2008 Corporate Annual Report - ONT Osservatorio nazionale del

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ENIT
Italian State Tourist Board
2008 Corporate Annual Report
ENIT
Italian State Tourist Board
2008 Corporate Annual Report
F
or many years, institutions, businesses and market structures would appear to have got
used to seeing our tourism system’s diminishing market share as a sort of unavoidable
fate. The reasons for this attitude – which may look somewhat like giving up – are varied
and complex. Certainly, there is increasingly widespread disorientation, among public
administrators but above all among operators, caused by years of there being no national
policy that could implement strategies functional to the needs of a
demand that, under the pressure of a now unstoppable globalization
process, was changing radically. This is because of what may be obvious
to say: when dealing with a market that produces more than 900 million
tourists a year, and that earns revenue more substantial than any other
industrial sector, the old management concepts – and old policies – are
no longer of use.
And so today, we have a glaring paradox to grapple with: on the one
hand, we have a country like our own, that has it all – 50% of the world’s
catalogued cultural and monumental assets, a wealth of cities of significant historical interest, scenery, itineraries, and other attractions of
undisputed quality – to satisfy the needs and curiosities of any kind of
tourist. But on the other hand, we have a supply system that, given the lack of appropriate
support strategies, cannot be programmed and structured in such a way as to guarantee, for
those who choose our country as their destination, a range of services which have a uniform
standard of quality and level of efficiency throughout national territory. This is not even to
mention a promotion system both in Italy and abroad which, due to the non-coordination
between the initiatives made for this purpose in every part of the territory, was unable during
these years to achieve either the effectiveness or the decisiveness that would be needed.
As ENIT’s report on the 2008 tourism season demonstrates, it is important that incoming tourism will continue to maintain, also in terms of receipts, trends that we may consider positive. However, given the above considerations, it is clear that our market can aspire to far
greater results. For example, the World Tourism Organization estimates that, in 2010, more
than 150 million tourists from the countries of Southeast Asia – and China above all – will
be increasingly prone to choosing European destinations. This is not to mention the flows,
which are also expected to gradually rise, from India, South America, Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe. This means that if international tourism towards Europe was already
489 million tourists strong – more than one half of those travelling in the world – in 2008,
all the premises are there for this level to increase even more in the years to come.
But for our country to be able to intercept demand more than it does now, it must have a
strategy that on the one hand manages to carry out, on every continent, a more structured,
extensive, and incisive action to promote everything extraordinary that Brand Italy can offer
today, and on the other, in collaboration with the regions and other institutions, is able to
take radical action in terms of logistics, infrastructure, services and transport networks,
which perhaps pose the greatest obstacle to our tourism system’s general development. And
the Ministry of Tourism intends to take firm, determined action towards more rapidly achieving these two objectives.
Michela Vittoria Brambilla
Minister of Tourism
The password: confidence and initiative
W
ith the Decree of the President of the Republic of 24 July 2008, my appointment to the
Presidency of ENIT-Italian State Tourist Board became official. Through its long history
and tradition, ENIT has offered me the honour of putting myself at my country’s service, albeit at
a delicate moment for the tourism industry both at home and internationally.
In the first 9 months of the year, our country recorded currency revenue equal to € 25,629,000,000
(+1.69%), even though our summer season saw some areas in difficulty,
particularly in the beach sector – a product we have to revitalize and support
more energetically, along with the entire Italian tourism system, considering
the competition from international players staking their challenge on this
front and chipping away at our leadership.
Contrary to so many negative forecasts, the winter season saw a recovery in
terms of guests, including foreign ones, at almost all our skiing facilities,
thanks to an exceptional snow cover, but also to the effort that our
entrepreneurs, and the whole system, have made to improve the country’s
capacity for hospitality.
Therefore, despite the downward trend over the last quarter of the year, total
spending by international guests for all of 2008 fell by only 0.1% from 2007,
with income equalling € 31,090,000,000, according to the latest statistics published by Banca
d’Italia.
It is our feeling that while the situation is a negative one, it is not a dramatic one, although, when
ISTAT’s real data on accommodation nights and international arrivals are made available, we will
have an idea of the effect that the crisis in our sector has actually been having. And of course we
are concerned.
But we place great faith in the efforts we are continuing to make on international markets, where
we are working in close synergy with Regions and businesses. This work allows us to establish
relations with thousands of tour operators, travel agents, and journalists, and to carry out PR,
promotions, and communications initiatives. Italy’s major tourism exchanges welcome hundreds
of travel operators. Foreign TOs’ catalogues are rich with pages on Italy. Many of them work
exclusively with our country. The issue is to enrich these catalogues’ offerings. While we must
capitalize on the traditional areas of excellence, we need to make the most of innovative offerings,
too. The dangers, particularly during these difficult times, may lie in underestimating the value of
a brand (Italy) that still continues to elicit an absolutely positive reaction in people’s hearts. This
is a priority we must be able to confirm in welcoming our guests, or we face their gradual
disaffection.
We must create new motivations and winning formulas, reach specific targets, and launch
exclusive, trend-setting products. We compete through the quality and efficiency that is the
content of our tourism system.
The password must be confidence and initiative. We need to revitalize a great alliance in our
country in the area of tourism, and stimulate our faith and our excitement about the commitment
we all devote to this great resource, a fundamental asset today and in the future, in the interest of
Italy and of all Italians.
Matteo Marzotto
President, ENIT-Italian State Tourist Board
The frontiers of tourism on international markets
E
NIT-Board, with the valuable collaboration of its offices abroad, has worked hard to continue
spreading a message of trust to foreign consumers, with particular attention to the public
from the countries of Eastern Europe and Asia.
Of the objectives achieved in 2008, that of strengthening and multiplying the action of the
previous campaigns – “Italia Opera Unica” and “Italy for Life” – was essential. This was done
with a multimedia platform of strategic communication on leading international broadcasting
outlets. The desire was above all to emphasize the uniqueness, authenticity, and hospitality that
are characteristic of the Italian destination, as well as its lifestyle, by
concentrating on five product categories: sea, culture, nature, spas/wellness,
and congresses.
Supporting a line of strategic communication to attract new sources of
tourists, ENIT has concentrated its efforts on combating the loss of appeal
that our country appears to be suffering due to the international crisis, as it
loses ground to more affordable destinations.
Although the context is unfavourable, available financial resources have
been optimized to contend with our competition, and Brand Italy has been
repositioned with high-level initiatives on both traditional markets and on
emerging ones, with hopes of attracting new tourist flows.
Presenting the varied offerings of Italian tourism at the 2008 Olympics in
Beijing was one of the most important efforts, because it made it possible to verify, in the field,
what we know about the Chinese market, which is shaping up to be one of the more promising
sources of outgoing tourism in the future. The meeting with representatives from Air China and
with China’s leading tour operators at Casa Italia was rich with future prospects.
Constant work in benchmarking research and communication has made it possible to re-position
the promotion of Brand Italy in the geographical areas most sensitive to Italy’s charm, such as
those in the European basin (Germany, United Kingdom, and France), Japan, and the United
States.
ENIT was a fundamental intermediary for creating business contacts between foreign buyers and
Italian sellers at exchanges and workshops. Buyitaly 2008, on the occasion of the BIT exchange,
saw a record turnout of more than 540 foreign buyers from all over the world, with traditional
markets joined by representations from Russia, China, and India. The success of Art Cities
Exchange, attended by about 900 demand TOs from Europe, Asia, the United States, the Middle
East, and other countries, and attendance at such major international tourism shows as Madrid’s
FITUR, Berlin’s ITB, and MITT in Moscow, were just some of the events that reconfirmed the
soundness of our institutional activities.
The entire office laboured with enthusiasm, and despite the admitted difficulties, the work
performed by our main office and our offices aborad may be said to have attained the objectives
that had been set.
Eugenio Magnani
General Manager, ENIT-Italian State Tourist Board
ENIT-Italian State Tourist Board | ENIT Italy special edition June 2009 | Reg. Tribunale di Roma | AI n. 211/2000 del 9 maggio
2000 | Managing Editor: Anna Maria Pinna | Coordination by: Programming and Marketing Office/Planning and Method Office
| Production Staff: GI Grafica Internazionale - Via Rubicone, 18 - 00198 Roma / Tel. 068440401 - Fax 06855336
www.graficainternazionale.it - [email protected] | Art Direction: GI Grafica Internazionale | Printed by: CSC Grafica S.r.l. Roma
Summary
1>
2>
ENIT: institutional profile and duties
6
1.1
1.2
6
7
Tourism: trends and outlook
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
3>
4>
5>
2008: a year of consolidation for ENIT – Italian State Tourist Board
ENIT in the world – Structure and missions
Trends in world and European tourism
International tourism in Italy
Brand Italy
Italy in the international press
8
8
11
15
17
Brand Development, Sales and Marketing
21
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
21
22
22
25
25
26
27
Advertising
Co-marketing
Trade fairs, workshops and exchanges in Italy
Publishing
Press Office and Public Relations
Promotional events
Other activities
Market actions
28
4.1
4.2
4.3
28
45
49
Europe
America
Asia and Oceania
The incoming markets
54
5.1
5.2
5.3
Europe
America
Asia and Oceania
54
62
65
6>
Information Technology
68
7>
Objectives for 2009
69
Organizational Chart
Foreign network
Notes
70
71
72
>
>
>
1 > ENIT: Institutional profile
and duties
ENIT - 2008 Corporate Annual Report
1.1
2008: a year of consolidation for ENIT
– Italian State Tourist Board
or ENIT-Italian State Tourist Board1, 2008 was a
year to consolidate its work. Its activity promoting
Italy as a tourism destination has taken on an even
more impor tant role given the difficult global
economic situation that has affected all areas of the
planet, and the consequent impacts on tourism
markets as well.
F
Over the course of the year, ENIT guaranteed a
multitude of initiatives and lines of activities to support
Italian tourism offerings, in order to maintain the
world’s high opinion of the Italian tourism destination,
and to continue conveying the dream of a trip to Italy.
From major industry events all over the world to
attendance at the Beijing Olympics; from fam trips for
operators and journalists to co-marketing activities
with TOs and airlines; and from daily direct contacts
with potential tourists and industry professionals to
web promotion efforts: ENIT has utilized many and
diverse tools to carry out its mission at the service of
what Italian tourism has to offer.
At home, we saw an intense, collaborative effort with local
bodies and trade organizations, and with the Department
for the development and competitiveness of tourism at
the Office of the Prime Minister2. Among other things, the
Department is charged with providing guidance and
oversight to ENIT, and, with the appointment of Michela
Vittoria Brambilla3 as Undersecretary of State in charge of
tourism, saw its activities in support of Italian tourism
further reinvigorated in 2008.
And over the course of the year, ENIT’s Board of
Directors – whose membership, including representatives
of the State, the Regions, and Trade Associations,
guarantees both public and private interests – held 8
meetings and adopted 56 Provisions. Among other things,
it decided upon the new organization Regulations, which
along with the Statute, approved in late 2007 by the Vice
President of the Council of Ministers in charge of tourism,
in concert with the Ministry of Economics and Finance,
and with the Ministry for Reforms and Innovation in Public
Administration, govern ENIT’s organizational structure,
guaranteeing an operating model capable of responding to
the needs of demand from public and private operators
and of adopting modern marketing techniques centred
upon the products of Italian offerings.
Stockholm
Amsterdam
Frankfurt
Brussels
London
Paris
Lisbon
Los Angeles
Toronto
New York
Madrid
Zurich
Chicago
Berlin
Moscow
Warsaw
Prague
Budapest
Vienna
Munich
Seoul
Tokyo
Beijing
Mumbai
São Paulo
Sydney
6
1 > ENIT: Institutional profile and duties
1.2
ENIT in the world Structure and missions
With an overseas network organized into 9 Area Units
and 9 Satellite Offices, ENIT is active in 10 countries in
Europe (Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London,
Madrid, Munich, Moscow, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna, and
Zurich) and 4 countries elsewhere (Chicago, Los
Angeles,Toronto, New York, Sidney and Tokyo).
ENIT has also a presence on 8 emerging markets (Brazil,
China, South Korea, India, Poland, Portugal, Czech
Republic and Hungary), through monitoring units
operated under an agreement with the Chambers of
Commerce and with ICE – Italian Trade Commission.
Located in São Paulo, Beijing, Seoul, Mumbai, Warsaw,
Lisbon, Prague, and Budapest, the monitoring units are
flexible structures, organized to perform the action of
supporting Italy’s tourism image and its destinations in
countries where there is growing interest in tourism,
until the tourism market’s enlargement and
development create the conditions for a more
structured presence.
The following are ENIT’s institutional missions:
> overseeing the integrated promotion of the regions’
tourism resources;
> promoting the various types of national tourism
offerings;
> developing strategies for promoting tourism at home
and abroad, for providing information abroad, and for
lending support to the marketing of Italian tourism
products;
> carrying out consulting and assistance activities for the
state, the regions, and other public bodies in the matter
of promoting tourism products, by identifying
appropriate commercial strategies that allow Italy to
position itself more effectively on foreign markets;
> organizing consulting, assistance, and collaboration
services for public and private parties, including
regional agencies and offices, in order to promote and
develop processes to harmonize hospitality and
tourism information services;
> implementing forms of collaboration with the offices in
the diplomatic and consular network of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
Left:The “Italy Now” guide published in collaboration with ITPC, USA
Below: ENIT Stand at Motori Italiani, Sydney, Australia
7
2.1
Trends in world
and European tourism
he world economic situation had a profound
influence on international tourism in 2008: after
years of continued growth, the oil crisis followed by the
collapse of the international financial system slowed
tourist flows.
In economic terms, estimates published by the
International Monetary Fund4 speak of a 1.3% decline in
worldwide GDP for 2009, to the lowest rate in the last
sixty years. The crisis is even more evident for the
advanced economies, which are expecting a full-blown
recession with a general GDP decrease equalling 3.8%;
the emerging and developing economies will continue to
grow (1.6% in 2009), but at rates much slower than in
recent years.
The clearest signs of the economic and financial crisis are
the decline in consumer confidence – with consumption
declining accordingly – and the higher unemployment
rate caused by the crisis so many businesses are facing.
T
Although a general world economic recovery is
expected for 2010, any forecast is uncertain, because the
recovery will depend greatly on the performance of the
year in progress, and on the economic policies adopted
by governments.
8
2 > Tourism:
trends and outlook
GDP: % growth
9
8
Emerging and
developing economies
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
-1
Advanced
-2
economies
-3
-4
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
As a consequence of the world economic situation,
international tourism, for the first time in years,
suffered a sharp decline in growth rates5.
From 2004 through 2007, international arrivals grew at
an average rate of 7% per year, far ahead of the longterm estimate of 4%. The causes for this development
may be seen in a positive period for the world economy,
and in the tourism industry’s ability to resist factors
capable of bringing negative impacts, such as terrorism,
the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and SARS.
2 > Tourism: trends and outlook
But in 2008, international tourism growth was recorded
at about 2% (equal to 16 million more arrivals): after an
initial period (January-June) when growth rates were in
line with those from earlier years, the year’s second half –
coinciding with the worsening international economic
and financial crisis – saw a general decline in tourist flows.
As in years past, the situation differs in the various regions
of the world:
> in Europe, the negative result derives above all from a
decline in northwestern European destinations, while
southern and Mediterranean Europe has maintained a
certain stability overall;
> Asia and the Pacific show a positive trend, but less than
that recorded in 2007;
> America, thanks above all to the fair growth of
incoming tourism in the United States, shows a positive
trend, and the Caribbean area even improved its
performance over 2007;
> the Middle East continues to maintain the world’s
greatest growth, albeit at a rate slower than the
previous year;
> Africa is showing good growth, even in the second half
of 2008, particularly for northern destinations.
Despite the generally declining growth rates, some
destinations – like Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama,
Uruguay, South Korea, Macao (China), Indonesia, India,
Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, and Turkey – still
performed excellently in 2008.
International arrivals by continent
(% share)
6%
5%
16%
53%
20%
Europe
America
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Middle East
Lastly, air transport and hotel performance data confirm
the trend seen for tourist flows. In the first half of 2008,
the airline industry was negatively affected by the oil
crisis, which forced carriers to increase fares while
reviewing routes and frequency; high oil prices were
followed by the economic and financial crisis, with its
effects on tourism demand. Data from ICAO
(International Civil Aviation Organization) thus show a
declining international flow, which recorded a +4.1%
increase in 2008, down from +7.6% the previous year.
This is in line with IATA (International Air Transport
Association) data which, for the first 11 months of the
year, recorded +2.2% growth, as against +7.4% in 2007.
As for hotel performance, the data show growth, albeit at
rates slower than last year : RevPAR (revenue per
available room) grew by 20% in the Middle East area –
where the best results were recorded – followed by
Central and South America, Asia and the Pacific, Europe,
International tourism trends
WORLD
Europe
Asia and the Pacific
America
Africa
Middle East
2000
682
392,4
109,3
128,2
27,9
24,4
Arrivals (millions)
2005
2007
805
908
441,6
488
154,7
185,4
133,4
142,5
37,3
44,9
37,8
47,5
2008
924
488,5
188,3
147,6
46,9
52,9
% Change
06/07
07/08
6,9
1,8
5,2
0,1
10,5
1,6
4,9
3,6
8,5
4,6
15,3
11,3
UNWTO, World Tourism Barometer, January 2009
9
and lastly North America, the only area on the planet
showing decline (Deloitte & Touche LLP data).
After four years of averaging 3.6% growth, in 2008 the
world’s GDP connected with the tourism and travel
industry saw an increase of just 1% – the weakest
performance since the start of the millennium (WTTC
data)6.
