Vivara Viaggi has linked its name to one of the most iconic experiences in Emilia Romagna: a visit to the Ferrari Museums. 

Specialized in Ferrari museum visits

Located in Maranello and Modena, these two museums are the starting point for discovering a region rich in tourist attractions.  “Our travel agency was founded 15 years ago specialized in services dedicated to individuals, groups and incentives wanting to visit the Ferrari Museums, and also discover the region. We organize everything, from transfers to accommodation, to the experiences,” owner Fabio Fabbri told ItaliAbsolutely.

Foreign markets from the US to Eastern Europe

Vivara Viaggi operates from Bologna and Maranello and also caters to international markets. "Our collaboration with the Ferrari Museums accounts for about half our turnover. Among our most profitable markets the United States, Brazil and Europe, with Germany, France, Spain and Eastern Europe lead the way, with Emilia Romagna often being a stop on a more complex itinerary especially for long-haul markets. 

“The future could not look more positive”

Our aim is to offer the museum visits as part of a complete package, which can include a shuttle service, hotel accommodation and the chance to discover the many appealing attractions of the Romagna Riviera. We took a chance on this business right from the start, buying buses, putting drivers on staff and structuring ourselves to respond to all types of customers. The results are rewarding us, and the prospects for the future could not look more positive.

Italy, a home to major events, is preparing to welcome an influx of visitors for the 25th Winter Olympics, scheduled for 6 to 22 February. Is everything ready? It's hard to say, with works still being completed and tickets still to be sold.

The target figure, as revealed in the report “Italy unites the world. Milan Cortina 2026: building bridges through sport” by Banca IFIS, is €5.3 billion, which should  be the economic impact on Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige, the three regions involved in the event.Just under 3,000 athletes from 90 countries are expected to attract over 2.5 million visitors, for an estimated global audience of over three billion people. And an additional 400,000 spectators are expected for the Paralympics, scheduled for 6-15 March.

However, what is creating great expectations is not so much these figures as the value generated by investments in infrastructure which is estimated at around €3 billion and involves the construction of over 90 projects including sports facilities, new railway lines, urban redevelopment and road improvements. 

Further fuelling expectations is the expected “chain” effect on tourism in the following years. Because the revenue from tourist spending during the event will be added to the income guaranteed by the increase in tourists that will be recorded in the 12-18 months after the event. All of which should contribute to total tourist spending of more than €2.3 billion. The first to benefit from these effects have been owners of short-term rentals, who are seeing huge surges in revenue. According to a AirDna's survey, total turnover in Milan during the competition period will increase by 589% compared to revenues recorded in the same period in 2025.

In just three weeks we will be in the thick of it, finally able to evaluate how much of this significant opportunity will translate into tangible benefits for our country.

Isabella Cattoni
Journalist

Sustainability has become one of the workhorses of tourism promotion, ready to intercept a new form of demand that respects not only the natural environment, but also the cultures and territories visited as a fundamental principle.

Over time the concept of “sustainability” has evolved and gained greater depth, encompassing a whole range of activities capable of connecting the visitor more deeply to a destination. In Italy sustainable tourism is a valuable key for opening doors to new markets. The future has already begun and there is no shortage of examples.

Starting with the investments made in slow and widespread tourism by the Campania Region, which has led to the upgrading of the Appia and Francigena routes and the development of the regional Cammini network, involving 69 municipalities and wuth the support of €10 million. Not to mention the artisan and agri-food supply chains: today Campania is second in the south of Italy for DOP, IGP and STG appellations, fourth for starred restaurants, and has recorded a 23% growth in agritourism, especially in the Salerno area.

Transport is also of fundamental importance for the development of sustainable projects as Lazio has shown by recently launching the “Gran Tour del Lazio”, a ring-route cycle itinerary of over 100 kilometres, divided into 18 stages or thematic routes, each of which begins and ends at a railway station thus promoting train-bicycle intermodality. Over the next two years FIAB will carry out work financed with a regional contribution to make the route operational.

Campania and Lazio: two small examples, drops in an ocean of opportunities ready to be harnessed to channel tourist flows intelligently, sustainably, and profitably.

Sartoria Cibrèo for catering, tailor-made events, tours and experiences in Florence and Tuscany. 

