic, - we realise that there is a growing interest in factors such as reputation, the accessibility of venues, environmental factors, climate, extra-conference opportunities, the quality and safety standards of accommodation facilities, and that people are turning to facilities with fewer rooms and a more homely kind of hospitality. This is also true for facilities with outdoor areas and flexible space, attention to sustainability and food and wine, and for those with advanced technological equipment.” 

On the weekend of 14 and 15 October 2023 and on 8, 9 and 10 December discover a gem in Umbria, the city of Foligno.

Itineraries and learning experiences for adults and children

This journey of discovery of the Umbrian city and its nature, art, sport, food, and wine offers visitors the chance to enjoy a wide range of itineraries and learning experiences, aimed at both adults and children. Located in the central-eastern part of the region, at the foot of the Umbria-Marche Apennines, Foligno has a rich artistic, museum and architectural heritage.

Cycling itineraries and historic landmarks

However, it will not only be the urban area of Foligno, with its historic buildings, museums, and churches that will feature in the VisitFoligno Weekends itineraries. The surrounding landscape can be discovered by bike, thanks to the cycling itineraries on the tour: The mountain of Foligno and the Menotre valley and Pedalling to discover the park of Altolina and the Hermitage.

Visit Foligno - laboratories for children

Special offers in accommodation facilities

The VisitFoligno Weekends, with the same formula that combines art, culture, nature, sport and food and wine will be repeated on the occasion of the Immaculate Conception, on 8, 9 and 10 December. During the event some Federalberghi and Cuore Verde Umbria B&B Association accommodation facilities, and the Pierantoni Hostel will have special offers for visitors at the events.

For information: https://www.comune.foligno.pg.it/visitfoligno

Puglia Paradise is the first and only collection of luxury villas and trulli for holidays with private pools and premium services in the most prestigious locations in Puglia.  

A transparent property management format

Professional management and the Guest Angel are the innovative key of the Puglia Paradise model, and its hospitality philosophy, called Paradisophy, is a concept based on placing the guest and his needs at the center of the company’s priorities. Puglia Paradise proposes a B2C digital business model for guests and a B2B model for owners who benefit from the best rental performances with a carefree management and consequently a passive income. This transparent property management format guarantees maximum profitability without the onus of operational management.

The Guest Angel provides total assistance service 24/7

Puglia Paradise’s attention to quality is what makes the difference, guaranteeing that guests looking for an unforgettable and carefree holiday in Puglia can find exactly what they want, while the owner of the villa or trullo leaves it to Puglia Paradiso’s staff to look after the management, maintenance and assistance. Taking the responsibility for the holiday and the property Puglia Paradise’s staff is always available while respecting the privacy of the guest and acting only on request through a personal lifestyle concierge, the Guest Angel, who provides a total assistance service 24/7. Thanks to its competence and professionalism, Puglia Paradise is a valid alternative to a 5-star hotel or resort for short, medium and long stays.

It is now possible to become an honorary citizen of Frasassi, signed by the mayor of Genga. 

A personalized certificate of honorary citizenship of Frasassi

Thanks to the Genga municipality, the Frasassi Caves Consortium has launched a Tourist Passport signed by the mayor of Genga. The passport proposes an itinerary of five unmissable stages that reveal the area’s artistic, cultural and environmental heritage, and will be available to every visitor to the Frasassi Caves. Stamping the document at each site allows the visitor to receive his personalized certificate of honorary citizenship of Frasassi at the Info Point located in the car park ticket office.

“The Tourist Passport was created to promote our art and culture”

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 created to promote the art and culture of the area in a single shared project revolving around the Frasassi Caves and the most prestigious sites in Genga,- said Genga’s mayor Marco Filipponi. -The idea of creating honorary citizens of Frasassi with real certificates of citizenship and Tourist Passports allows us to personally involve visitors, and make them feel part of our territory.” 

The passport is presented in a handmade paper casket 

Each Frasassi Tourist Passport will be signed personally by the mayor Marco Filipponi, and handed to visitors in a 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.

A digital leap forward for Inside Marche Live, with MarcheConnect.

MarcheConnect, the first digital platform of Marche tour operators

The association with over 30 members spread throughout the Marche Region, and the first digital platform aims at boosting its activities in 2024. With its members and projects rapidly expanding, Inside Marche Live’s attendance at TTG Travel Experience is an opportunity to present new products and packages from the region’s inbound operators, as well as to launch the MarcheConnect project, the first collaborative digital platform of Marche tour operators.

The platform is both B2B and B2C

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.

Federico Scaramucci

“MarcheConnect allows us to stimulate international demand”

"This is a great opportunity for us,- says Federico Scaramucci, president of Inside Marche 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 marketplace of over 80 thousand agencies and tour operators in the USA, Canada, Brazil, the UK, Australia and other countries, thanks to the partnership with Chameleon Global.”

Boosting recognition of the Marche region in Europe and globally

“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.

  

Martulli Viaggi of Matera is a specialist for southern Italy with the focus on Puglia, Basilicata and the Marche.  

“We revitalize these small towns with our tailor-made experiences”

“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,- says director Michele Martulli.  -Our international clients are interested in this kind of genuine experience which regularly encompasses food and wine. 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.”

Rediscovering places of the past, where ancient traditions are still alive

“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 like those 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.

Alberobello Puglia

Hot-air balloons and an open-bus in Matera 

“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 rediscovery of ancient traditions and ancient roots.  We work with both individuals and groups of all kinds, and we have hot-air balloons over Matera where we also have an open-bus in collaboration with IoBus of Rome for the Sassi and Murgia areas.” 

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