In 2008, Europe, although confirming its position as the
most-visited destination with 53% of international
arrivals, earned a growth rate of just 0.1% - thus
remaining virtually flat. All countries on average recorded
good start-of-year performance, followed by a clear
decline starting from the second third of the year.
International arrivals in Europe
500
400
350
300
250
200
2008
2007
2006
2004
2005
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1997
1998
1996
0
1995
Millions of arrivals
450
In particular, the worst results were in Northern Europe,
which showed -2% for the whole year ; the only
exception was Iceland.
The United Kingdom and Ireland were weak throughout
the year, both outbound and inbound; the UK’s
departures fell by -1%.
Western Europe showed a general decline of 1%, but
with trends varying by country: Austria and Switzerland
benefited from the European Football Championship
(+6% arrivals for Austria, with Switzerland enjoying good
results in the mountain and congresses segment);
10
Germany, affected late by the world economic crisis,
maintained robust tourism demand, and a positive
inbound tourism still basking in the glow of the 2006 FIFA
World Cup. International arrivals were also on the rise in
Belgium, while Holland suffered a heavy -7%, caused in
particular by weakness in both the British market and in
those further away (long-range). France recorded -3% in
arrivals at hotel facilities, due especially to the declining
American, British, Japanese, and Chinese markets.
Although Central and Eastern Europe confirmed its
standing as a growth region for both outbound and
inbound tourism, it did so with increases in 2008 below
those of previous years; the only exceptions were Poland
and Hungary, which recorded declines.
Lastly, Mediterranean Europe generally showed a
modest increase, driven above all by strong growth in
such destinations as Turkey, Israel, Portugal, Malta, and
the countries of the Balkan area (Albania, Montenegro,
Bosnia, and Macedonia). And as for the “more
traditional” destinations, Greece showed a downward
trend, caused above all by the decline in tourists from
the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, with
a noticeable rise in prices; Spain’s season was a
disappointing one, with major declines at year’s end (12% in November and -14% in December), shorter
stays, reduced spending, and a general decline in the
domestic market due to the economic situation in the
world and at home.
The leading outbound markets7
In Europe, the effects of the economic crisis have been
felt throughout the continent, but to differing degrees in
each individual market.
In the first eight months of the year, Russia confirmed its
standing as the leader in outbound growth, followed by
Finland, Norway, and Spain.
The two largest markets, Germany and the United
Kingdom (together generating 35% of Europe’s
outbound total) saw modest growth in the first eight
months of the year.
Market
Russia
Finland
Norway
Spain
Italy
Sweden
Germany
United Kingdom
Denmark
Belgium
France
% Change in number
of trips
+15
+9
+4
+4
+3
+3
+2
+2
+1
0
-4
Source: IPK International’s European Travel Monitor
After a 2007 with record growth and a positive start to
2008, outbound tourism from the United States was
heavily impacted by the economic crisis, with difficulties
as early as the month of April; in the first seven months
of the year, growth registered a modest +1%.The more
remote destinations were most affected by the reduced
spending and shorter stays; Americans have naturally
privileged closer destinations.
In line with the positive trend in recent years, Canada
also saw substantial outbound growth in 2008, in spite of
the international economic climate; moreover, thanks to
the stable Canadian dollar, the first eight months of the
year saw tourists abroad increase by 13%.
South America is a strongly expanding outgoing market;
in particular, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile are the biggest
outbound-generating countries. For 2008, estimates
foresee major growth for Brazil (+10%), and Argentina
(6-10%).
Lastly, for Asian countries, 2008 in some cases was a year
of declining outgoing flows. Japan in particular recorded a
6% decline in outgoing tourist flows over the first nine
months; while this result is without a doubt the result of
economic factors – the financial crisis, expensive oil, the
weak yen – it is also due to a general climate of low
confidence in many elements of Japanese society, like
pensions, the employment situation, and social inequality.
Also negative are the outgoing flows from Korea (-4% in
the January-September period) and Taiwan (-3.5% in the
same period).
Bucking the trend with healthy increases in outgoing
tourist flows are India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Over the past decade, Italy has seen its international
arrivals constantly rise, with a single phase of recession in
2003.
The data for 2007 confirm our destination’s standing in
international tourism: Italy is the world’s number-five
destination in terms of arrivals – fourth in terms of
monetary income.
11
2.2
World’s top tourism destinations
International Arrivals (millions)
2006
2007
1 France
2 Spain
3 USA
4 China
5 Italy8
6 United Kingdom
7 Germany
8 Ukraine
9 Turkey
10 Mexico
78,9
58,2
51
49,9
41,1
30,7
23,5
18,9
18,9
21,4
81,9
59,2
56
54,7
43,7
30,7
24,4
23,1
22,2
21,4
% Change
3,8%
1,7%
9,8%
9,6%
6,3%
0,1%
3,9%
22,1%
17,6%
0,3%
Receipts (billions of US$)
2006
2007
1 USA
2 Spain
3 France
4 Italy
5 China
6 United Kingdom
7 Germany
8 Australia
9 Austria
10 Turkey
96,7
57,8
54,2
42,7
41,9
37,6
36,0
22,2
18,9
18,5
85,7
51,1
46,3
38,1
33,9
33,7
32,8
17,8
16,6
16,9
% Change
(local currency)
12,8%
3,6%
7,2%
2,5%
23,5%
2,7%
0,6%
12,2%
4,0%
9,7%
UNWTO Data, June 2008
Year
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Arrivals
30.799.940
31.718.538
35.194.735
35.805.335
36.355.046
35.006.124
36.715.739
38.126.691
41.193.827
42.873.122
Bednights
120.875.293
126.314.241
140.362.488
146.789.945
145.559.930
139.653.425
141.169.236
148.501.052
156.861.341
163.465.680
Arrivals % change
4,29%
2,98%
10,96%
1,73%
1,54%
-3,71%
4,88%
3,84%
8,04%
4,08%
Bednights % change
3,08%
4,50%
11,12%
4,58%
-0,84%
-4,06%
1,09%
5,19%
5,63%
4,21%
Istat data
For the locations visited, international tourism is characterized by a high propensity for cities of historical and artistic
interest.
However, after years of sustained growth, in 2007 cultural tourism failed to keep pace with such other segments as
mountain, lake, spa, and hill tourism.
12
Foreign tourists by type of location visited
Country of origin
2006
Arrivals
2007
Bednights
Cities of historical
and artistic interest 19.138.796
53.084.260
Mountain locations
3.310.490
17.497.609
Lake locations
3.462.431
17.759.196
Sea locations
7.002.386
38.011.166
Spa locations
1.401.960
5.251.159
Hill and
miscellaneous
interest locations
1.618.976
7.530.394
Other locations
5.258.788
17.727.557
TOTAL
41.193.827 156.861.341
Arrivals
Bednights
19.580.742
3.519.951
3.697.126
7.182.486
1.480.008
55.091.125
18.097.304
18.994.446
38.863.405
5.446.923
1.702.955
7.820.337
5.709.854
19.152.140
42.873.122 163.465.680
% Change
2006/2007
Arrivals
Bednights
2,3%
6,3%
6,8%
2,6%
5,6%
3,8%
3,4%
7,0%
2,2%
3,7%
5,2%
8,6%
4,1%
3,9%
8,0%
4,2%
Istat data
International arrivals by type
of location visited (%)
8%
4%
9%
3%
46%
13%
17%
Cities of historical and artistic interest
Mountain locations
Lake locations
Sea locations
Spa locations
Hill and miscellaneous interest locations
Other locations
The major European countries join the United States,
Japan, and China as Italy’s leading incoming markets.
The sustained increase of the Russian market, which in
2007 brought arrivals to almost one million, is worthy of
note.
Japan’s decline is to be attributed to a general decrease
in outgoing tourism, due above all to factors of an
economic nature.
13
Leading markets of origin
Country of origin
Germany
United States
United Kingdom
France
Spain
Austria
Netherlands
Switzerland
Japan
Russia
Belgium
China
2006
Arrivals
Bednights
8.961.197
46.401.151
4.844.707
12.078.835
3.176.204
12.732.146
3.134.361
9.816.174
1.788.325
4.480.574
1.803.623
7.750.180
1.536.493
8.922.123
1.656.666
7.230.791
1.648.220
3.198.038
720.758
2.555.305
899.784
3.986.334
816.940
1.325.467
2007
Arrivals
Bednights
8.943.586 46.497.062
4.996.537 12.678.463
3.305.568 13.080.892
3.245.682 10.267.003
1.976.899
5.306.063
1.833.428
7.893.293
1.682.377
9.620.138
1.648.892
7.197.225
1.474.014
2.882.194
954.345
3.405.731
916.711
4.129.185
806.129
1.314.727
% Change
Arrivals Bednight
-0,20%
0,21%
3,13%
4,96%
4,07%
2,74%
3,55%
4,59%
10,54%
18,42%
1,65%
1,85%
9,49%
7,82%
-0,47%
-0,46%
-10,57%
-9,88%
32,41%
33,28%
1,88%
3,58%
-1,32%
-0,81%
Istat data
Lastly, the 2008 trend is part of an international context
that has already been outlined: a start of the year marked
by increases in incoming tourism (thanks above all to a
favourable trend in the snow segment) was followed by
an initial halt in the Easter period.
Then, in the months of June and July, the summer season9
showed fewer arrivals and hotel nights spent by foreign
tourists visiting Italy on holiday, with spending reduced
accordingly. At year’s end, positive signals came from the
mountain segment10, which generally recorded a positive
trend in all months, showing a good propensity towards
deseasonalizing flows, with a stable foreign clientele and
bookings on the rise for the first months of 2009.
However, some elements must be noted:
> the decline in arrivals was caused above all by the reduced
long-range and extra-European (United States and United
Kingdom) flows, while the markets in the Euro area and
the traditional Italian incoming basins recorded increases;
> the decreases particularly involved Southern Italy and, in
part, Central Italy, while Northern Italy recorded good
performance;
> against the decline in foreign tourists recorded in June/July,
the month of August held essentially steady, with
September seeing a partial recovery;
> the greatest declines involved the hotel sector,
demonstrating how foreigners are increasingly preferring
alternative and non-hotel accommodations;
> spending by foreign tourists in 2008 held essentially stable,
registering -0.1%.
What emerged for 2008 was also confirmed by the
monitoring efforts conducted by ENIT through its
overseas network: Italy is holding steady, recording growth
on many markets, and is weak and declining in the
countries most stricken by the economic crisis.
14
Brand Italy
Outlook
Although conditions in the world economy will certainly
continue to influence tourism trends, the industry has
proven more resistant than others to the economic and
financial crisis that has hit the markets.
Market volatility makes it hard to project short-term
forecasts: in general, growth will be modest, and some
areas of the planet will see a certain stability. For Europe
in particular, 2009 looks to be a difficult year, because the
area’s largest countries are in a phase of recession and
higher unemployment rates.
The following are some trends forecast for international
tourism as a consequence of the crisis:
> short-range trips, including domestic trips, will be
preferred over long-range ones;
> the tourism segments that will hold best will be those
of VFR (visiting friends and relatives), repeaters, special
interest, and individual tourism;
> although the propensity to travel will remain high, the
declines will certainly affect average spending and
length of stay;
> price and value for money will be increasingly
determining factors in choosing destinations and
accommodations;
> last-minute tourism will see widespread practise, as
travellers seek special bargains and affordable travel
solutions.
Italy’s image and renown remained high in 2008: our
country in fact took fourth place in the 2008 Country
Brand Index11 compiled by Future Brand and Weber
Shandwick, and presented at London’s World Travel
Market.
Italy rose one place in the rankings over the previous
year, and was named the number-one European
destination, overtaking France; Spain dropped out of the
top ten.
Since the first edition in 2005, only four countries have
never been dropped from the top ten: Australia, Italy,
France, and the United States, and, except for France’s
sixth-place finish this year, those four countries have
always been ranked in the top five, although in differing
orders.
The fourth-place ranking earned by Italy last year
confirms the strong appeal of a destination that has
ranking
Country Brand Index: top ten in the four editions
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2005
Italy
Australia
United States
France
Maldives
Greece
Fiji
Thailand
Egypt
Bahamas
2006
Australia
United States
Italy
France
Greece
United Kingdom
Spain
New Zeland
Maldivee
India
2007
Australia
United States
United Kingdom
France
Italy
Canada
Spain
New Zeland
Greece
Japan
2008
Australia
Canada
United States
Italy
Switzerland
France
New Zeland
United Kingdom
Japan
Sweden
15
2.3
France
ITALY
Japan
United Kingdon
United States
Ethos
Australia
Canada
Japan New
Zeland
Sweden
Economy
Australia
Canada
France
ITALY
United Kingdom
United States
Experts point to Italy’s ability to offer tourists the best of
itself: from cuisine to art, from the romance of Venice to
the history of Rome. Indeed, thanks to its history and
culture, and to the enormous efforts to conserve its
heritage despite the continued growth of urban centres,
Italy’s image remains profoundly linked to its heritage of
art, culture, and scenery, and of course its cuisine, which
won Italy first-place ranking in the Fine Dining category.
In addition to this conclusion is an indicator developed by
Future Brand which, based on its position in eight key
variables, shows how Brand Italy is perceived by tourists
as wants-based: our destination is seen by tourists for its
essence (consisting of attractions, authenticity, culture,
ethos) rather than for its essentials (geography,
infrastructure, governance, economy); the desire to visit
the country prevails over the desire to live there.
Culture
Attractions
WANTS
Authenticity
remained among tourists’ leading preferences, earning
positive assessments from industry professionals.
It should also be stressed that Italy’s most direct
competitors (France, Greece, and Spain) occupy lower
positions in the 2008 rankings, having lost ground from
the previous edition.
Italy also earned ranking in many of the CBI’s categories:
> Art & culture: 1st place
> Fine Dining: 1st place
> History: 2nd place
> Desire to visit/visit again: 2nd place
> Ideal for business: 5th place
> Quality products: 5th place
> Most impressive last year: 6th place
> Shopping: 7th place
> Ease of travel: 9th place
> Extend a business trip: 9th place
> Friendly locals: 10th place
> Families: 10th place
Australia
Canada
Japan
Sweden
Switzerland
France
ITALY
Japan
Sweden
Essentials
Canada
Japan
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Governance
NEEDS
Infrastructure
Geography
Essence
Australia
Canada
ITALY
New Zeland
Switzerland
United States
Australia
Canada
New Zeland
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Although Italy is not in essence a fully-evolved European
country, the destination continues to communicate the
authenticity of its territory, which the visitor can discover
and experience in Italy’s heritage of art, culture, and
history, as well as in the Italian Way of Life and Italianmade quality.
The CBI 2008 survey and its rankings, while confirming
Italy’s good position in the international tourism setting,
underscore the need to continue with actions to
promote and communicate Brand Italy by emphasizing
once again the competitive advantage of Italy as a unique,
inimitable, and emotionally engaging destination.
16
2.4
Italy in the international press
Italy has always been featured prominently in the
international press. Monitoring of the foreign press by
ENIT’s offices shows that Italy is always in the news,
highlighting both its strong points and excellence, as well
as its weaknesses and problems connected with tourism
and enjoyment of the territory.
Also of interest are the data contained in the latest
editions of the BitLab Repor12 which confirm Italy’s
prominence in the foreign press, and highlight, as
strong points attracting visitors from all over the
world, such elements as eco-friendly hotels and lowcost skiing, beyond the cities of art. Wine and food
also make our country the most popular destination
for eating well and discovering the territory, from
north to south, often outside the traditional tourism
itineraries. Although some criticism of high prices,
environmental emergencies, unlawful building, and
automobile traffic has been raised, our countr y’s
image still appears fundamentally positive.
The press analysis that ENIT performs daily on Italy’s
leading incoming markets, confirms cultural and artistic
heritage, along with Italian-made quality and the Italian
Lifestyle, in first place among the traits characterizing our
destination.This is followed by wine and food, which have
brought Italy world renown – our country’s culinary
traditions and typical products give added value to a trip
to Italy – and natural heritage, from the sea to the
mountains, from scenic hills to lakes.
Of the events most cited, the international press
frequently features those of a cultural nature and the
folklore events held in Italy each year. During 2008, the
events most featured in the media included:
> 500th anniversary of Palladio’s birth
> 150th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s birth
> Rome’s Cinema Festival
> Carnival of Venice
> Venice Biennale and Film Festival
> The opera season at Milan’s La Scala
> Milan – home to Expo 2015
> Turin – World Design Capital 2008
Cover of Condé Nast Traveler
Nor did the press neglect some of our country’s
problems/weak points: above all, the Alitalia crisis and the
garbage emergency in Naples at times besmirched Italy’s
image.
As for the German-speaking area, the more than 4,500
editorial features on tourism in Italy analyzed in Germany
in 2008 particularly emphasized Italy’s wealth of art and
culture, the beauty and variety of its landscapes, its worldrenowned wine and food, as well as the cordial
hospitality of the Italian people.The press highlighted Italy
as one of the destinations most loved by the German
traveller : according to the results of the survey
conducted by the research institution BAT on a sampling
of German holiday-goers, the Italian destination, after 20
years, has overtaken Spain as the tourism destination
preferred by German tourists.
Given their strong historic and cultural ties with Italy,
Austrians feel particularly attracted to the Italian-ness
that our country expresses through its way of living, the
content of its tourism offerings rich in cultural and scenic
excellence, its fine taste in clothing, its excellent cuisine,
the design in its automobile industry and appliances, its
espresso, its fashion, and so on.
