Experiential tourism is now on everyone's lips, and it is a concept which inspires inbound tour operators to attract international customers. Within this broad framework, however, interpretations acquire different nuances.

There are those who, like Ada Tour, refer to tourism “off the beaten track” to highlight the desire to bring a “lesser” Italy closer. and so the tour operator’s product has an increasingly distinctive bespoke imprint, tailored to the end customer. Others, like Arcadia, focus on the enhancement of local discoveries and content, the only element that can extend the season under the banner of different experiences. Destination Italia is also talking about high-end experience travel and has launched the “Local Expert” project involving local players to build authentic and tailor-made trips.

Everyone agrees on one thing: authenticity and customization must necessarily be associated with value. Indeed, foreign customers are willing to invest more in exclusive content if they perceive uniqueness, quality and attention to detail. That the demand is moving decisively towards experientiality, with fewer standard products and more immersive content, is also the opinion of Dimensione Sicilia which is seeing a growing demand for customization and quality, as well as a new focus on sustainability. The trend, it seems, is to seek out lesser known but more genuine destinations, adds Imperatore Travel World.

This overall picture – with countless examples to cite – highlights how Italian operators are shaping strategies to reinforce their leadership in quality experiential tourism, forging direct links between global demand and the authentic essence of Italian destinations. A model based on proximity, personalization and in-depth knowledge of the cultural, landscape, artistic, food and wine, sporting, craft and design heritage of each individual territory.  But to make this happen, let me stress again, what’s needed is a global strategy to position Italy’s more effectively abroad.

Isabella Cattoni
Journalist