Sardinia’s participation in the ItaliAbsolutely Village at the Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum was the first time the region was present at a U.S. travel show.

The U.S. is Sardinia’s first non-European market

“This is the first of a series of initiatives for 2025,- said regional tourism councillor Franco Cuccureddu. – This travel show has a select number of travel professional attendees which means they are here to do business. Equally important is the fact that there has been strong growth in Sardinia from the American market. The latest data shows there has been a growth of 36% in arrivals and 34% in overnights compared to the previous year, which places the United States as the tenth foreign market overall, and as the first non-European market. We also have a concentration of these visitors in 5-star and 5-star luxury hotels, and since we are an island with some transport difficulties, we are interested in working on quality rather than quantity, which is why the US market is extremely interesting for us” 

“Sardinia is very competitive both in terms of price and quality”

“Interacting with operators, travel agents or tourism professionals from the US and Canada it was clear that Sardinia was seen as a sun and sea destination, and compared to other popular destinations for US travellers like French Polynesia, the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean, we are very competitive both in terms of price and quality. The problem is that we are only open for a few weeks a year. While the Maldives has a season long eight months, ours is only eight weeks, so here we have also brought products that can be attractive at different times of year as well as being complementary to a beach holiday.  These include hiking, shopping, visiting towns and villages and archaeology, in short, products linked to the outdoors like hiking and walking trails and cycle routes and more. Sardinia is focusing a lot on these and the Americans really like them”  

From centenarians to food to prison tours

Sardinia also presented unusual products like Bruzzone, the Land of Centenarians, which has already attracted some groups of Americans in search of the elixir of life, said Councillor Cuccureddu who added that there was much interest in Sardinia’s excellent gastronomy, its national parks and in an international project devised a few years ago with the then governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger. “We created a network between the three great prison islands of the world: Alcatraz, Robben Island where Mandela was imprisoned and the Asinara where mafia bosses were kept.  It is estimated that 97.5% of the people in the world have never been into a prison, so there is a lot of curiosity about how people live in prisons. It is a small target but an interesting one because these three large maximum security prison islands are all island national parks, and they are all protected marine reserves, and ornithological centres so they have a lot in common.  

A high level of satisfaction for the contacts made

“Regarding our participation at the ItaliAbsolutely Village the Region is happy when the operators are happy. We are monitoring their level of satisfaction which I reckon to be very high in the sense that that there have been a lot of contacts, some completely new while others have been with professionals who already work with Sardinia, so it's a matter of consolidating relationships. The degree of satisfaction is really very high and therefore I believe we will propose this participation again in the future.” 

Aeroitalia has launched its new Rome Fiumicino-Lublin route on which it will offer 12,000 seats this summer.

The first flight from Rome to Lublin

The ceremony at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for the inaugural flight was attended by institutional representatives, industry operators and journalists. Federico Scriboni, aviation business development director of Aeroporti di Roma, pointed out that “The introduction of this new Aeroitalia flight will connect Rome to Lublin for the first time.”

Tuesday and Saturday B737-800 flights

Poland is one of the key European markets for Rome, which has seen its passenger flow double over the last five years, exceeding the historic threshold of 1.3 million passengers in 2024 and marking a growth of over 50% over the previous record in 2023. The new Rome-Lublin route will be operated twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, by a Boeing 737-800, with a total capacity of approximately 11,718 seats until the end of the summer season.

Ethnic traffic will play a role in the route’s success

“Lublin is a destination with excellent potential, especially for leisure travel, but it also attracts visitors from all over southern Italy,- said Massimo Di Perna, co-CEO of Aeroitalia. -Today, with the inaugural flight, we have 120 passengers arriving and 100 departing, while for 5 April the seats on board are all sold out. On the flights to and from Poland there will also be significant ethnic traffic, given that there is a large and well-established Polish community in Italy.” 

American Airlines confirms its Philadelphia-Venice flights and will debut flights from Dallas on 6 June.

“Italy is one of our main European destinations”

“Venice is an increasingly popular summer destination in our international network,- said José Freig, VP international and contact centre operations American Airlines. -The resumption of seasonal flights between our Philadelphia hub and Venice, as well as the new flights from Dallas Fort Worth highlight our commitment to supporting Italy as one of the main European destinations in our growing network.”