17
In Switzerland, the press is showing increasing interest in
events and destinations capable of highlighting the typical
nature of Italian offerings. All of Italy is taken into
consideration, and articles deal mostly with special issues,
referring to nature or to special locations identified with
the writers or poets who sojourned there (some
examples: Hemingway and the Cilento coastline, John
Steinbeck and the Amalfi Coast), plus shopping, wine and
food, and wellness.
In France, it is the unique environmental and cultural
resources, so highly distinctive and varied, that constitute
our country’s identity; there, Italy has consolidated its
standing as a destination not only for its “art de vivre”
with its wine and food heritage, but also as a location for
appreciating design and modern art, and for shopping,
luxury, film, and music.
In Belgium and Netherlands, the press reports mostly on
cultural events in Italy, with many articles therefore
highlighting its cultural and territorial assets. These are
followed by the natural features of the land, which are
discussed above all from the standpoint of sport and
active tourism.
In the United Kingdom, Italy is still a destination rich in
interest and diversity, as shown by the many articles
devoted to Italian locations, including lesser-known ones.
Although cultural offerings have drawn the greatest
interest, there is also interest in open-air, ski, and beach
tourism; frequent references are made to the romantic
aura of many Italian areas, and of course to wine and
food.
Among the many honours accorded by the British press,
both the Daily and Sunday Telegraph and the Sunday
Times Travel Magazine named Italy the best European
destination. In both cases, the judgement was expressed
by readers. This fact, in addition to confirming their
appreciation for Italy, also helps encourage both
publications to give Italy constant coverage as a tourism
destination enjoying the most popularity with the public.
18
Great cultural and artistic riches, a fine wine and food
tradition, and liveliness and creativity expressed in a
refined lifestyle: these are the traits that set Italy apart in
the press in the markets of the Scandinavian area. It is an
image that increasingly encourages the Scandinavian traveller
to choose Italy for high-level holidays, in order to enjoy a
complete break from the working routine and live in a
welcoming, lively environment. Our appeal is also confirmed
by Italy’s fifth-place ranking among the most attractive
destinations compiled by the magazine Travel News; ranked
after Thailand, Australia, the United States, and South Africa,
Italy is the number-one destination in Europe.
Spain, as always, shows great interest in Italy’s cities of art
and its cultural and folklore events, in addition to growing
fascination with destinations less well-known to
Spaniards, smaller towns, lakes, and islands. Traditionally
interested in cultural and religious tourism, the Spanish
market is opening towards such new products as wine
and food, shopping, and winter sports.
Confirming Italy’s appeal was the result of the survey
conducted among readers of the monthly magazine
Mucho Viaje, which accorded us the honour of finest
international destination.
Italian tourism is increasingly featured in the Portuguese
press: our destination’s image is still closely linked to the
cultural and artistic traits of our cities of art, while such
other products as wellness, sport tourism, and snow
tourism have yet to enjoy great emphasis.
Italy also enjoyed a positive image in the countries of
Eastern Europe.
In Russia, Italy is represented as a country highly
attractive for tourism, thanks to its numerous cities of art,
its prized wine and food itineraries, its folk traditions, and
its destinations for spa, sea, and mountain tourism (the
latter destinations for skiing in particular).
The year 2008 saw the publication of two Russianlanguage magazines, titled ITALIA, dedicated entirely to
many different aspects of our country (tourism, culture,
design and fashion, film, luxury, etc), and the biweekly Italy
News – available in paper and electronic format,
dedicated to news of a social and political nature, with
plenty of information on Italy from the tourism
standpoint as well. The tourism website www.travel.ru
has also assigned Italy first place in its rankings in the
“Discovery of the year” and the “Country of dreams”
categories.
Knowledge of Italy and of its individual regional features is
widespread among Polish tourists; in the press in Poland,
it is the mountains, seaside, and cities of art that set Italy
apart. Contributing factors are our country’s weather
conditions, while nightlife in the cities is highly
appreciated, as are vacations at Italy’s skiing locations.
There is growing interest in the islands, which are as yet
little known.
Italy’s strengthened position in Hungary derives from a
combination of multiple factors drawn from the press:
artistic heritage, traditions and folklore, beach locations. In
very recent years, Italy has also become an important
business destination, and an obligatory stop for shopping
tourists.
The Italy conveyed by the United States press is always
attractive, with a consequently considerable promotional
impact. Art, culture, history, and lifestyle are confirmed as
the characteristics holding the greatest appeal for readers
from the United States; major cities of art and prestige
locations are the Italian destinations prominently featured
in glossy magazines, as shown by the many honours won
in 2008 as well.
For Travel + Leisure13 readers:
> of the top ten European cities, Florence ranks first,
followed by Rome in second place, with Venice coming
in seventh;
> of Europe’s top five islands, Sicily and Ischia hold third
and fourth place respectively.
> The results of the Condé Nast Traveler14 Readers’
Choice Awards 2008:
> for the seventh year running, Florence is ranked first
among the top ten European cities, followed by Rome,
with Venice coming in third and Siena in ninth place;
> of the Mediterranean’s top ten islands, Capri is ranked
second, followed by Sicily in third and Sardinia in eighth
place.
Lastly, TravelAge West named Italy the “Destination with
the Highest Client Satisfaction-Europe”; the prize is part of
the yearly TravelAge Awards, which allows travel agents in
the Western United States to vote online for the
destinations and suppliers with whom they collaborate.
In Canada as well, Italy’s appeal remains high, as shown by
the media coverage and the favourable trend in demand.
Italy has always been seen as the homeland of art,
culture, fine food and wine, and a model lifestyle. The
Canadian public has shown growing interest in Italy – not
only in the classic destinations, but in the lesser-known
Italy as well.This positive perception of tourism in Italy is
also the result of a strong component of Italo-Canadians,
many of whom have attained the country’s highest
socioeconomic levels.
Lastly, in the Czech Republic, culture and artistic heritage, as
well as the mountains, are our destination’s essential traits.
Italy’s image is also firmly positive across the Atlantic.
19
In Brazil, Italy is a highly prized tourism destination,
known above all for art, culture, and wine & food. In
2008, readers of the well-known magazine Viagem e
Turismo named Italy the second-best travel destination in
their votes for the “O Melhor de Viagem” prize.
The favourable trend enjoyed in 2008 by Italy – the
European destination most in demand – confirms the
positive image that our country enjoys in Australia and
New Zealand. Italy is represented in the press as a model
for lifestyle, art, culture, design, nature, and fine food.
In Japan, these same elements make Italy an attractive
destination that, despite sharp declines in Japanese
outgoing tourism, has allowed our country to hold onto
its market share. Along with art and culture, UNESCO
heritage, and opera festivals, the press’s attention has
concentrated on new types of lodging as yet little
explored in Japan, such as agritourism and charm
accommodations, including those near major cities of art.
In China, the Italian destination is a subject of interest and
curiosity, often more linked to Italian-made quality than
to any territory in particular (except for Tuscany and
Sicily). Italy is certainly a country of glamour, evoked not
only by such cities of art as Rome and Venice, but also by
shopping and major names in fashion, with particular
reference to the city of Milan. Of course, a lot of
coverage is always dedicated to history and art, including
aspects of the Italian lifestyle, such as wine and food.The
luxury segment has also been prominently featured in
prestige magazines. Lastly, the press’s interest in cruises –
whose development has been unstoppable in recent
years – has seen a sharp increase.
India dedicated articles to Italy in great numbers and
variety in 2008, featuring a whole range of our country’s
aspects, many of which little discussed to date. Alongside
the major cities of art, the press has cast light on new
destinations and on the southern regions, or on
destinations that, although small, are big on charm. All the
articles present a highly positive image of Italy: fashion,
cuisine, lifestyle, and culture are the destination’s chief
traits. Widely featured are the luxury segment, spas,
honeymoons, and the MICE sector.
Lastly, a highly important link has been created between
tourism in Italy and Bollywood actors: indeed, our
country, in addition to having been selected for two of
the leading Indian film productions in 2008 (Bachna ae
Haseeno, filmed in Venice, Capri, Rome, and Alberobello,
and Kambakkht Ishq, filmed on location in Vicenza and
Venice), has also become a travel destination for such
major Indian actors as Bipasha Basu and John Abram,
who are favourites of the Indian public, as well as the
renowned actress Deepika Padukone, who recently
stated in a television interview that she hoped to spend
her honeymoon in Italy.
In the media in South Korea, art and culture in all their
aspects are the traits that set Italy apart. The major cities
of art, along with lesser-known destinations, are
prominently featured in the tourism press. Italian style,
fashion, and wine & food are also highly important.
20
3 > Brand Development,
Sales and Marketing
Postering campaign on the underground in Madrid, Spain
ver the course of 2008, ENIT-Board implemented a
major set of activities and initiatives in support of Brand
Italy in the world.
With a total investment exceeding € 28 million, ENIT’s offices
and monitoring units carried out co-marketing efforts, events,
P.R. and communication activities, assistance to operators and
the press, and support for Regions and local bodies.
Many countries were involved:
> Europe: Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany,
Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland,
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic and
Hungary;
> America: United States, Canada and Brazil;
> Asia: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, South Korea
and India.
O
3.1
Advertising
As regards advertising, ENIT is a presence on many markets,
with press and Internet inserts produced in partnership with
leading tour operators.
The actions continue the advertising initiatives already
performed most recently (2006 and 2007) with the Italia
Opera Unica and Italy for life campaigns, which allowed the
Italian destination to appear in the media – TV, press, and
Internet – in many countries in Europe and overseas, in
fascinating and exciting ways.
Specifically, during 2008, advertising efforts were carried
out in the following markets:
> Austria – inserts in newspapers and in specialized and
general periodicals
> Belgium – magazine inserts and postering
> Canada – press and Internet inserts
> South Korea – outdoor advertising
> Germany – on-line campaign and newsletter inserts
> Japan – magazine, newspaper, and Internet inserts
> India – press inserts
> Ireland – press, radio and Internet inserts
> Netherlands – newspaper and magazine inserts
> Portugal – outdoor advertising
> Russia – press inserts
> Scandinavia (Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark)
– magazine and Internet inserts
> Spain – outdoor advertising
> Switzerland – online banners
> Hungary – outdoor advertising
> United States – press and Internet inserts
21
3.2
Co-marketing
The year 2008 also saw major co-marketing efforts
undertaken on international markets, in order to reach
promotional agreements – through the sharing of
development costs – with leading operators marketing
our country internationally.
ENIT’s exhibition spaces have proved functional to the
activity of providing assistance and information to visitors,
and are a point of reference and hospitality for members
of Club Italia, to which a significant number of Italian
operators marketing Italy’s offerings belong.
More than € 2 million was allocated to implement a
well-organized co-marketing programme which, by
engaging numerous international partners, was once
again shown to be a strategic asset for conveying the Italy
product, thus making it possible to:
> promote the renown of Italian tourism products;
> increase the competitive weight of Italian tourism
offerings;
> expand the number of consumers, thanks to the
partner’s market experience, while supporting and
increasing sales;
> improve ENIT’s visibility and prominence with strategic
partners.
The 2008 trade shows also featured those dedicated to
conference tourism (IMEX, BTC, and EIBTM), and
planned by the interregional project IFE (Italia for Events),
aimed at promoting this specific tourism segment. ENIT
took active part in organizing shows and related events,
working alongside the Region of Tuscany, the project’s
leader.These events also made it possible to strengthen
collaboration with other project members, Regions, and
Federcongressi, while at the same time allowing ENIT to
establish relationships with private operators in the
conference sector, some of which have yet to join Club
Italia.
154 operators have been involved in co-marketing
activities.
3.3
Trade fairs, workshops
and exchanges in Italy
Relying on its peripheral network, ENIT has coordinated
businesses’ regional and system-wide attendance at 39
events – the most important scheduled on the foreign
international calendar – in addition to numerous other
trade fairs/events attended by ENIT, often collaboration
with other international partners or institutions (such as
the European Travel Commission, for example).
The main objective of attending trade fairs was to ensure
Italy’s presence on the greatest number of markets –
both established and emerging – while optimizing
organizational and operating costs.
Despite the continued proliferation of information
technology, trade fair events have remained a
cornerstone for promoting our destination; this area of
activity has maintained all its operative validity, and is
highly appreciated by all who attend – industry
professionals and the general public alike.
22
In 2008, 24 exchanges – important opportunities for
B2B meetings between foreign operators and Italian
offerings – were held in Italy.
The exchanges, increasingly themed for specific tourism
products, saw the participation of 2,769 operators
selected by ENIT’s foreign offices – a 30% increase over
2007, confirming what a sound tool this is with organized
foreign demand.
In addition to the workshops held in Italy, there were two
important events on foreign markets: a navigating
workshop on the Stockholm-Helsinki route in the month
of May, and the “Festa Italiana” roadshow in India in
November.
ENIT also lent its support and assistance to many tour
operators, in meetings, educational tours, and invitations
to exchanges held in Italy; over the course of the year,
11,715 tourism industry operators were involved in
these activities.
Lastly, 369 seminars and 76 workshops were organized
to support marketing, for a total of 41,721 foreign and
1,911 Italian participants.
3 > Brand Development, Sales and Marketing
2008 Trade fairs abroad
No. Month
1 January
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
February
March
April
May
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
June
Trade show
VAKANTIEBEURS
REISELIV
FERIENMESSE
CMT
MATKA
ITF SLOVAKIATOUR
GOLF+WELLNESS
PLACE DES AFFAIRES*
FITUR
FESPO
HOLIDAY WORLD
EXPERIENCE
FERIE
SALONE DELLE VACANZE
CBR
HOLIDAY WORLD
ITB
UTAZAS
MAP
INTOURMARKET*
MITT
TUR
UITT*
SALON DE RANDONNEE
SITC
MONDO ITALIA*
IMEX
EMIRATES HOLIDAYS
WORLD*
ATM
Country
City
NETHERLANDS
NORWAY
AUSTRIA
GERMANY
FINLAND
SLOVAKIA
GERMANY
SWITZERLAND
SPAIN
SWITZERLAND
UTRECHT
OSLO
VIENNA
STUTTGART
HELSINKI
BRATISLAVA
STUTTGART
GENEVA
MADRID
ZURICH
IRELAND
DENMARK
BELGIUM
GERMANY
CZECH REPUBLIC
GERMANY
HUNGARY
FRANCE
RUSSIA
RUSSIA
SWEDEN
UKRAINE
FRANCE
SPAIN
GERMANY
GERMANY
UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES
UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES
CHINA
CHINA
GERMANY
POLAND
JAPAN
FRANCE
SWITZERLAND
UNITED KINGDOM
ARGENTINA
DUBLIN
COPENHAGEN
BRUSSELS
MUNICH
PRAGUE
BERLIN
BUDAPEST
PARIS
MOSCOW
MOSCOW
GOTHENBURG
KIEV
PARIS
BARCELONA
STUTTGART
FRANKFURT
ALTM
BITE
August
RDA
September T&T
JATA
TOP RESA
October
REISETAGE 2008*
November WTM
FIT*
December INT. LUXURY
TRAVEL MARKET
FRANCE
39
EIBTM
SPAIN
TOTAL
* ENIT’s institutional stand unattended by Regions or operators
Regions Operators
6
8
2
9
5
14
7
8
1
1
1
1
9
1
20
4
4
3
4
9
6
14
1
6
6
3
7
14
5
28
9
13
15
4
43
19
2
3
2
5
4
4
1
5
5
4
3
1
1
11
5
6
10
18
48
DUBAI
DUBAI
SHANGHAI
BEIJING
COLOGNE
WARSAW
TOKYO
DEAUVILLE
ZURICH
LONDON
BUENOS AIRES
CANNES
BARCELONA
27
144
331
23
Exchanges
Place and date
Buyers invited
1
BIT/Buy Italy 2007
Milan 21-24 February
527
2
GLOBE/ACE - Art Cities Exchange
Rome, 13-15 March
779
3
BMT - Mediterranean Tourism Exchange
Naples, 3-6 March
150
4
ECOTUR
Montesilvano, 18-20 April
100
5
Buy Emilia Romagna*
Bologna, 27 April-1 May
n.d.
6
BITEG - wine & food tourism
Alba, 15-18 May
80
7
100 Cities Arts Events
Ravenna, 22-25 May
80
8
Outdoor Days*
Riva del Garda, 23-25 May
n.d.
9
Good Buy Trentino
Riva del Garda, 5-8 June
40
10
VISIT LATINA
Sabaudia, 6-8 June
35
11
Buy Veneto
Venice, 2-6 July
173
12
Buy Lazio
Rome, 18-21 September
60
13
BETA – associated tourism
Cecina, 25-26 September
89
14
BITM – mountain tourism
Trent, 25-28 September
50
15
Thermalia - spa tourism
Naples, 26-28 September
102
16
Borsa dei Laghi - Lakes exchange
Brescia, 30 September -4 October
50
17
BTM - sea tourism
Pesaro, 2-5 October
48
18
VITAE - free time
Bastia Umbra, 3-5 October
95
19
BTS - sport tourism
Montecatini, 16-17 October
71
20
TTG/TTI*
Rimini, 24-25 October
n.d.
21
BTC - MICE tourism*
Rome, 6-7 November
n.d.
22
BTS - school tourism
Genoa, 12-14 November
10
23
Archeological Tourism Exchange
Paestum, 13-16 November
110
24
Aurea - religious tourism
Foggia, 20-22 November
120
TOTAL
2.769
* ENIT collaborated with the exchange but did not directly select the operators.
Flyer produced with the Globe
Reizen network of travel agencies,
Netherlands
24
3.4
Publishing
Press Office and Public Relations
Every year, through its own network on international
markets, ENIT publishes booklets promoting and
providing information on the Italian tourism system.