From catering to events and tours

Sartoria Cibrèo was founded in 2020, but the family experience goes back to 1979, when the  father of Giulio Picchi, current owner and COO of the group, started a restaurant project that has expanded and reinvented itself over time, with the same enthusiasm as the early days. "We were born in Florence and our business is concentrated in the city. It was the market that inspired our way forward. As demand grew, while focusing on catering, we went on to embrace the events’ segment and then expanded to other activities like discovering the city and the region".

The shoulder months are now in demand

The Cibrèo Group’s “Sartoria” project - a word taken from ancient Florentine meaning a collection of good things - has gradually evolved with new content and today the family business is able to organize tailor-made events for two or for hundreds of people. "Without ever altering our identity, which is rooted in authentic catering, “Sartoria” is the fastest growing branch of the company.  2025 was another strong year, and seasonality has changed, starting to reward the shoulder months such as October and November." The Cibrèo Group’s ability to seize new opportunities was reflected, for example, in the opening of the Cibrèo restaurant and cocktail bar in the Helvetia & Britstol in Florence, and in the development of a whole series of tailor-made services.

“Food...speaks to the heart”

"Food is a universal language, which speaks to the heart.” Our strength is the certainty of contributing to the preservation of a region with many peculiarities. We work in contact with people who have the joy of dining out; and what we do is extremely rewarding. Being the romantics and dreamers that we are, we will continue to raise the bar.  We also organize activities like van tours, bicycle excursions, visits to local businesses and food producers, as well as ceramic courses. and we work closely with local craftsmen in workshops in the Sant'Ambrogio district of Florence.”

The Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a major topic of discussion, and it is now time to consider the impact, beyond the official proclamations, they may have on inbound tourism in Italy. The most optimistic target foresees the growth of tourist spending in the order of €1 billion in the period 2027-2030 in the three regions hosting the event: Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige.

The bar was set at one billion by The European House Ambrosetti, which in its third “Strategic Report on Sustainable Tourism and World Heritage” pointed out that the five provinces involved in the Games are expected to receive around three million additional tourist stays. Of fundamental importance, as the daily newspaper Il Sole 24Ore notes, will be the optimization of flows and the enhancement of local areas. A concept exemplified by the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which almost doubled tourist stays in the city within a few years of the event. What played the decisive role was not so much, and not only, direct investment in infrastructure, but a change in how the city was perceived as a destination for culture, entertainment, and seaside breaks.

By contrast the €8 billion in total expenditure allocated for the Athens 2024 Olympic Games brought with it expensive and largely underused infrastructure, along with a significant public debt. And as The European House Ambrosetti points out, many sports facilities are now in a state of neglect or decay due to a lack of reuse. History teaches us that m

History teaches us that making the “event effect” lasting and structural,  calls for sound destination management planning that can generate knock-on effects across every segment of tourism, including those not directly linked to the event. Will we be able to do this?

The approach taken seems sound, limiting new infrastructural interventions to a minimum in the interest of sustainable development. Two new works, the bobsleigh run in Cortina and the Olympic Village in Milan have, in fact, been built with a clear purpose for their future use.

Isabella Cattoni
Journalist

Caldana Europe Travel is putting active and cultural inbound tourism centre stage.  

“Our top product is once again the 14 to 21-day cultural tours”

Since 2012 the tour operator, known for its significant presence in outbound tourism, has been promoting itineraries for foreign visitors to Italy. "At the moment,- says Dario Caldana, managing director of the group which also includes Utat,  -incoming activities are managed by an ad hoc office in Trento. Our preferential catchment areas are North America and China. These are two markets that particularly appreciate active tourism itineraries, from e-bike tours like the one - which is always a great success - on Lake Garda, to hiking and trekking on fixed-date trips with an expert guide. Alongside the active holiday, the top product is once again 14 to 21-day cultural tours which are particularly appreciated by Canadian customers."

Working with ENIT in Toronto and US Ski Councils

The North American market remains crucial for Utat and 2025 was yet another lucky year. "Leaving aside the month of August, which was too congested by Italian tourists, bookings were spread from May to July and then again from September to late October-early November. Even the US market, which had experienced a slowdown, is recovering. We work in excellent synergy with the ENIT office in Toronto and with the Ski Councils in the USA, especially with regard to skiing holidays of at least 10 days in Trentino (Val Di Fassa, Val di Fiemme, or Val Rendena with Campiglio).”.

Extending the ski season into March 

The Trentino region is a particularly suitable for group holidays, and the relationship between Visit Trentino and Caldana is now consolidated and destined to strengthen in the future. “For 2026,- adds the manager, -we aim to further extend the season. We have groups already confirmed for March and the growth prospects in our key markets, including China, are excellent.” 