Up to two daily flights from Dallas Fort Worth to Venice 

Philadelphia International Airport is the carrier's main transatlantic hub on the East Coast and offers passengers numerous connections for onward travel with connecting flights to over 120 destinations in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Flights between Philadelphia and Venice will be operated by Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The Dallas Fort Worth-Venice route will be operated by Boeing 777-200s and Boeing 787-8s, with up to two daily flights during the 2025 summer season. Dallas is the airline's largest hub and offers passengers numerous onward connections to over 230 destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. 

Connecting flights to Mexico and Central America

“With the flight from the Dallas hub, which is in addition to the resumption of the connection from the Philadelphia hub, American Airlines‘ offer at Venice airport takes an important leap in quality, serving both macro-areas of the south-west and the east coast of the United States,- said Camillo Bozzolo, aviation development director Save Group. -The new Dallas route is part of our strategy to develop a wider network of connections with intercontinental hubs, allowing us to reach Mexico and Central America with convenient connections.

At the LVTAF Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum, we interviewed industry experts who highlighted Italy's growing popularity among American tourists and future trends in U.S.-Italy tourism.

“We want to establish an initial connection with this market”

Claudio PaolettiClaudio Paoletti of Master Group Italy told us he had great expectations for the show. “I can't wait to get started! I think it will be a very interesting and valuable event for us. We want to establish an initial connection with this market. We know which Italian destinations are in high demand here, and we are fully prepared. I am confident it will be a fantastic event, bringing us great results and future opportunities.”  

Which other markets are important for you, and which are your top priorities?  

“At the moment South America is a key market for us. We are also focusing on boosting our presence in the DAC region—Germany, Switzerland, and Austria—as well as parts of Northern Europe. We also have important clients in Eastern Europe, including Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. And of course we are consolidating our position in the U.S. market, where we already have a valuable client base, and we are looking to expand even further.”  

What are the main products you are introducing or selling in the U.S. market?  

“Italy’s art cities are undoubtedly among our top-selling products, along with our touring experiences. Destinations with strong artistic and cultural appeal such as Rome, Florence, Venice, and Naples are always in high demand, and of course the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre remain must-sees for American visitors.”   

“Italy is Italy, its culture is unique"

Kerri Kirshner and Eddie QuinteroWe then spoke to Kerri Kirshner and Eddie Quintero of Extra Mile Travels, Bothell, Wa and asked them how well they know Italy.  “I think I've been there at least ten or fifteen times. The first time was in 1990. I love Italy, it has some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. A few years ago we stayed in Padua and did day trips to Bologna, Ferrara, and Verona the city of love. Italy is Italy, its culture is unique."

And what do you think about the presence of ItaliAbsolutely at Las Vegas?

"This is our second time here, and thank you for being here. We’re sure we’ll learn a lot from you. Italy is in my heart. As a travel advisor I can say that more than 50% of my clients always ask about Italy. And this year, with the Jubilee, I recommend that those who want to visit this year to wait and go next year."

Beth Slifrski
We then asked Beth Slifrski of Cruise Planners Santa Barbara, Ca how many times she had been to Italy?

"I’d say at least five or six times. I’ve been to Sardinia, and to Puglia. Not many Americans know these regions well. I think Sardinia is probably my number one spot. And then I’d say the Amalfi Coast, second. But the real problem is that every place in Italy is so beautiful, it’s hard to pick!"

"Where do your clients go in Italy and what do you think about the future of US tourism in Italy?"

“My clients tend to do the classic routes: Rome, Florence, Venice, but in recent years I’ve noticed a growing interest in Sicily, but I’m also seeing more interest in other destinations- continued Beth. -I think Italy is going to keep growing. It has become the number one destination, maybe even surpassing France in terms of tourism. This year, with the Jubilee, tourism will definitely increase even more. Americans are just beginning to discover everything Italy has to offer, and there’s so much to see!"

“I am trying to push Sicily”

Melanie Rodriguez
Melanie Rodriguez of Life is Better Traveling, Leesburg, Va told us she sends a lot of clients to Italy but has still not been there herself.  “I have clients who've been asking to ski in Italy for years, and I think it could be the location for them. 