During the year, some publishing efforts were also
carried out, such as the Italian vacation planner/Le guide
pour votre voyage en Italie, put out in Canada as part of
co-marketing initiatives with CTCPI (Canadian Travel
Council Promoting Italy), and some leaflets on major
cities of art written in Swedish and Norwegian.
Relations with the press and with tourism industry
operators are fundamentally important for keeping the
spotlight on Italy as a tourism destination.
Articles and features dedicated to Italy by the media,
meetings with industry operators, assistance to
journalists, fam trips and press trips, P.R. efforts made by
ENIT in Italy and abroad, contribute towards forming a
powerful instrument of promotion with the general
public and industry professionals alike.
More than 5.2 million booklets were distributed by
the foreign network, as well as more than 36,000
posters.
An intense programme of activities was aimed at
informing media representatives, in both Italy and abroad,
as to each of ENIT’s individual initiatives.
As regards institutional communication, 11 press
conferences, congresses and forums were organized in
Italy, in addition to the publication of 31 press releases,
catalogue texts and press releases for the exchanges and
trade shows present on ENIT’s calendar, in Italy and
abroad.
Every year, ENIT also publishes, in Italian and English, the
quarterly magazine ENIT Italia, an important tool of
institutional communication in both paper and digital
format.
Addressing institutions, local bodies and tourism industry
operators, the magazine has the purpose of illustrating
the communication and promotion activities
implemented by ENIT, the trade fairs and shows it
attends, the events to which it lends its collaboration and
other ENIT-related information; it also contains
interesting contributions on international and Italian
tourism and on specific tourism products.
Again in the publishing area, ENIT has reprinted some of
the most interesting vintage posters – a fundamental
part of its graphic and artistic heritage. Specifically, ENIT
produced 8,000 poster reprints (8 subjects), 3,000
posters on watercolour paper (2 subjects), 40,000
postcards (4 subjects) and 2,000 metal plaques (2
subjects).
Lastly, 20,000 copies of the DVD “Italia Opera Unica”,
made in collaboration with RAI Trade in 2006, were
purchased.The film, depicting Italy and all its regions, is a
tool available to tour operators, the media and all
institutions that represent Italy in the world; a modern,
innovative video product, it is capable of communicating
our country’s beauty and values with immediacy.
Also available and published on the website www.enit.it:
> 250 daily press reviews
> 12 monthly “ENIT in the press” press reviews
> 1 yearly press review
> 12 editions of the monthly ENIT NEWS - sent on line
to about 1,500 recipients and containing information
and news on ENIT’s activities at home and abroad.
Every two weeks, an E-NEWS, containing the chief
events in culture, sports and folklore, as well as transport,
was sent to the foreign network, which saw to translating
it into their markets’ language and forwarding it to their
own mailing lists.
At the office of the foreign press association, ENIT’s
President presented the Calendario Avvenimenti Italiani 2009
(The 2009 Italian events calendar) and, at the presentation
to the press of the 2007 Corporate Annual Report, research
on new air routes to Italy was published.
Lastly, contacts were overseen with 65 headings in the
national press, 8 daily information agencies, 115
headings in the trade press, 16 radio and television
broadcasters, and many online journalism publications.
There were 2,100 contacts with 120 journalists for
interviews, articles and information on ENIT’s activity and
25
3.5
held, through the processing and transmission of data
and studies.
Promotional events
The year 2008 also saw many major events that ENIT
had an opportunity to attend, often in collaboration with
Italian institutions abroad:
on tourism in general, and 1,800 telephone information
services and online responses were provided.
Abroad, public relations activities and organized meetings
allowed contact to be made with 24,632 people,
including journalists, opinion leaders, travel agents,TOs
and other figures.
ENIT held 305 press conferences, also in collaboration
with Regions and local bodies, and produced 368 press
releases.
12,595 journalists were assisted, with information, trip
itineraries and letters of introduction.
1,376 journalists received forms of facilities for trips to
Italy, in order to produce features and articles on Italian
locations.
More than 23,000 articles in the press, obtained at no
financial cost for ENIT, written spontaneously or
resulting from ENIT’s own initiatives (press
conferences, releases, fam trips) and hypothetically
worth € 142,730,000 at current market values, were
surveyed by our offices abroad. This is on top of the
1,010 radio and television programmes for an
economic value of approximately € 85,380,000.
ENIT has also overseen relations with the international
bodies to which it belongs, such as the World Tourism
Organization, the European Travel Commission and the
Alpine Tourist Commission, attending meetings and
seminars and taking part in the surveys periodically
Above: ENIT Stand at Ferienmesse in Vienna, Austria
26
> European Football Championship in Austria and Switzerland
(June): as part of Casa Azzurri, spaces were set up for
ENIT, where visitors were given information and
promotional/advertising material;
> Beijing Olympics (China, August): promotional initiatives
at CONI’s Casa Italia;
> Festa Italiana (India, November): event promoting
Italian-made quality;
> Mitsukoshi Italia Fair (Japan, April): system event
promoting Italy and its excellence.
ENIT awarded many journalism prizes over the course
of the year.
As usual, as part of the Frankfurt International Book Fair,
the traditional press conference was held to award the
prize for best German-language guide to Italy.The 2008
edition was won by the guide Italien. Die schönsten Orte
und Regionen (Italy. The places of greatest charm and its
regions) by Renate Nöldeke and published by ADAC, a
well-known publishing house and one of the most
established in the tourism field.The choice was motivated
by the guide’s complete description of places and
itineraries through our country and its regions, as well as
its wealth of suggestions useful for helping the reader fully
appreciate travel in Italy, while stimulating the visitor’s
curiosity with dedicated, in-depth discussion.
In collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Madrid, the
Italia por Descubrir journalism prize, now in its fourth
edition, was also awarded in 2008.
Another great success was enjoyed by the second
edition of the Travel writing awards assigned by ENIT in
the United Kingdom to the tourism press and to the best
guide on Italy.
Also in its second edition is the Italia por Descubrir
competition for schools, which rewarded some students
with three prize trips to Italy delivered at the Italian
Embassy in Madrid and the Italian Consulate in
Barcelona.
3.6
India showed great interest in the Italy for a Lifetime
competition, which offered 15 couples the opportunity
to win a trip to Italy; many partners – the Zee TV
television channel, the magazines Verve and Elle, radio
broadcaster 92.7, the Fame Adlbs cinema chain and
Kingfisher airlines – were involved in promoting the
contest and Italy as a destination.
Lastly, 673 events, such as evenings, presentations and
Italian days and weeks, were held, also in collaboration
with local and private bodies.
3.7
Other activities
10.681 show windows were dedicated to the leading
themes of Italy’s tourism offerings, both at the ENIT
offices and at the commercial sites of Tour Operators
and Travel Agencies in major foreign cities and in large
shopping centres, with the purpose of raising the visibility
of national tourism offerings and promoting Italian
tourism products.
There was intense, daily activity to provide information to
the general public: during 2008, 897,516 information
services were provided by ENIT’s foreign offices.
Important means of ENIT’s institutional communication
during the year were the 416 newsletters written and
published by the offices.These products made it possible to
promptly reach the
international media,
tour operators and
potential travellers,
keeping
them
informed as to the
news, events and
atmopsheres of the
Italian destination, and
to obtain databases
permitting continuous,
constant monitoring
of the markets of
reference and their
degree of loyalty.
Lastly, constant as always was the intelligence effort
aimed at monitoring tourist flows towards Italy and
studying international tourism and specific products.
1,064 surveys and monitoring efforts were performed
over the course of the year, regarding tourist and
currency flows, the socioeconomic context, and the
demand profile for tourism products on foreign markets.
In particular, the central office had an opportunity to
carry out, in collaboration with the foreign network,
monitoring efforts on the occasion of the most
important periods for Italian tourism (Easter, Summer,
Christmas).
As part of collaboration activities with such international
bodies as the WTO and ETC, data and information on
Italian tourism were furnished on the occasion of the
periodic surveys performed by the organizations.
ENIT also provided thematic contributions to many
publications, including Sixth Ecotur Report on Nature
Tourism, Isnart - Enterprise Tourism 2008, 17th Italian
Report on tourism and Federculture’s Yearly Report.
Thematic dossiers on specific tourism products and
aspects of Italian tourism and on publications by
international bodies regarding the tourism sector were
also produced.
ENIT also carried out a survey as part of its activities
with the National Tourism Observatory: the purpose of
the research was to gather information on the methods
for surveying tourist flows and tourism spending and to
create an information database on marketing companies
and tourism industry experts that did tourism research
in the analyzed countries.
About 4,000 TO catalogues, offering the Italian
destination for a total of more than 57,000 dedicated
pages, were analyzed.
ENIT also continued its efforts to support Diplomatic
Representations, with personnel accompanying consular
officials to accelerate the procedures for issuing tourist
visas in Armenia, Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Russia,
and Ukraine; results improved over the previous year. In
the January-December 2008 period, 569,466 tourist
visas were issued – a 7.8% increase over the year before.
The ADAC guide named by ENIT as Best German-language tour guide on Italy, Germany
27
4 > Market actions
elow are listed only some of the many promotional
actions implemented on the markets to promote Italy as
a tourism destination and to spread its brand and special
features among industry operators and the general public.
B
4.1
Europe
German area
Germany
Intense activity was carried out in 2008 in German
territory, which represents Italy’s number-one incoming
market.
Numerous co-marketing initiatives were carried out
with leading German tour operators and with some
important outfits connected with Italian-made quality
and Brand Italy, in order to undertake effective joint
actions and double the investment available to ENIT on
the market.
Some of the initiatives implemented in the field were
carried out with:
> TUI – hard selling campaign through direct mailing to
travel agencies, producing and distributing to all TUI
agencies 20 different flyers on the Italian destination;
each flyer is printed in 10,000 copies.
> Neckermann Reisen – hard selling campaign through
direct mailing to 10,000 Neckermann customers that
have already booked trips to Italy and are potential
repeaters; show windows at 10,000 travel agencies,
through posters, flyers and displays, with Italian
offerings; attendance with stand at the Travel Games at
Rust’s Europa Park amusement park, with the
presentation of Neckermann catalogues to 500 travel
agents throughout Germany.
> DERTOUR-LUFTHANSA – joint promotional action for
the press and distribution of flyers to 10,600 agencies,
28
Flyer made with the operator Dertour, Germany
with advertising for DERTOUR trips to Italy on Lufthansa
flights.The 1,000 agencies selling the greatest number of
packages were given baskets of Italian gourmet products.
> DERTOUR – special issue of the magazine ONTOUR,
dedicated entirely to Italy.With a circulation of 25,000,
the magazine is sent to 15,000 travel agencies, with a
sweepstakes to engage their interest. The magazine
consists of 20 glossy colour pages, with text and games
devoted entirely to Italy and is inserted into
www.making-experts.de, the DERTOUR website
dedicated to travel agencies.
> DRV – joint advertising campaign (continuing into
2009) with adverts in the industry magazines FVW,
Touristik Aktuell, Travel One, Travel talk, and DRV
Journal, the ENIT Logo present on the home page
and
www.pro-reisebuero.de,
www.drv.de
advertisements in DRV’s weekly newsletters, a
mention of ENIT as campaign partner in all of DRV’s
4 > Market actions
press bulletins, the ENIT-Italia logo printed on all the
yearly Congress’s teaching materials and an Italy elearning link to the ad campaign’s website.
> LUFTHANSA – looped transmission of an ENIT film in
450 travel agency shop windows, to illustrate the Italian
destinations reached by Lufthansa.
> MACH 2 (operator specializing in golf travel) production of thematic flyers for the Italian Open
international golf tournament in Emilia Romagna, Golf
& Opera offerings, Golf & Cuisine offerings; advertising
at the most important European golf trade fairs and at
3 major golf tournaments on the PGA circuit, including
the BMW Open in Munich; presentation of all
initiatives at www.mymach2.com .
> PRO TRAINING TOURS – production of a brochure
dedicated to sport tourism in Italy, to be sent to
potential tourists planning an active vacation and
inserted in magazines dedicated to biking, jogging,
running and triathlon.
> FTI-Frosch Touristik – training week for tour
operators, entitled “Dolce Vita/Accademia Italia,” with a
2008/2009 e-learning campaign, newsletters for
affiliated travel agencies (direct mailing to 10,000
agencies), 4 inserts in the industry magazine Touristik
Aktuell, 5 types of live training courses at selected
agencies, commercial competition between affiliated
travel agencies, with a drawing of trips for participating
counter personnel, window installations and the
production and distribution of 40,000 flyers.
> Sonnenklar TV (commercial television broadcaster
headed by the major German tour operator FTI) –
promotion of the Italian destination for a total
duration of 4 weeks, through the sending of 142,000
newsletters to the broadcaster’s subscribers;
postering at the approximately 70 travel agencies
belonging to Sonnenklar.tv and interviews on the
television channel with live participation by ENIT’s
Munich team, for 5 days.
Flyer made with the operator TUI, Germany
As for major corporations, initiatives were undertaken
with FIAT Lancia, Piaggio, San Pellegrino, Nestlé Waters
Group, and Candy Hoover.
In particular, with PIAGGIO Deutschland, ENIT attended
the three chief industry fairs: Leipzig’s Motorrad Messe,
Munich’s IMOT and BMT in Berlin, with an infodesk and a
sweepstakes.
Other operators involved in co-marketing efforts were:
Berge & Meer, Germanwings, Neckermann/Thomas cook,
Tuifly, Eberhardt-travel, Airone, ADAC, Bayerisches Pilgerbüro,
Siglinde Fischer KG, Studiosus Kultimer, Studiosus
Gruppenreisen Marco Polo and The Italian way-Nova Reisen.
29
ENIT-Board also took part in the Deutschland Tour, which
included 13 stages in Austria and Germany (29 August-6
September), as partner of PIAGGIO/Gilera. Its
participation included the ITALIA logo on the publicity
caravan cars, promotional banners at the Piaggio/Gilera
homepage www.de.piaggio.com and link to www.enit.de
and the ENIT-Piaggio infostand at 4 tour stages (Munich,
Mainz, Neuss and Bremen) for the distribution of tourism
promotion material.
In collaboration with CANDY HOOVER, ENIT attended
the six most important industry fairs for the Germanspeaking area: Futura, IFA, M.O.W., Euronics,
ElectronicPartner and EK Live, in cooperation with the
Marche Region. At the fairs, a lottery was held (14 stays
in the Marche region were drawn), in addition to a tasting
of the region’s wine & food specialities; advertising and
promotional material was also distributed, and an
institutional video screened.
Participation at tourism fairs held in Germany provided
an important occasion to promote the Italian destination
with operators, the press and the general public, with the
ENIT stand welcoming Italian regions and Italian
operators.
In 2008, ENIT attended 7 trade shows, including CMT
(Caravan, Motor,Touristik), held from 12 to 20 January at
Messe Stuttgart, inaugurating the new fair facility’s
exhibition halls and representing the German market’s
first yearly event in the tourism industry and in the
caravanning sector in particular. The 2008 edition
recorded a significant increase in accommodation nights
(+20% better than 2007), confirming the tourism sector’s
growth phase on the German market. ENIT presented
Italy, a partner country at the event, with a calendar rich
in appointments attracting attention from the press,
operators and the general public.
The Italian conferencing industry also presented the best
of its offerings at Frankfurt’s IMEX, the German market’s
leading appointment for the MICE sector internationally,
with more than 3,400 exhibitors from 150 countries.
More than 60 accredited Italian operators were on hand
at the Italia for Events stand, the point of reference
attended by ENIT, Federcongressi and the Regions, to
promote the meeting industry under Brand Italy. A
calendar rich in organized events fostered meetings
between Italian operators and international buyers,
supported by the presentations held by the various
30
From top: FIAT 500 with images of Italy
The winners of the “Draw your Italy” competition,Vienna, Austria
4 > Market actions
Regions (Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Piedmont) along with
ENIT in order to jointly illustrate the territory’s offerings
with regard to facilities and services available for business
and incentive trips.
ENIT also attended many events.
From 16 through 20 April, Messe Stuttgart hosted
Mondo Italia, the showcase of Italian excellence attended
by the brands most representative of national offerings –
wine & food, fashion, tourism, design, cars, culture and
handicrafts – to offer a complete picture of what Made in
Italy really means. A total of approximately 200
exhibitors attended the show, from all of Italy’s regions,
distributed in two exhibition halls over an area covering
approximately 8,000 m2; ENIT was on hand with an
exhibition stand representing the variety of Italian
tourism offerings.
ENIT also attended the inauguration of Munich’s Filmfest;
this included an insert in the festival’s official programme,
in collaboration with Air Dolomiti, the radio and
television broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk and the
newspaper AZ –Abendzeitung.
collaboration with Local Tourism System Gallura Costa
Smeralda in Sardinia, a press trip for journalists to Genoa
on the occasion of the World Pesto Championship in
collaboration with the agency InLiguria and the
educational trip “Toscana Underground” in collaboration
with Toscana Promozione.
And then, in support of marketing were the many
initiatives for operators in both German and Italian
territory. The MICE sector in particular saw a trip to
Milan in collaboration with Alitalia, an educational tour of
Lombardy for German MICE operators (events agencies,
incentive and corporate clients agencies) in collaboration
with Air One and an educational tour for Berlin
operators and journalists in the Province of Trapani.
Lastly, the inauguration of ENIT’s new Frankfurt office
presented another occasion for meeting with the
German press and operators.