An office in Nova Trento in Brazil

Another new area of development is Brazil: "On the wave of the year of tourism of the roots, proclaimed in 2024, we have embarked on a path of collaboration with the Brazilian state of Santa Caterina from which there was a lot of immigration from the Trentino region. This is where the city of Nova Trento was founded, and we have opened our own representative office there to foster reciprocal exchanges and relations. The potential is significant, and I foresee further developments in the future.” 

With her third year in office drawing to a close, in this interview with ItaliAbsolutely Daniela Santanchè, the Minister of Tourism, takes stock of the situation and says “the numbers are on our side.” 

Minister, what are the final figures for the summer season?

"The numbers are on our side: not only has the Italian summer confirmed that the industry is thriving and expanding, but the policies we have put in place are bearing fruit. We are seeing a change in trends favouring year-round tourism and an even distribution of flows not only towards the sea, but also towards the mountains, villages, and walking routes, with an overall growth in outdoor tourism. The summer has been positive, and tourism is finally being recognized as an industry capable of generating employment and creating economic, social, and human value. This definitely makes a difference.”

How much have current conflicts affected - and how much might they continue to affect - inbound tourism?”

“The ongoing conflicts, which are contributing to a particularly fragile global geopolitical context, are inevitably influencing tourist flows. Italy continues to be a popular destination thanks to its beauty and culture, but we are also working to promote it as a safe and welcoming place. In fact, we are second only to Spain in the index of tourist satisfaction, and first in Europe for the perception of safety. These are key factors for continuing to invest in quality.”

Trade associations often release conflicting data. How should these discrepancies be interpreted?

“There are different methodologies of collection and analysis to consider. It is crucial that we work together to find a common language and a shared database to give us a clearer picture. There is an over-fragmentation of data, which makes it difficult to interpret the sector as a whole. This is why we are developing a comprehensive data lake to gather all available tourism data worldwide and enable a clear, consistent, and transparent understanding of the entire tourism ecosystem.” 

The introduction of the National Identification Code has revealed “underground” tourism. How much has this factor influenced the numbers?

"The introduction of the NIC has definitely contributed to greater transparency in the sector, bringing to light a part of undeclared tourism. This gives us a clearer view of the market and allows us to better plan our development strategies. However, tourism data is not solely influenced by this, as there are other factors, such as the Jubilee pilgrim flows, that cannot always be mapped. According to the analyses we have collected up to 18 August thanks to the Viminale's Alloggiati Web platform, hotel accommodation registered an increase of 5.8%, which cannot be attributed just to the NIC. These analyses need to be explored in further depth in the coming months, but one thing is certain: tourism is healthy and growing, and the government’s measures to enhance transparency and curb illegal practices are working, contributing to a higher standard of tourism.”

Are the positive figures for Italian mountain tourism a prelude to the success of the Winter Olympics? What are the initial results?

“We are undoubtedly talking about very positive signals, and this augurs well for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. The initial feedback is encouraging, and we are working to maximize the impact of the Games on tourism, also because events of this scale are fundamental to creating value, encouraging investment, and showcasing Italy on the global stage.”

Price alert: how are tourist flows being managed to prevent sharp rate increases and protect service quality?

"We are implementing a series of strategies aimed at monitoring and managing tourist flows, working in collaboration with industry stakeholders. We will set up dedicated task forces to keep prices reasonable and guarantee consistently high-quality service.”

Let's come to a topic on everyone's lips: overtourism and flow management. Are there any virtuous examples to take inspiration from?

“There are several examples of destinations that have successfully implemented tourist flow management strategies. For example, the project of the Apuan Ligurian area favours integration and synergies between nearby territories. Furthermore, the sustainable tourism projects of Italy’s top destinations can shed light on the key challenges posed by overtourism.”

What key projects is the Ministry currently working on? And what issues remain to be addressed?

"We are working on several projects aimed at promoting sustainability and raising the level of quality. These challenges must be overcome to make tourism the driving force of the Italian economy.” 

There is growing concern about the preservation of artworks amid rising tourist numbers and irresponsible visitor behaviour. What’s being done to address this issue?

“We need to work together with the Ministry of Culture to implement control and awareness measures, educating visitors to respect works of art. It is crucial to protect our cultural heritage and ensure that tourist experiences are sustainable and respectful."

Read the Article in the WTM Special Edition 2025