My clients tend to like three-city destinations starting in Florence, going down to Rome and ending in Naples and on to the Amalfi Coast. But I really am trying to push Sicily and some other unique destinations. Everyone does the three-city tour, I want to give them other choices.” 










Ligia Hofnar


Ligia Hofnar, Marketing Manager of Italiabsolutely, at the Italiabsolutely booth at the Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum.

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The participation at the Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum of Travel Open Day Srl, the company that owns the ItaliAbsolutely brand, was possible thanks to the contribution of €15,240 for each fair received from the Lazio Region through the Voucher Internazionalizzazione PMI 2025, an initiative of the Regional Programme ERDF Lazio 2021-2027 which supports the participation of regional SMEs at international trade fairs, allowing them to expand access to foreign markets and promote their internationalization processes. With this participation Travel Open Day Srl promoted its publications and Italian excellence through direct interaction with over 1,000 thousand foreign travel agents.

Naples, a city of events, heritage, and multicultural charm, is the third most visited city in Italy.

Naples welcomed 14 million visitors in 2024

Naples is focusing on events and preparing to welcome increasingly diverse forms of tourism “A city like Naples – the third most visited in Italy with over 14 million tourists, and a significant growth compared to the 12.5 million of 2023 – is at the BIT to showcase the strategies and actions we are implementing to capture new targets,-  said Naples’ tourism councillor Teresa Armato. -Naples is undergoing an extraordinary transformation: from a city of passing traffic to a destination of international importance and charm. 

Events will play a major role in 2025

A valuable role is played by the DMO, which allows us to develop concrete promotional activities and diversify, reaching out also to international markets,” said Armato who, together with Professor Valentina della Corte, head of the DMO, presented “Naples, a New City” Events will play a major role this year, starting with the upcoming celebrations for the 2500th anniversary of the founding of Naples, coinciding with the Jubilee Year and featuring tours of convents and monasteries, and a cultural programme of theatre, music, visual arts and literature. 

The Italian city most clicked on by Italian visitors

The “See Naples and Die” format will continue to promote lesser-known itineraries, helping to decongest the historic centre, and better distribute tourist flows.  In 2024, the city’s main inbound markets were France, the United States, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Only recently Parclick.it, the leading car park portal in Europe, defined Naples as the Italian city most clicked on by Italian visitors, with a 19% increase in demand compared to the previous year and fourth behind Paris, Amsterdam and London.

Capodichino Airport handled 8.9 million international visitors

Naples’ Capodichino Airport ended the year with 8,900,000 international visitors and from 17 May Air Canada will operate Montreal-Naples direct flights for the summer. Naples Municipality has announced that work is underway to expand Capodichino Airport, and that direct flights from Beijing and Tokyo will be launched by 2026.

This year Rome will host the 25th edition of the WTTC Global Summit, which returns to Europe on 28-30 September after an interval of six years.

The most important annual event for global travel and tourism

In collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT) and with the participation of the Municipality of Rome and the Lazio Region, the event will take place at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome. Recognized as the most important annual event in the global travel and tourism calendar, the WTTC Global Summit brings together business leaders, government representatives and industry pioneers to discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the global travel and tourism industry.

The focus will be on digital transformation and regenerative tourism

With Rome as its backdrop, the Global Summit 2025 promises to be a spectacular event, with the spotlight on the latest developments in digital transformation, regenerative tourism and investment strategies, as well as discussions on the growing importance of technology in advancing the sector. “I am delighted to bring our Global Summit back to Europe, and to shine the spotlight on the iconic city of Rome,- said Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the WTTC. -Rome will provide the perfect backdrop for our members, government representatives and distinguished guests who will be arriving from all over the world. I would like to thank Minister Santanchè and ENIT for hosting our Global Summit, which I am sure will be a spectacular event.”

Encouraging dialogue between the public and private sectors

“The 25th WTTC Global Summit is an international event that will highlight the crucial role of tourism in the global economy,- said Daniela Santanchè, Italian minister of tourism. -Italy is ready to seize the opportunity to strengthen its position as a leader in the tourism sector, promoting sustainability, digital innovation and experiential tourism. We firmly believe that events like this are fundamental to encourage dialogue between the public and private sectors, stimulate new investments and guarantee a prosperous future for our sector, which is one of the main drivers of our country's economy.”