Then there were the many ad hoc promotional
initiatives (press conferences, presentations, promotional
evenings), also in collaboration with regions, bodies and
tourism promotion companies, such institutional
partners promoting Brand Italy as ICE, the Chambers of
Commerce, the Embassy, Consulates, Italian Cultural
Institutes and Società Dante Alighieri, as well as German
industry partners and associations.
As part of the Frankfurt International Book Fair, the
traditional press conference was held to award the prize
for best German-language guide to Italy, with numerous
representatives of Italian institutions on hand. Of the
numerous guides that took part in the contest, the 2008
edition was won by Italien. Die schönsten Orte und
Regionen (Italy.The places of greatest charm, and its regions)
by Renate Nöldeke, published by ADAC, a well-known
publishing house and one of the most established in the
tourism field.
ENIT exhibition space at Casa Azzurri, European Football
Championship, Austria
Logo of CASA AZZURRI
Press collaboration has held strong: in fact, many
journalists were assisted with trips to Italy and involved in
numerous fam trips, including a trip to Piedmont for 30
journalists, held in collaboration with the caravanning
association in Germany (CIVD), an educational trip in
31
Much attention was devoted to developing and
implementing the website www.enit.de, in order to
improve its visibility on search engines and provide
constantly updated content and complete present and
downloadable information.
In 2008, the website recorded more than 355,000 hits,
for a total of more than 5 million pages visited.
The site’s interactiveness with the user has been
improved, both as regards services for operators through
the updatable database and with the general public, with
the possibility of ordering online information material,
downloading information brochures directly from the
site (an average of 2,910 files were downloaded every
day) and processing them in a customized format
depending on one’s own knowledge needs. Moreover, a
Guestbook was added, allowing visitors to leave
comments and images on their own holidays in Italy.
This was followed by the development of the interactive
page dedicated to children, Italien für Kinder. There,
accompanied by a mascot named Leonardo, young
online visitors can discover Italy through interactive
games that are always new, stimulating curiosity and
knowledge about Italy and with the possibility of winning
a novelty gadget as a prize.
Austria
Many co-marketing initiatives were performed on the
Austrian market with 17 major operators: in particular,
sales clinics and sales promotions were held, with 171
advertising inserts in Austrian newspapers and
magazines, advertising on giant screens at stations on the
Vienna metro to launch promotional offers on the Italian
destination (with the operators Terra Reisen/TUI
Reisecenter Austria and Rail Tours Austria), and lastly,
radio advertising with the operator Columbus Reisen.
As part of its initiatives with leading companies, ENIT, in
collaboration with CANDY HOOVER and the Marche
Region, took part in Salzburg’s Futura trade fair, attending
with an information stand.
Above, Piaggio scooter with the Italy logo
at the Deutschland Tour, Austria
32
In synergy with Piaggio, on the occasion of Deutschland
Tour, ENIT Vienna took part in the inauguration evening
at the Kitzbühel Casinò, attended by more than 400
people including authorities, journalists and sports figures.
During the two days of competition, a stand to distribute
promotional material was set up.
In collaboration with the FIAT importer Denzel, thousands
of customers were sent two advertising postcards also
depicting Italy and bearing an official stamp from the
Austrian post office with the ENIT logo. In the month of
November, a FIAT 500 emblazoned with the ENIT logo
and decorated with renowned images of Italy’s tourism
assets was introduced into Vienna’s metropolitan traffic.
ENIT’s Vienna office organized the Draw your Italy
competition targeted to students in the Austrian capital’s
elementary schools. The initiative enjoyed great success,
ending on 30 January at Vienna’s Urania with prizes
awarded to the drawings chosen by the jury from among
the more than 200 entries. The top-five entries were
awarded a stay in Italy.
As part of the EURO 2008 European Football
Championship, initiatives promoting the Italian
destination were held in the city of Baden, which hosted
the Italian national team: ENIT, the Embassy, the Cultural
Institute, Italian regions and Austrian institutions had an
opportunity to organize concerts, shows, tastings and
fashion shows to promote the Italian destination.Then, 4
June saw the inauguration of Casa Azzurri, attended by
ENIT with a representation exhibition space which
provided an opportunity to distribute information
material and meet guests.
4 > Market actions
Lastly, many initiatives were held in support of marketing,
also in collaboration with Regions, local bodies and Italian
institutions:
> in synergy with the Italian Embassy, Abruzzo
Promozione Turismo, the Province of Pescara, Italian
Cultural Institute, ICE and Fly Story, an event was held
to celebrate 90 years since Gabriele D‘Annunzio’s flight
over Vienna; held at the Cultural Institute, 150 people
were on hand for the meeting, including journalists,TOs
and figures from the worlds of politics, diplomacy and
culture;
> as part of the Luxury please event (exhibition of luxury
products attended by about 20,000 visitors), the
Piedmont Region, the event’s Leading Partner, had an
opportunity to present its own offerings in tourism,
wine & food and manufacturing;
> in collaboration with Vienna’s Italian Cultural Institute
and the “Vicenza è” consortium, an event celebrating
Palladio’s 500th year was held, with a presentation of
Italy’s and Veneto’s tourism offerings, a photography
show on Palladio’s works, a screening of tourism
documentaries and show windows;
Postcard used for
mailing in
co-marketing effort
with Denzel, Austria
> with Toscana Promozione, the conclusion of the
roadshow in German-speaking countries was held in
Vienna, with a press conference, a workshop and a
presentation of Tuscan offerings and the territory’s
tourism, cultural and culinary excellence;
> with the Region of Sicily, the Municipality of Milazzo and
Fishing of Sicily, an evening presenting Sicily’s offerings
was held, in order to illustrate Sicily’s heritage of
tourism, art and culture, as well as the potentials of its
accommodation facilities and transport;
> in collaboration with the Veneto Region, the 2nd edition
of the Italian Workshop was held in Vienna, involving
144 foreign tour operators from the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Slovakia and Poland, in addition to those from
Austria; the event was also an occasion to present
Italy’s and Veneto’s offerings to operators and the
press.
Switzerland
Although Swiss tourism is largely individual, the
propensity to consult TOs’ catalogues has been
confirmed, as the Internet’s impact for accessing
information becomes more established.
In consideration of this, in 2008 it was also held
important to undertake co-marketing efforts with
operators and airlines.
In particular, work with Kuoni Reisen produced
advertising banners, flyers, advertising pages and show
windows.
In 2008, ENIT sponsored and was guest of honour at TUI
Suisse Roadshow Take Off in the cities of Zurich, Basel, St.
Gallen and Bern, where ENIT had 3 information desks
(Northern Italy, Southern Italy and Italian cities) to
distribute material. ENIT is also featured in all the
communication and promotion materials that have been
produced (invitations, flyers, e-newsletter).
With Special Travel Switzerland, an effort was carried out
to promote the golf segment, in collaboration with the
Regions of Piedmont and Veneto, involving the
production of a flyer distributed in Switzerland’s golf
clubs.
Other partners in the co-marketing efforts were
Hotelplan AG, Travelhouse, Cisalpino, Railtour, Frantour,
and Airone.
33
Many promotional initiatives were performed, also on
the occasion of major events:
> Roadshow Summer Destinations.
Held in 4 Swiss cities - Lausanne, Geneva, Bern and Basel
– in collaboration with Alitalia and attended by 350
foreign operators.
> Piazza Italia at Place des Affaires
In Geneva, in collaboration with the Chamber of
Commerce and the Consulate, a week promoting Italianmade quality and tourism in Italy, attended by about
20,000 visitors;
> Gusto d’Italia
A promotional week at the largest shopping centre in
French-speaking Switzerland, in Crissier, where ENIT had
a space to distribute promotional material and offer
travel coupons for sweepstakes.
> 2008 European Football Championship
In collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce
and the Italian Embassy, ENIT attended with a stand for
the day dedicated to the countries taking part in the
tournament.
> Reisetage
A promotional event held at the Zurich station, where
Italy was guest of honour. ENIT had an opportunity to
distribute promotional material and hosted FIAT, which
exhibited its new 500;
> Fair at the UN in Geneva
Event benefiting third-world children, during which all
member countries had an opportunity to sell typical
products at a stand, with proceeds going to charity. ENIT
was a guest at the UN’s Italian Mission.
ENIT stand at Reisetage, Zurich, Switzerland
Information dispatched
Pamphlets distributed
Posters distributed
Photos and audiovisual materials distributed
Windows installed
Press conferences
Interviews
Press releases written
Newsletters written
P.R. (journalists, operators, and opinion leaders met)
Foreign journalists assisted
Foreign operators assisted
Ad hoc initiatives (presentations, events, evenings, festivals, etc.)
Marketing support (seminars and workshops)
Marketing support (foreign operators involved)
Operators involved in co-marketing efforts
Articles resulting from ENIT’s efforts
34
Germany
213.054
2.467.956
6.243
10.360
10.000
98
42
51
24
2.469
4.430
556
90
30
910
23
1.825
Austria
46.449
257.002
1.892
2.610
193
32
22
50
12
2.877
455
463
87
15
1.484
19
878
Switzerland
13.813
141.691
1.950
437
85
13
27
10
12
361
211
286
14
15
29
9
60
4 > Market actions
Belgium
Many partners collaborated with ENIT in Belgium for comarketing efforts: Jetair, Thomas Cook Belgium,
Caractère, Aqua Mediterraneo, Donatello, Solmar, Club
Thalasso Europ and Transeurope. In particular, with
Caractère and Aqua Mediterraneo, the regions of
Southern Italy were privileged, with actions involving
advertising pages, postering at travel agencies, eductours
and scouting trips in Campania and Apulia.
Wellness was the product promoted in the initiatives
undertaken with Club Thalasso Europ (advertising pages,
promotional evenings, postering at travel agencies), as
well as skiing with Thomas Cook Belgium (postering at
travel agencies, newsletters for travel agencies and clients,
advertising pages).
Along with par ticipation at the Holiday Fair – the
greatest trade fair event dedicated to tourism in
Belgium –, marketing support efforts, like the workshop
with Trentino held in Brussels and Antwerp and the
workshop with the Umbrian Region held in the Belgian
capital, were performed in collaboration with regions
and local bodies.
A sustained promotional action was addressed to
journalists, with a significant number of educationals and
press trips organized in collaboration with many Italian
locations.
For operators, among other things, educational trips
were made to Sicily to spread knowledge about the
tourism situation in Syracuse and to Liguria, in
collaboration with Mete di Liguria, to discover the region’s
most beautiful and characteristic villages.
Netherlands
During 2008, co-marketing efforts were undertaken in
Netherlands with the TOs SRC Reizen, Fundadore
Travels, OAD Group, Enotria Travel, Pharos Reizen and
Thomas Cook Nederland/Vrij Uit.These efforts, aimed at
increasing the flow of Dutch tourists to the Italian
destinations featured in the catalogues, consisted for the
most part of advertising in magazines, banners,
newsletters and show windows.
In addition to organizing workshops, in collaboration
with the Regions, and educational and press trips held in
many Italian locations, events promoting the Italian
destination had a good impact on the public.
Het Italie Evenement, a two-day event held in the gardens
of Haarzuylen castle, aimed at promoting Italian-made
quality, was attended by numerous importers of Italian
products,TOs, ICE, the Chamber of Commerce, and the
Italian Cultural Institute. At the event, an ENIT/ICE press
conference was held to underscore the tourism
characteristics and excellence of the Italian destination.
The event was attended by about 20,000 visitors.
In collaboration with the APT (provincial tourist board)
of Lucca and Versilia, a promotional evening was held in
Amsterdam, entitled the Land of Giacomo Puccini, with the
aim of promoting the music, cultural and territorial
aspects of Puccini’s native land.
In the town of Almen, the Netherlands meets the Cilento
initiative was held, attended by the mayors of the
municipality of Morigerati and of the city of Almen and
operators from the Cilento and Vallo di Diano national
parks, to promote the Cilento area’s territorial and
natural attractions. Held in collaboration with ICE, about
1,000 people were on hand for the event.
ENIT stand at the Holiday Fair in Brussels, Belgium
ENIT stand at Vakantiebeurs in Utrecht, Netherlands
35
Scandinavian area
During 2008, co-marketing initiatives were held with
important TOs in the countries of the Scandinavian area,
yielding a considerable number of advertising inserts in
the area’s leading publications:
> Finland, in collaboration with Finnmatkat (sea product);
> Sweden, in collaboration with Fritidsresor (sea
product), Sembo (sea and city break products) and
Ving (ski product);
> Norway, in collaboration with Vacanza In (traditional
holiday products for the medium/high segment, sea
and countryside, group trips);
> Denmark, in collaboration with In Italia (wine and food
product and trips to discover the territory).
An important promotional and commercial initiative was
the workshop on the motor ship Silja-Tallink, held in
early May 2008 on the Stockholm-Helsinki- Stockholm
route and attended by 98 operators and seven foreign
journalists joined by 92 Italian operators. As part of the
initiative, a briefing for Italian offerings, illustrating the
area’s market trends, was held, in addition to four
thematic seminars, with a healthy turnout by demand
operators.
Two other important workshops were held in
collaboration with the Tuscany Region, attended by 42
demand operators from the entire Scandinavian and
Baltic area, and with the Piedmont Region (with 25
demand operators).
Of the events, in synergy with the local Italy System, a
promotion and marketing initiative was held on the
occasion of the Amerigo Vespucci’s docking in
Copenhagen. For the event, a stand for the public was set
up, organized in cooperation with the APT (provincial
tourist board) of Livorno, implementing the “Costa
toscana” promotional and marketing project, which
allowed more than 1,000 contacts with the Danish public
to be made; in cooperation with the Italian Embassy and
the Italian Cultural Institute, a tourism presentation was
made for selected TOs and journalists aboard the ship, in
36
Distribution of promotional material on the occasion of the landing of
the Amerigo Vespucci, Denmark
Other page: Press conference at the ENIT stand at the World Travel
Market in London, United Kingdom
Posters distributed
Windows installed
Press conferences
Interviews
Newsletters written
4 > Market actions
addition to two public relations events with opinion
leaders and other local figures.
In addition to the numerous press conferences, also on
the occasion of fair events, in collaboration with local
tourism promotion bodies, many press trips were
organized, including:
> the Press trip to Ragusa on the theme of cycling
holidays combined with culture and the sea, organized
by Ragusa’s Pro Loco in cooperation with the
neighbouring inland municipalities;
> the Press trip to Sanremo on the theme of inland
villages and seaside localities less well-known in
Scandinavia, and on the theme of Alfred Nobel,
organized by the Province of Imperia;
> Press trip to Turin, focusing on wine and food, on the
occasion of the Salone del Gusto and the Truffle Fair in
Alba, organized by the Piedmont Region’s Foreign
Centre.
United Kingdom and Ireland
Belgium
Holland
59.213
81.910
615
386
16
3
1
3
36
605
192
167
80
4
94
8
80
66.529
128.100
2.150
1.100
136
4
3
21
390
381
383
29
3
112
6
107
Scandinavian
area
74.487
105.989
1.413
1.870
16
9
3
4
12
642
105
540
4
25
408
7
295
An intense co-marketing effort was aimed at the Irish
market, in collaboration with the three largest tourism
companies working with Italy (Topflight, Crystal and
Sunway) and with the British tour operator Citalia, a
specialist in our market, which, for the first time in 2008,
launched a catalogue dedicated to the Irish market. The
actions undertaken were advertising the Italian product,
especially in the press, but also over the Internet and on
the radio; training for travel agents and press relations.
The products most involved were lakes and the sea.
In the United Kingdom, a co-marketing activity was
performed with ABTOI, the association of organizers of
trips to Italy, with which ENIT took part in Dolce Vita, the
fair specializing in Italy and its products.
Of the main events organized by ENIT, in addition to the
ones in collaboration with the Regions, the second
edition of the Travel writing awards for the foreign press
and the finest guides to Italy was held.The initiative was a
great success, as shown by the high number of
37
ENIT stand at the World Travel Market in London, United Kingdom
candidacies received directly from the authors
themselves, even though all articles observed in the press
were taken into consideration. About eighty journalists
attended the awards evening, which also saw the drawing
of a prize offered by the Region of Umbria.
nine journalists on hand and in Ragusa, with four
journalists.
With reference to B2B activities, in addition to a series
of commercial meetings organized with the Regions,
newsletters were sent to tour operators with
information on the events organized by ENIT in the
United Kingdom and Ireland, exchanges, workshops and
educational tours held in Italy, new products available in
Italy and co-marketing efforts.
Moreover, the online training activity for travel agencies,
already begun in 2007, continued.
The United Kingdom’s chief tourism trade fair is the
World Travel Market, and Italy was on hand with the
largest stand, organized by ENIT and with the
participation of eighteen Regions. Reserved for business
visitors, in 2008 the trade fair saw a certified attendance
of about 50,000.A number of collateral events were held
on the occasion of the WTM, including nine Press
conferences at the fair and four events for presentation
to the press and industry followed by a dinner in the city.
In Ireland, ENIT took part in the Holiday World Show, the
country’s chief tourism fair, aimed mainly at the public,
but with the trade in attendance as well. On the occasion
of the trade fair a meeting was held with the press and
industry professionals, organized by ENIT with a
presentation of the Regions.
In the web area, 118,000 visitors clicked on
www.italiantouristboard.co.uk.The site is organized into an
area for the public, which provides general information for
the tourist, news and the possibility to download brochures
and identify the tour operators offering the product of
interest, and a corporate area for the press and tour
operators, giving them the possibility to update information
on the products they offer and consultable by the public.
More than 50 press trips were organized at the request
of journalists, followed by features and articles. There
were 20 press tours, including the highly important ones
in Siena in collaboration with the National Gallery on the
occasion of the launch of the Renaissance Siena
exhibition; in Versilia and Lucca, attended by thirteen Irish
and English journalists; in Ischia, Capri and Procida, with
Lastly, numerous activities were organized in collaboration
with Italian regions and local bodies, including more than
20 press conferences and presentations to tour operators.
Particularly appreciated were the presentation of the
Puccini Festival at the Cultural Institute, where four opera
singers sent by the festival performed the presentation of
the Langhe and Roero area at Harry’s bar and Veneto’s
38
4 > Market actions
press conference on the occasion of the World Travel
Market, accompanied by an excellent dinner featuring
typical food from that region.
In collaboration with local bodies, numerous meetings
with the press and operators were organized,
including:
France
Supporting Brand Italy with the general public and
operators alike, ENIT was in full attendance at the leading
trade fairs held in France on a yearly basis.
Again in 2008, Italy took part in Salon des randonnées, the
trade fair specialized in green, sport and nature tourism,
attended by about 55,000 visitors interested in highquality niche tourism.
Also important was ENIT’s attendance at the
International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes, a trade fair
dedicated to luxury, a segment for which Italy is
considered one of France’s major competitors. At ENIT’s
exhibition space, Italian operators had an opportunity to
illustrate Italian luxury offerings to their clientele: hotels,
resorts, tour operators specializing in individual tourism
and business and incentive tourism presented a vast
array of offerings that were original, varied and “taylor
made”, cultural, musical and wine & food itineraries in
which quality and high standards of service are the
guarantee of an unforgettable trip.
> Una Toscana insolita, (An unusual Tuscany), in
collaboration with the Province of Pistoia and Tusca
Archipelago Tourist Board;
> Una regione di frontiera da scoprire, (A border region to
be discovered), with the Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia,
on the occasion of the inauguration of Air France’s
Paris-Trieste route;
> La transumanza a Parigi, (Transhumance in Paris), in
collaboration with Mountain Community Molise
Centre which, on the occasion of its participation at
SIAL, the Global Food Marketplace, in Paris, organized
an evening with a dinner based on typical products;
> Presentation of navigable routes and river tourism, in
collaboration with the Province of Venice.
Then there was the intense activity to support
journalists, who were assisted with material and
information for articles and features about Italy.
Moreover, 4 educational tours for the press were held in
Liguria, Piedmont, Marche and Catania.
ENIT stand at ILTM in Cannes, France
39
Right. Outdoor advertising on the underground in Madrid, Spain
Below: Outdoor advertising in Lisbon, Portugal
Spain and Portugal
Eight operators carried out co-marketing efforts with
ENIT in Spain; in particular, with Viajes Barceló in the
Barceló Group – one of Spain’s most important tour
groups with a network of 350 agencies – a joint
advertising campaign was run on the underground (150
posters for three weeks in Madrid and 150 posters for
one week in Barcelona) and in the press (a half-page
insert in the newspapers El Pais, ABC and 20 minutos, and
a one-page insert in the newspaper El Mundo).
With Tourmundial/ Viajes El Corte Inglés – among the
most important Spanish TOs, with more than 500 sales
outlets and the greatest number of Italy sales – an
advertising campaign was implemented on the Madrid
underground, with a total of 180 posters for 2 weeks in
the month of November.
Also intense was the work to support marketing and for
the press – with 13 educationals for operators and 22
press trips respectively – in addition to the workshops in
collaboration with Italian partners, including the one with
Federterme on the occasion of the Zaragoza Expo,
focusing on the theme of water as an element of
sustainable development.
40
Other initiatives include the Fourth edition of the Italia
por Descubrir prize for journalists in collaboration with
the Italian Embassy in Madrid and the second edition of
the Italia por Descubrir prize for children.
In Portugal, ENIT has, with the operator GSVT – the only
TO specialized in the Italian destination – implemented a
well-organized co-marketing programme:
1- Training actions for travel agents taking place in the
month of May in five different cities, involving 188
participants;
2- ENIT advertising page in the GSVT catalogue printed
in 60,000 copies and distributed to travel agencies;
3- Advertising campaign with posters on buses in Lisbon,
in the period from 1-14 July;
4- Insertion of ENIT banners on the website of the
operator GSVT, with a direct link to www.enit.it;
5- Presence of ENIT’s logo on all the promotional flyers
of the operator GSVT, which are distributed to travel
agencies;
6- awarding a prize (weekend in Italy for 2 people) to the
travel agency that has recorded the greatest number of
sales of Italy packages over the course of 2008.
These actions are in addition to the publication of an
advertising page – paid for entirely by GSVT – in the
journal Publituris, the trade’s most important magazine,
also containing the ENIT logo.
Over the course of the year, ENIT, on the occasion of the
Congress on Religious Tourism, held from 22 through 24
4 > Market actions
April at Povoa de Varzim, had an opportunity to screen
the DVD “Italia Opera Unica” and establish contact with
industry figures and operators.
Posters distributed
Windows installed
Press conferences
Interviews
Newsletters written
P.R. (journalists, operators,
and opinion leaders met)
Ad hoc initiatives (presentations,
events, evenings, festivals, etc.)
Marketing support
(seminars and workshops)
Marketing support
(foreign operators involved)
Along with other tourism bodies, ENIT was invited to the
gala dinner organized by the operator Lusanova at
Lisbon’s Hotel Real Palacio, where information material
on Italy was distributed and good relationships were
established with the operator promoting the initiative,
which was asked to take part in the Buyitaly workshop
scheduled at BIT in Milan.
In collaboration with the Italian Embassy and the Italian
Cultural Institute, ENIT took part in the Christmas in
Europe festival, organized by the Jacques Delors
European Information Centre and held from 6 through
19 December ; aimed at promoting the Christmas
traditions in the various European countries, the event
enjoyed a good turnout by the public, which consisted
for the most part of students.This occasion provided an
opportunity to distribute informational and audiovisual
material in the area dedicated to Italy.
United
Kingdom
19.923
63.500
610
9.395
12
24
5
46
14
France
Spain
Portugal
102.297
279.703
9.507
6.260
36
8
8
18
73.732
181.719
683
3.811
20
18
13
7
1.922
6.369
265
2.278
4
4
1
3
330
3.285
313
970
4.695
313
1.772
126
188
477
21
18
31
4
2
20
5
5
17
7
68
6
157
440
152
262
6
158
10
1
43
41
Eastern Europe
Russia
Featured among the most important promotional
actions in Russia are the co-marketing efforts, which are
essential for a market where intermediation in the travel
industry is preponderant.
During 2008, ENIT had an opportunity to collaborate
with 12 operators from Moscow and St. Petersburg
(Danko, Tris T, Ascent Travel, ICS, Tourparade, Flamingo,
Evolution voyage, Slav Holiday, VKO travel, Jet Travel,
IBTravel and Transaero tours), producing joint press
campaigns, presentations of Italian offerings and sales
manuals.
The tour operators involved in these activities were
selected on the basis of:
1. sharing of the promotional activity projects planned by
each operator;
2. capacity for organizational growth, as shown by the
increased tourist flows to Italy certified by the number of
visas issued by the consular authorities.
Alongside the co-marketing efforts, also essential on the
Russian market was ENIT’s action with regard to tourist
visas, through assistance to operators in the phases of
filing documents and obtaining tourist visas for Italy.
Many public relations initiatives involved above all taking
part in meetings with approximately 260 Russian TOs
and journalists belonging to ENIT’s Moscow Advisory
Committee: the 9 meetings organized in 2008 were
attended by a total of about 1,400 operators and
journalists. Highly appreciated were the periodic visits
made to the operations headquarters of leading tour
operators and the local associations of tour operators
travel agencies. Also, maximum attention was given to
relations with Russian tourism authorities, at both the
Federal and the Moscow regional levels, with periodic
exchanges of experience and information.
Lastly, 26 merit plaques were awarded, as well as 33
certificates of honour to TOs that distinguished
themselves in promoting Italian tourism products.
Above:Tourmap in Prague, Czech Republic
Page at side: Prize awarded to the DVD Italia Opera Unica at the
Tourfilm Festival; the Tourmap logo and the Tourfilm logo,
Czech Republic
42
Also of considerable importance were the actions to
support and assist journalists which, among other things,
made it possible to organize, in collaboration with
regional tourism bodies, trips by 8 television crews
producing features on Italy for a total duration of about
140 minutes.
Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary
More and more work to promote and market Italian
tourism offerings is being done by ENIT monitoring units
in Eastern countries that are new emerging players in
Europe.
Of the co-marketing efforts implemented in Poland, the
Conosci l’Italia radio contest held in collaboration with
Radio Gdansk and Wizzair was highly successful: the final
prize was a stay in Rome. For the occasion, ENIT also had
an opportunity to promote its Polish-language website.
In addition to ENIT’s participation at Warsaw’s T+T,
Poland’s largest tourism trade fair, ENIT took part in the
100 cultures, 1 city event held in the month of April at
Warsaw’s Palace of Culture. Organized by the Warsaw
University Students’ Association and addressing the
general public, the event provided an opportunity to
promote the cultures of many countries, through the
distribution of promotional material, meetings, tastings of
typical products and exhibitions.
Many initiatives were implemented to raise the standing
of Italian locations in the Polish media, such as, for
example, the press trip in collaboration with Trentino Spa,
or the production of the programme Culinary journeys of
Robert Maklowicz in collaboration with Agenzia Turismo
Friuli Venezia Giulia. Highly important was the television
programme Vanilla and Pepper – Following the Great
4 > Market actions
Explorers, dedicated to Italian localities and famous figures,
involving many Polish and Italian partners and media
outlets (municipality of Padua, Venice Tourist Promotion
Board, the Umbria Region, Benedykt Polak-Wielcy
Odkrywcy, the Apulia Region, Apulian Tourist Operators
Consortium – COTUP).
There were also educationals for operators, such as
“Brescia in navigation” in collaboration with the
Bresciatourism consortium and “Dolomiti Brenta Bike”
with Trentino Spa.
In the Czech Republic, the actions undertaken by ENIT
were directed mainly in support of marketing our
tourism offerings through the organization of workshops
and educationals for tour operators. Many initiatives
were implemented:
> educational tour in collaboration with the Apulia
Region and COTUP and with the Marche Region;
> informative meetings with operators, in collaboration
with Trentino Spa;
> promotions evenings for TOs in collaboration with
Hotelier Promotion Montecatini Terme and Riviera
Incoming Pesaro.
Also important was ENIT’s attendance at the Holiday
World 2008 show held in Prague; now in its 17th edition,
it is one of Mitteleuropa’s leading tourism fairs.
Other events include:
> TOURMAP 2008 – international festival of tourism
guides and maps – where ENIT, representing Istituto
Geografico De Agostini, received first prize in the “Tour
Maps” category (Sicily Roadmap).
> EUROREGION propag 2008 – international festival of
tourism promotional material of Czech and foreign
Regions, Provinces and tourism boards – where the
Italia Opera Unica material took second prize in the
“Foreign” category.
> TOURFILM 2008 – international festival of films and
videoclips in the tourism sector – where the DVD
“Italia Opera Unica” took second place in the category
of videos presented by tourism boards.
In Hungary, ENIT had the opportunity to take part in
initiatives that allowed relationships to be established
with political authorities and figures in the world of
business and tourism.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Italian
government’s recognition of the Chamber of
Commerce, an evening boat ride was organized, giving
ENIT an opportunity to distribute promotional material
to the approximately 140 on hand. Another occasion
was the Christmas Gala, attended by ENIT as event
partner, with a turnout of approximately 260 guests.
ENIT then took part in the EU Street Festival organized
by the Representation of the European Commission in
Hungary and by the European Parliament Information
Office in Budapest, with the participation of the member
43
Christmas gala at the offices of the Italian Cultural Institute,
Budapest, Hungary
countries’ Embassies and Tourism Offices. Held in a large
square in the centre of Budapest, the event was a major
hit with the public, presenting an opportunity to attend
with an information desk and distribute promotional
material.
Many initiatives for the press were held, in collaboration
with Italian local bodies:
> fam trip for 2 journalists near Portofino, in
collaboration with Liguria Region Tourism Board,
Province of Genoa tourism services, IAT – Tourism
Assistance Information of Portofino and Alitalia;
> study tour for 3 journalists in Arabba, in collaboration
with Arabba Information Office of Dolomites Tourism
and Alitalia;
> study tour for 6 journalists in Friuli Venezia Giulia, in
collaboration with Tourism Agency of the Region of
Friuli Venezia Giulia;
> study tour for 2 journalists in Tuscany and the Cinque
Terre area, in collaboration with Toscana Promozione,
Posters distributed
Windows installed
Press conferences
Interviews
Newsletters written
P.R. (journalists, operators, and
opinion leaders met)
Marketing support (seminars and
workshops)
Marketing support (foreign operators
involved)
44
the provincial tourist board of Florence, Cinque Terre
National Park and Alitalia.
With an info desk, ENIT took part in the tourism
workshop held in Nyíregyháza, attended by 32 tour
operators from Hungary’s northeast area.
Lastly,with the operator Neckermann,ENIT took part in two
stages of the roadshow presenting the winter catalogue and
the Italian tourism product, which also provided an
opportunity to distribute promotional and advertising
material and to screen the DVD Italia Opera Unica.
Russia
31,299
83,270
410
458
15
31
39
50
Poland
7,323
29,350
732
450
2
10
10
12
Czech Rep.
22,800
42,340
40
870
3
2
1
17
Hungary
5,106
16,171
525
218
3
6
4
4
8
1,908
169
974
150
35
85
585
73
143
243
93
353
63
4
7
16
77
-
1
-
1,042
12
300
2
95
220
9
182
4 > Market actions
4.2
America
United States
Many co-marketing initiatives were undertaken in the
United States to support the Italian destination with TOs
and airlines:
> with ITPC-Italian Travel Promotion Council, numerous
seminars were held for travel agents in Atlanta, Raleigh,
Philadelphia, Phoenix and Seattle;
> Chicago played host to Italian Style, an event promoting
Italian excellence, for the general public and operators
alike, in collaboration with ITPC and the Italian
American Chamber of Commerce Midwest;
> targeted press campaigns were undertaken with
Alitalia, Eurofly, Virtuoso and ITPC, through the
distribution of a several-page flyer in newspapers and
magazines;
> a roadshow took place from 5 February through 8
March, in which the Hospitality Truck made many stops
around the United States (San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas,
Austin, Houston, Atlanta, Tampa, Charlotte,
Washington, Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey,
Boston and Chicago). A travelling vehicle emblazoned
with the graphics for the latest Italy for Life campaign,
the Hospitality Truck is a real showroom on wheels,
elegantly furnished and equipped with touchscreen
monitors on the walls displaying images of our
country’s scenic and cultural beauty; inside the truck,
meetings were held with operators, journalists, opinion
makers and authorities, and promotional material on
Italy was distributed;
> an important B2B moment between supply and
demand, Italy Symposium was held in Sardinia and
attended by TOs belonging to the ITPC, joined by
journalists and travel agents.
ENIT took part in many events:
> as part of the event NECTFL (North East Conference
on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), whose main goal
is to foster the teaching, learning and spread of foreign
languages in the world, promotional and advertising
material on Italy and its regions was distributed;
> during the Spring Meet event organized by NTA –
National Tour Association, ENIT had the opportunity
to present the Italian destination and its tourism
products to the numerous TOs in attendance;
> at Piazza d’Italia 2008, an event organized by NIAFNational Italian American Foundation, promotional and
advertising material was distributed.
Hospitality Truck, United States
Many events and meetings were organized by ENIT on
American territory:
> in Houston, Dallas, Denver and Albuquerque, meetings
and presentations on the Italian destination, attended
by numerous qualified TOs, travel agents and
authorities, were organized;
> on the occasion of the publication of the Corporate
Annual Report 2007, TOs, travel agents, the press and
industry figures took part in a meeting to present the
promotional results achieved by ENIT and the plans for
the 2008 season;
> ENIT was promoter of and guest at the meeting
between TO associations that sell the Italian product
from the United States, Canada, and Brazil –ITPC,
CTCPI and ABITO respectively – with the purpose of
increasing the already intense activity of collaboration
with associations and member operators.
For increased prominence in the press, numerous
educationals and press trips were organized, including a
press trip in collaboration with ATC - Alpine Travel
Commission, an educational in collaboration with the
Emilia Romagna Region and a press trip in collaboration
with the Province of Rimini.
There were also many initiatives in collaboration with
the Regions on the American market, to present the
regions, cultural and artistic events, the local wine and
food heritage.
Over the course of 2008, the local internet site
www.italiantourism.com welcomed about 2,100,000 hits;
the site periodically puts out a news bulletin on artistic,
folklore and sporting events held in Italy, and a weekly
newsletter which, in addition to being published on line, is
sent to a mailing list of journalists, operators, and consumers.
45
Canada
Many initiatives were implemented with major partners
in Canada in 2008.
The co-marketing project with American Express
Canada made it possible to carry out an incentive
initiative in Italy, organized in partnership with the
Abruzzo and Marche Regions, along with such other
efforts as a newsletter as part of the Europe & Italy
Marketing Promotion Campaign, Emails Blast and
advertising inserts to promote Italy in the statements
sent to the clients of American Express Card Canada.
With great interest, the Abruzzo and Marche Regions took
part in the Amex Canada Pacesetters Program, providing
high-quality technical, logistical and organizational support:
the trip, from 24 May through 1 June, saw the involvement
of more than 30 operators and airlines and was without a
doubt a highly important moment for Italian tourism
promotion, providing information and ideas of use for
developing new tourism products to be included in
Canadian operators’ catalogues.
46
Supported by the tremendous structural growth of the
Group that is the market leader in Canada, for which the
Italian destination occupies a priority position in tourism
marketing strategies, the co-marketing efforts made with
Air Transat / Transat Holidays consisted of:
> Internet Campaign
> Consumer Magazine Advertising
> In-flight Magazine Advertising
> Italy Awareness Week
> Travel Agent VIP Events
> Trade Blitzes
Bearing witness to the Transat group’s strong strategic and
operative expansion towards the Italian destination is the
Montreal-Rome air route, which was made a year-round
link starting April 2008. Partnership efforts generated the
introduction of new direct routes scheduled for 2009,
linking the Canadian cities of Vancouver, Toronto and
Montreal with Rome,Venice, and Milan.
Lastly, with CTCPI (Canadian Travel Council Promoting
Italy), numerous co-marketing initiatives, many of which
will continue into 2009, were carried out:
4 > Market actions
> The Brochure Italian Vacation Planner/Le guide pour
votre voyage en Italie, a travel guide for the Canadian
market in English (30,000 copies) and French (10,000
copies), distributed to operators, the general public
and the media.
> Media campaign with advertisements in selected
magazines for consumers and the trade and in
catalogues and/or printed material published by CTCPI
members.
> Joint participation at the International Tourism and
Travel Show in Montreal (October 2008) and
presentations / workshops in Montreal during the
tourism show for travel agencies and the media.
> Roadshow / presentations, for travel agencies in the
cities of Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax,
Ottawa and/or other centres of commercial interest.
Again in collaboration with CTCPI and with the Campania
Region, the first edition of Italy Symposium for the Canadian
market (86 tour operators and journalists) was organized.
With the theme of the Region’s tourism excellence, the
visit was held with a highly organized programme aimed at
offering participants a professional experience – of
particular promotional and commercial scope – of the
Campania destination for the Canadian market. The
Symposium’s opening day was held at Palazzo Reale in
Naples, with representatives from local institutions on
hand; this was followed by a tour of the most important
sites, such as Naples, Ercolano, Pompei, Castellammare di
Stabia, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Capri, Avellino,
Benevento and Caserta, where the gala evening closing
the Symposium was held.
Collaboration with Italian institutions and partners
resulted in attendance at the following:
> PLAYHOUSE INTERNATIONAL, WINE FESTIVAL 2008,
Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre: in
collaboration with ICE, ENIT was at the Italy stand,
distributing promotional and advertising material;
> ECHO ITALIA, Le Windsor - Montreal: event now in its
fifth edition, organized by the Italian Chamber of
Commerce of Montreal, attended by the Regions of
Basilicata, Latium and Molise. ENIT played an active role
in the tourism sector, with a variety of institutional events:
- Attendance at the Dinner/event dedicated to the
Latium Region;
- Presentation of ENIT-Italian State Tourist Board at the
day dedicated to tourism;
- Participation in the Working Lunch dedicated to the
Basilicata Region;
- Attendance at Travel Italia – The Golden Age of Italian
travel posters, a private collection of 250 pieces
produced by ENIT and by Italian State Railways from
1920 through 1950;
- Participation at the Molise Region Working Lunch.
> 10th WORLD LEISURE CONGRESS 2008 - Quebec City:
congress dedicated to free time, attended by more
than 1,500 managers, academics, government officials
and suppliers in the private sector. During the
Congress, ENIT presented the city of Rimini, the next
venue for the 2012 World Congress.
Among the marketing support activities, ENIT took part
in Montreal’s Salon international tourisme et voyages event,
the Canadian market’s most important show dedicated
to tourism.There, at the ITALIA pavilion installed with the
Chamber of Commerce, ENIT, along with CTCPI,
provided assistance and spread information to demand
operators, the media and the public.
Numerous workshops were also dedicated to operators,
including the miniworkshop for travel agencies organized
in a number of Canadian cities in collaboration with
CTCPI; the Italian workshop organized in Toronto in
collaboration with Comitel & partners; the workshop in
Toronto in collaboration with the Tuscany Region.
Lastly, there was intense activity to provide assistance to
Regions and local bodies for holding meetings with the
press and operators and promotional evenings. Of the
initiatives held, mention should be made of the The Great
Veneto Escape marketing effort, in collaboration with the
Veneto Region, consisting of a plan of promotional
efforts combined with the Toronto Raptors basketball
team and hockey’s Toronto Maple Leafs; this included:
> Branding at Air Canada Centre (lighted advertising,
billboards), including the logos of ENIT – Italian State
Tourist Board and of the Veneto Region;
> Television promotion of initiatives for all Raptors and
Maple Leafs games, with worldwide broadcasting over
the NBA theme channel;
> An ad hoc contest with the Veneto Region;
> Quality culinary events for VIPs and selected companies.
The two teams enjoy a total attendance of about 1.5
million people a year. The total estimated television
audience for all broadcasts of the spot amounts to 52
million contacts.
47
Brazil
Here are some of the co-marketing actions performed
in Brazil:
> a professional training path, Destino Italia, for travel
agencies in collaboration with ABITO (Associação
Brasil Italia de Tours Operators), Alitalia, Hertz and
Promos Milano;
> Tourism in Italy and Professional qualification seminars for
travel agencies in collaboration with TAM Airlines and
ETC – European Travel Commission.
ENIT attended a number of tourism trade fairs, such as:
> São Paulo’s Braztoa, the main event in the tourism
sector, along with ETC;
> Tourism Festival in the city of Gramado – Rio Grande
do Sul State, along with ETC;
> ABAV-FIERA DAS AMERICAS of Rio de Janeiro,
organized by the Brazilian Association of travel
agencies, along with the Italian-Brazilian Chamber of
Commerce.
Many events were attended:
> Italy space at Restaubar Show 2008 to promote Italianmade quality;
> Italy space at the Municipal market of São Paulo, as part
of the event Mediterranean Diet in Brazil, a project
whose main objective is to spread the cuisine and
culinary traditions of the Mediterranean countries in
Brazil;
> Contemporary Cinema Week, dedicated to Italian film
and presented at Cinemark Iguatemi.
Lastly, the Guide “Regions of Italy for a lifetime ” was
published and distributed; presented to travel agents and
journalists in various cities in Brazil, the guide was
produced in collaboration with the Brazilian Association
of tour operators.
ENIT also took part in the Europe Workshop organized
by the European Travel Commission in the city of São
Paulo.
Posters distributed
Windows installed
Press conferences
Interviews
Newsletters written
48
United States
50,320
262,600
3,340
2,276
91
46
3
36
125
3,985
857
595
68
148
30,587
12
1,058
Canada
12,152
51,400
429
1,252
7
6
8
1,229
69
183
18
31
4,298
3
23
Brazil
15,100
31,990
320
1,000
47
2
2,801
25
58
15
6
330
5
16
4 > Market actions
4.3
Asia and Oceania
Australia and New Zealand
Over the course of 2008, ENIT’s Sydney Office
collaborated with operators, institutions, private
companies, Regions, Italian Provinces and airlines to
promote Italy, developing co-marketing strategies that
led to 7 educational tours for travel agents and tour
operators, 3 educational tours for journalists from
Australia and New Zealand, ad hoc presentations of
tourism in Italy, the promotion of a new catalogue
dedicated to Italy, contests for the public (awarding stays
in Italy), cultural events and gala evenings.
Of the many events, ENIT’s collaboration with the Province
of Como and Greater Union was fundamental for
promoting the major Italian Operas projected at 13
Greater Union cinemas in Australia. Before each opera was
screened, 30 seconds of ENIT advertising spots and 30
seconds of tourism spots for the Province of Como were
aired and booklets were distributed to all spectators. Also
organized was the première of the opera Aida, produced
by Milan’s Teatro alla Scala and directed by Franco Zeffirelli,
at Sydney’s Greater Union George Street cinema on 13
April 2008, an absolute first for Australia. About 200
people, including Australian journalists, authorities and tour
operators were on hand for the grand gala.
ENIT also worked with Paramount Home Entertainment
to organize, at the Sydney State Theater, The Godfather
Symphony Premier event as an homage to Nino Rota,
who won a Best Soundtrack Oscar for the film and the
release of the new DVDs in the Godfather trilogy.
A major event was ENIT’s participation in the National
Multicultural Festival’s Food and Dance Spectacular in Civic
(Canberra, February): in collaboration with the Italian
Embassy, the Italy stand was set up and managed, allowing
promotional and advertising material to be distributed
during an event attended by about 50,000 visitors.
Other occasions for contact with the public were the
celebrations of the Italian Republic Holiday at Club
Marconi (Sydney, May, 28,000 visitors), and at Doltone
House (Sydney, June, 10,000 visitors) with the
distribution at the ENIT stand of pamphlets produced by
ENIT and by the Regions.
Then, at the Motori Italiani event (Sydney, June), ENIT, in
collaboration with the Piedmont Region, took part with
its own stand, where booklets were distributed and a
sweepstakes was advertised. About 15,000 people were
in attendance.
Web advertising
on the AB Road
site, Japan
Lastly, there were intense efforts to provide assistance to
the media and tour operators, also in collaboration with
local bodies, for the organization of trips, fam trips and
educationals.
Japan
In co-marketing, joint projects were carried out with 8
leading tour operators, to promote new destinations
through the production of special catalogues, DVDs,
advertising in magazines and newspapers, web
advertising, publication of guide books, organization of
Italian festivals and organization of Italian travel fairs.
Of the many promotional initiatives, also in
collaboration with Italian partners and institutions, the
Italian week called the “Mitsukoshi Italia Fair” held in April
at Tokyo’s GG.MM. Mitsukoshi Nihombashi enjoyed great
attendance (about 230,000 visitors). Produced with the
Italian Embassy, ICE, Alitalia and the Italian Cultural
Institute, the event made it possible to promote the
Italian destination through the exhibition of Italian-made
quality.
ENIT took part in the promotional event entitled Let’s go
Kaigai ! (Abroad) Day at the prestigious Tokyo Midtown,
organized by ANTOR (Association of National Tourist
Office Representatives in Japan) to promote tourism
abroad. The event was attended by 46 organizations,
including NTOs,TOs and airlines.
49
Posters distributed
Windows installed
Press conferences
Interviews
Newsletters written
In collaboration with Alitalia, ENIT was present with a
stand, where promotional material could be distributed.
With ETC (European Travel Commission), the ETC
Media Day – a meeting with the press and tour
operators to honour the best article and television
programme in 2008 – was organized. The article on
“Rome’s Medieval Art” in the magazine Gijutsushincho
was named the best article of the year.
In trade fairs, in addition to JATA, Japan’s largest tourism
trade fair, ENIT had an opportunity to take part in:
> Overseas Travel Fair-Kanku Tabihaku in Osaka, where
ENIT, in collaboration with Alitalia, organized its own
stand where it could distribute promozional material,
also attending the “Rome, charming with history”,
seminar organized in collaboration with JATA;
> Overseas Long Stay Fair, dedicated to long stays
abroad, held at Tokyo Big Sight and organized by the
Long Stay Foundation with Nikkei Shimbun in
collaboration with the Ministry of Economics,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Ministry of
General Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests
and Fishing and JATA.
Australia and
New Zealand
8,521
170,742
1,484
5,776
89
7
13
593
41
82
13
3
270
15
121
Japan
52,585
732,124
1,840
2,312
1
6
15
12
795
424
1,428
91
12
647
8
208
During the year, numerous press trips, educationals for
operators, and B2B meetings were organized to present
regional offerings, opera seasons and thematic routes and
itineraries.
Of the promotional initiatives for the press and the
travel trade, the Lazio Region’s promotion of Etruscan
Civilization enjoyed particular success.
The travel trade and press also paid great attention to
joint art/wine & food initiatives, like those in the city of
Parma, the Truffle Road and the city of Orvieto.
Moreover, in publishing, ENIT oversaw the design, layout and
printing of two Japanese-language publications on Italy in
general and on Italy’s UNESCO Heritage Sites,written for and
tailored to the particular communication needs in Japan, for
the general public, the travel trade and the Japanese press.
China
Over the course of 2008, many initiatives were
implemented to promote the Italian destination in China.
Co-marketing with the Chinese agency Beijing CAISSA
International Travel Service allowed new and alternative
destinations to be promoted alongside the classic
itineraries of cities of art, particularly for medium/high-level
customers, with offerings in the luxury segment as well.
There were many events in collaboration with Italian
institutions and local bodies:
> With the Italian Cultural Institute (ICI), an event was
organized in March to promote the Puccini Festival and
50
4 > Market actions
From top: ENIT stand at BITE in Beijing and the ENIT event at
CONI’s Casa Italia, China
the Tuscany Region, also joined by the management of
Palazzo Strozzi to present the events of Fondazione
Palazzo Strozzi;
> again in collaboration with the ICI, a seminar on the
Region of Sicily was organized for five tour operators;
> in June, on the occasion of the BITE trade fair, the
Nonsolonapoliday event, in collaboration with the
tourism councillorship of the Province of Naples, was
organized in the 798 Art Zone;
> accompanying the L’atleta di Taranto exhibition, the
Apulia Region’s offerings were presented to a public of
operators and journalists;
> as part of the activities of the Week of the Italian
Language in the World an event was organized, in
collaboration with the ICI, to present to tour operators
the documentary film Tuscany Dream by the director
Wang Xiaoshuai.
On the occasion of the Beijing Olympic Games, a stand
was set up, along with the Department for the
Development and Competitiveness of Tourism, at the
Italian Olympic Committee’s (CONI) Casa Italia. While
the Games were held, there were opportunities to
implement a variety of promotional activities, such as the
forum to present the Italian destination and meetings
between ENIT’s leadership and representatives from Air
China and major Chinese tour operators.
Lastly, as the year drew to a close, an institutional
meeting was organized, attended by Italian and Chinese
authorities and figures in the travel trade. Over the
course of the evening, ENIT’s activities implemented in
2008, and the outlook for 2009, were illustrated; the
meeting also provided an opportunity to present to our
destination’s operators, also through major businesses, an
exclusive sampling of Italian lifestyle in the world, and the
whole gamut of sectors, from wine & food to the
shipping industry, motorcycles and cars, from fashion to
design. Attendees were also given a kit containing a
brochure illustrating a tasting/visual/tactile itinerary
through Italy’s 20 regions and a CD with a short
presentation of the various types of luxury tourism
offerings, also connected with music festivals, sporting
competitions, fashion events and so on. During the
evening, the documentary made in Italy by China’s Travel
Channel was screened, showing the most evocative
images that the broadcaster’s cameramen had occasion
to film during their trip. The event was held in an
equipped facility in which Italy’s music, video and images
presented routes and itineraries for travelling in and
discovering our destination.
India
The activities carried out in 2008 considerably raised
Italy’s presence in the media and knowledge of our
destination with the public and operators alike.
In collaboration with India’s leading tour operators, an
intense advertising effort was carried out, accompanied
by the production of various catalogues dedicated
exclusively to Italy, with careful, diversified promotion of
the Italian tourism product.
51
ENIT Roadshow in Delhi, India
Now in its sixth edition, Festa Italiana was the event
with greatest impact on the Indian market. Lasting a
month, the initiative included various kinds of
activitives, from cooking courses to cultural events,
from the Film Festival to the Opera, and from seminars
to B2B meetings, with the aim of showing what our
country can offer in terms of tourism, art and culture.
An absolutely new feature of the latest edition was
Vetrina Italiana, the first fair of Italian-made quality,
which was able to convey the different par tners’
efforts towards a single objective, and which presented
the goods sectors of greatest interest to India: cars; the
home system, with the creation of a house furnished
with objects of Italian design; the person system, with
important Italian brands; wine & food, with an exhibition
and tasting of typical Italian products; and tourism, to
which the largest space was dedicated. Italy was
promoted by ENIT, in collaboration with India’s leading
tour operators (Kuoni, Cox & Kings,Thomas Cook and
TCI, Mercury Travel, Kesari Tour, Sahara Global, Cosmos
& Globus) involved for the first time in promoting a
single country at the same space.
More than 20,000 people attended the Festa Italiana and
Vetrina Italiana events.
ENIT India then collaborated with the Piedmont region
52
to hold the gala dinner for Indian tour operators, with
the famous Indian actor Kabir Bedi in attendance. Lastly,
for the Piedmont region, targeted meetings were
organized with leading Indian tour operators for joint
initiatives to promote snow tourism, something new on
the Indian market.
Thanks to collaboration between ENIT and the historic
film producer Yash Raj Chopra, Italy has made it to
Bollywood: in fact, 2008 saw the release of Bachna Ae
Haseeno, directed by Siddhart Anand and starring toplevel, internationally renowned actors, with a number of
different Italian locations appearing in the film.
The collaboration that was established made it possible
to acquaint other producers with the possibility of filming
in Italy, a highly evocative and beautiful location, with a
valuable contribution by the Italian Film Commissions.
Another high-profile event was the launch of the MICE
sector catalogue dedicated by the TO Kuoni exclusively
to Italy, the first country to receive this kind of attention,
and presented in Mumbai and Kolkata, in collaboration
with the Italian consular authorities.This initiative captured
the Indian tourism industry’s interest in the destination,
immediately leading to real growth in tourist flows and
demonstrating the great potential of the MICE sector.
Lastly, as the year drew to a close, the ENIT Roadshow
was held, visiting the cities of Delhi and Mumbai: Indian
attendance at seminars was high (220 operators in Delhi
and 280 in Mumbai), in spite of other events organized in
Mumbai by competing countries. The seminars were
followed by demand/supply meeting workshops
attended by 20 Italian companies. The Roadshow’s
success demonstrated once again the great interest that
India has in the Italian destination.
ENIT Roadshow in Mumbai, India
4 > Market actions
South Korea
Many co-marketing initiatives were carried out on the
Korean market:
> with the operator Mode Tour, production of a 56-page
information brochure on travel packages to Italy, in
30,000 copies, distributed at Mode Tour offices and
travel agencies;
> with Nomad, creation of a blog containing video and
information on Italy, in order to develop an online
community and support travel to Italy; the choice in
favour of a blog is justified by the high Internet use by
the Korean public;
> with Lotte tour, advertising inserts were placed in the
press;
> with Rail Europe, initiatives were carried out to
promote the lesser-known Italy and make it easier to
enjoy (Rail Europe sells railway tickets and passes):
specifically, the brochure entitled Easy travel by train in
Italy was made and distributed at travel agencies, and
published in digital form on the operator’s and ENIT’s
sites, and travel packages were advertised on travel
Posters distributed
Windows installed
Press conferences
Interviews
Newsletters written
Marketing support
(seminars and workshops)
Marketing support
(foreign operators involved)
agencies’ websites;
> with Jau tour, an advertising effort was carried out with
posters on 20 metropolitan bus lines in downtown
Seoul to promote travel packages, and promotional
events at Italian restaurants were organized;
> with Naeil Tour, the Gold Miss Project – a promotional
project aimed at the target of single, working women
(referred to as gold miss) – was carried out through
the publication of an advertising banner on the TO’s
website and the creation of a specific travel package.
In support of marketing, operators and journalists were
involved on a number of occasions:
> seminar in collaboration with Rail Europe to promote
the use of the train to discover the lesser-known Italy;
> training meetings to provide information on events and
festivals, locations and tourism passes to Italian cities of
art;
> wine seminar to promote knowledge of Italy’s
oenological heritage and develop thematic trips
focusing on this heritage.
China
6,420
32,000
600
800
6
6
3
1
338
15
55
India
13,839
60,605
1,180
1.502
1
16
1.037
15
78
South Korea
627
795
57
300
7
48
68
13
9
10
-
2
4
-
30
1
60
480
4
25
7
103
53
5 > The incoming
markets
5.1
15
Europe
he European market represents the hard core of
Italy’s incoming, accounting for more than 72% of
international arrivals in Italy (ISTAT data, 2007).
T
Germany’s is the chief market for Italian incoming
(approximately 21% of total arrivals of foreign
tourists in 2007): in the German competitive setting –
one highly contended with the strong presence of
Italy’s competitors – our country ranks second, after
Spain, among the destinations most visited by
German tourists.
International arrivals
by area of origin
1,3%
0,9%
1,8%
0,7%
7,3%
72,3%
15,7%
Europe
America
Other countries
Asia
Middle East
Oceania
Africa
German area
Germany
Germany has confirmed its position as the number-one
outgoing country, in terms of both number of trips and
spending abroad: in spite of the economic and financial
difficulties, the Germans’ traditional desire to travel was
not lacking in 2008, and the tourism intermediation
industry recorded healthy increases in volume of
business.
In 2008, Germany’s solid economy slowed: in particular,
surveys by the German statistics body show that GDP
increased by a modest +1.3%, driven by healthy growth
in industrial output in the early part of the year, followed
by a decline starting in the month of September. For
2009, forecasts are negative, with GDP estimated to fall
by 0.8%; only in 2010 is a comeback expected.
Event presenting the new ENIT office in Frankfurt, Germany
54
During the summer of 2008, German tour operators
saw slightly increased sales of Italy packages, estimated to
do 4-5% better than the previous year.The largest tour
operators (TUI, Thomas Cook/Neckermann,
DERTOUR, Studiosus, ITS Reisen, Jahn Reisen, FTI
Touristik) declared a positive trend in sales of the Italy
product, while stressing that data vary from region to
region, depending on the different offerings in the
catalogues.
Over the course of the year, the organized bus tourism
segment (Bustouristik) did quite well, also drawing
advantage from higher airfares; with more than 12% of
market share, Italy still holds first place among the
European destinations preferred by German bus
operators. In particular for tourists over 65, buses are the
preferred means of transit for a vacation abroad, because
they offer greater mobility and easy access to the places
being visited.
The beach vacation remains the product most in
demand by German tourists; the city of art segment –
and particularly Rome, Florence and Venice – saw
appreciable decline in 2008, after years of intense growth.
The lake segment showed a fair trend, particularly for the
large lakes in northern Italy.
5 > The incoming markets
Austria
In 2008, the Austrian economy showed signs of
weakness, connected with the considerable rise in the
price of crude in the first ten months of the year and
slower growth in exporting and consequently in
industrial output. Domestic consumption was negatively
influenced by a strong inflation phenomenon owing to
The Swiss maintain a high propensity to travel, although,
in part, the international economic climate had an effect
on consumer confidence, thus reducing tourism
spending.
Italy still maintains a good position: number three among
European destinations, with a high market share in
organized tourism.
Sea, culture and sports were again the chief motivations
for a trip to Italy in 2008; in particular, the cities of art did
well, while beach tourism saw a modest decline.
Central and Northern Europe
higher prices for food and energy products. GDP
estimates for 2008 show +1.9% growth, while forecasts
are negative (-0.1%) for 2009.
Although less travel abroad was found on the Austrian
market in 2008, our destination is holding onto first place
among the destinations preferred by tourists and
operators have indicated healthy increases in sales.
The sea is still a privileged product, followed by the cities
of art. The regions of northern Italy are the most in
demand, also because they are easily reached by car.
Switzerland
Despite its dependence on exports and the financial
sector, it is estimated that the Swiss economy will be less
affected than its chief trading partners by the current
economic crisis; the slowdown in the EU and the United
States – the major markets for Swiss exports – reached
Switzerland during a period of strength, which found
expression in a high degree of use of productive
resources, an abundance of orders, and a high propensity
for consumer spending.
In 2009, economic growth should be at least 1%, driven
by private consumption and by exports.
United Kingdom and Ireland
After showing 3.1% growth in 2007, in 2008 the British
economy entered a period of strong decline, which
developed into a full-blown recession in the final months
of the year. The negative GDP trend in the second and
third quarter of 2008 lowered the yearly growth forecast
to 1.2% (source: OECD); a significant reduction –
probably greater than 1% - is expected for 2009.
The chief causes for this were the bursting of the real
estate bubble, which had long been one of the drivers of
growth, and the worsening financial crisis, which
depressed activity in the City of London and sowed
instability in the British banking system, forcing the
government to embark on extraordinary nationalization
and recapitalization interventions, as well as to review the
entire control and regulatory system.
Reduced income and household spending helped feed
the downward spiral in confidence, casting into crisis a
system that had until then based its success to a large
degree on real estate and personal credit.
Despite the grave economic situation, English statistics
(www.statistics.gov.uk) show a contained reduction in
trips abroad in 2008, equal to 1%. Europe has been
confirmed as the preferred destination, with a market
share of 79%.
Although interest in the Italian destination remains high, it
is negatively influenced by the weaker pound, which
generally penalizes travel to the Euro area.
FIAT 500 with logo and images of Italy,Vienna, Austria
55
In general, the tourism products most in demand are
above all beach holidays and city breaks; the latter occupy
a privileged position, combining merely cultural aspects
with a more general interest in the Italian lifestyle. Italy’s
image is in fact highly connected with the concept of
culture, understood not only as art, culture and scenery,
but also the heritage of fine food, handicrafts, folklore and
anthropological assets. Good prospects for growth have
emerged for mountains and lakes, cruises, spas and active
vacations in contact with nature.
A climate of economic uncertainty and slow
international growth weakened the Irish economy in the
first half of 2008. According to forecasts, GDP suffered a
0.5% decline in December 2008; the downward trend
should continue in 2009, beginning to reverse only in
2010. Reduced capital investment and declining
consumption are the causes for this trend.
In 2008, the number of trips abroad by Irish tourists,
based on data from the central statistics office
(www.cso.ie), amounted to 7.839 million, as against 8.012
million in 2007, for a 2% decrease.
Italy’s image as a tourism destination is well rooted in the
Irish population, even though other destinations, such as
the United Kingdom, Spain, France and the United States,
place higher in the rankings of those in greatest demand.
Our country is in the first place considered a cultural and
religious destination: the major cities of art are the
product most in demand, headed by Rome, especially for
organized groups. Lake and beach locations are also in
demand.
Netherlands
The positive trend in the Dutch economy in recent years
saw a decline in 2008, due to the international economic
crisis, which also effected the economy in the
56
Flyer made with the operator SRC, Netherlands
Netherlands. GDP growth in 2008 should come to 2.1%,
while, for 2009, the trend, while modest, will, according to
forecasts, register a modest +1.25%, thanks above all to
contained unemployment and a healthy national budget.
The Dutch like to travel, particularly abroad; in Europe,
Italy holds sixth place, with a market share better than
5%. Intermediation, and particularly that operating on the
Internet, is widely practised; the preferred means of
transport is the car, followed by the airplane.
The chief motivations for a holiday in Italy are connected
with the cities of art, the sea, lakes and mountains,
followed by shopping, wellness and business. There is
constantly growing interest in mid-sized and small cities
and villages, destinations for a stay in pursuit of relaxation
and discovery of the surrounding territory. Interest in
ecologically sustainable development is also on the rise,
with a marked sensitivity towards environmental issues
that also impact the choice of destination and
accommodations.
During 2008, Italy sales by the more than 200 TOs
Of foreign destinations, our country places third in the
rankings of those preferred by Belgians, after France and
Spain.
According to data from the Belgian Association of Tour
Operators, Italy showed a good trend in 2008 as well; in
particular for the summer season, an additional increase
of 4.5% over 2007 was recorded.
The main motivations for a vacation in Italy are connected
with beach holidays, culture, lakes and mountains, followed
by shopping, visits to friends and family, business, meetings
and congresses, spas and wellness.
Sweden
In 2008, the sustained economic growth that had
persisted for many years in Sweden saw a clear decline,
to be attributed to the weak global economy, turmoil in
the financial markets, and the collapse of consumer
confidence worldwide. The country’s economic
performance on an annual basis registered a growth
equal to 0.8%. The declining global economy and the
financial crisis will have significant effects on Sweden’s real
economy in 2009 as well, with GDP to fall by 1%.
ENIT stand at Reiseliv in Oslo, Norway
belonging to ANVR (the national association of travel
agencies) saw a 1% increase, driven by the healthy trend
in the car trip segment.
Belgium
Collapsing consumption, higher prices, the effects of the
crumbling United States subprime mortgages market
and turmoil in financial markets led to a more contained
growth of GDP in Belgium in 2008 – +1.6%, over the
previous years. For 2009, contained growth is still
forecast (+1.5%), with the outlook for improvement
during the year linked to world economic trends.
Although modest in size, the Swedish market is rich,
mature and experienced, with a high capacity for
spending; in recent years, it has also been characterized
by a positive trend in outgoing tourism.
The most common holiday motivations are connected
with the sea, relaxation and getting away, while merely
cultural interests appear more marginal, with the
exception of destinations like Italy, thanks to its strong
identity as an artistic and cultural destination.
Over the course of 2008, the Italian destination showed
a good trend; our destinations were highly appreciated,
also for conferences and incentive travel. The snow
segment was also positive, with many new mountain
locations inserted in the catalogues.
Despite a limited population (10,500,000 inhabitants)
Belgium, with its high standard of living and poor weather
conditions encouraging the search for foreign locations,
recorded a high index of propensity to travel outside its
borders. A recent survey by INS (National Statistics
Institute) shows that two Belgians out of three – or
about 7 million people – travelled, and of these, 81%
spent their main holiday abroad.
57
Denmark
Denmark’s strong economic expansion over the 20052007 period was interrupted in 2008 with GDP declining
by 0.8%. More expensive food and energy contributed to
rising inflation and reduced domestic consumption.
Although prospects are not positive for 2009,
improvement is expected for 2010.
There is considerable outbound tourism from Denmark,
particularly in the summer season, because Danish
tourists have a preference for beach tourism. Italy holds a
good market share, which in recent years has been
strengthened on the market, also as against competitors
Spain and France.
Denmark shows a prevalence for holidays at beach
locations, privileging non-hotel lodgings. Stays in cities of
art are combined with the “sun and sea” holiday.
Moreover, there is still lively interest in our lake localities,
between the hills and mountains, ideal not only for
relaxing stays, but also as part of itineraries to discover
the territory.
Despite the many failures of tour operators and the
economy’s negative general conditions, 2008 was a
positive season for our destination. Strong impetus was
especially given by charter packages combined with
selfcatering (house and apartment rental).
France
In 2008, France showed a highly contained GDP growth,
equal to 0.7%; its own market share in world trade
continued to decline, and the number of unemployed
increased considerably. Forecasts for 2009 are negative (a
1.2% decline in GDP is expected), while a comeback is
foreseen for 2010.
58
The Amerigo Vespucci in the port of Copenhagen, Denmark
In terms of tourism, France is confirmed as the world’s
leading destination for international tourism; outgoing
flows are also seeing continued growth. Despite the
economy, in 2008 as well,TOs recorded increases in the
number of trips abroad and in revenue.
For the French, Italy remains the number-two destination,
ranked after Spain, but our country only makes seventh
place in sales of complete packages by TOs: the main
reason may be seen in the fact that most tourism from
France to Italy is individual.The volume of business of etourism continues to rise, and in this sales channel Italy is
decisively ranked among the leading foreign destinations.
Again in 2008, our country was confirmed as one of the
destinations of choice for haut de gamme French
tourism. French tourists are particularly attracted by our
heritage of art and culture, music, film, nature, greenery,
wine & food and what the French call l’art de vivre à
l’italienne.
There is also growing attention for the lesser-known
regions of central and southern Italy, thanks to the direct
links offered by many low cost airlines.
ENIT stand at FITUR in Madrid, Spain
Iberian peninsula - Spain and Portugal
Since 2008, Spain has been going through a phase of a
sharply declining economic growth, which had been
sustained in recent years. After an overall good year in
2007, in which GDP rose by 3.7%, the first half of 2008
saw the leading indicators worsen considerably. The
government’s 2008 GDP growth estimate, rounded
down, is between 1.5 and 2%. Forecasts are negative for
2009, with GDP to decline by 0.2%.
The Spanish market still maintains its features as an
“emerging” one as regards propensity to travel abroad:
about 10% of total trips are to foreign destinations.
Outgoing tourism, which thanks to sustained economic
growth saw high increases in recent years, suffered a
brusque decline in 2008, particularly in the second half,
having been reined in by Spanish and international
economic and financial conditions.
European destinations still remain those most in demand,
with more than 80% of preferences; cultural and religious
tourism is preponderant.
Brand Italy is well positioned: culture, cuisine, climate and
friendliness are the elements of greatest attraction. The
Spanish are prevalently individual tourists; recent years
have seen a considerable increase in air travel – especially
in the low-cost segment.
During 2008, Portugal, like other countries in the Euro
area, was affected by international financial turmoil and
soaring prices for raw materials. After an unexpectedly
lively GDP (+2.0%) recorded in the fourth quarter of
2007, economic data for the first three quarters of 2008
showed signs of a clear decline, and the leading national
59
and international financial institutions adjusted their
estimates downward accordingly. According to estimates
by the European Commission, the Portuguese economy
grew by a scant 0.5% in 2008. Lastly, the Portuguese
government estimates that in 2009, the national
economy should decline by 0.2 to 0.4% as a
consequence of the international economic crisis.
In recent years, Portuguese tourism recorded healthy
growth: Italy is confirmed as one of the destinations of
choice. The locations most in demand are cities of art
and lesser-known centres (lakes and the Amalfi Coast).
The most visited regions are Latium,Veneto and Tuscany.
Over the course of 2008, healthy gains were registered in
organized tourism, particularly for the summer season.
Eastern Europe
Russia
After a decade of growth, the Russian economy began to
feel the impact of the international financial crisis in 2008;
the continued decline in the price of oil has also cast light
on its enduring structural vulnerability due to excessive
dependence on producing and exporting raw materials.
Although the Gross Domestic Product increased at a
7.7% clip in real terms over the first nine months of 2008
(Ministry of the Economy data), growth forecasts for the
whole year are 7.3% (6% according to World Bank
estimates). For 2009, the IMF and the World Bank have
respectively calculated 3.5% and 3% growth of the
Russian economy. Many, including even the Finance
Ministry, have predicted an even greater decline, with 2%
growth in the Russian economy not ruled out for 2009.
Russia’s constant economic growth in recent years has
allowed a middle class, highly interested in travelling
abroad, to form in Moscow and in other large cities.The
Italian destination is a tremendous draw for Russian
tourists, many of whom are repeaters: they have already
visited Italy and are happy to return, even individually.
60
ENIT stand at TURICOM, Gijón, Spain
Italy’s invaluable heritage of history, art, and wine & food,
along with its lifestyle, qualify it as one of the most
attractive destinations; of the destinations most in
demand, our country is currently ranked in fifth place.
The tourism products of choice remain tours to cities of
art, combined with a week at the beach; demand is
growing for stops in the “lesser-known cities of art,”
cultural and folklore events (traditional festivals,
tournaments, markets, fairs, wine & food events, and so
on), and the historical and archaeological centres of
central and southern Italy and the islands. Demand by
individual tourists for “niche” tourism products also
continues to rise.
Significantly reduced is demand for “shopping tours” of
small merchants, while tourism demand for those who
love skiing and winter sports in general, wellness facilities
and island holidays has exploded.
In terms of organized tourism, an increase in flows equal
to 15% is estimated for 2008; although positive, this
percentage certainly falls short of previous years,
showing that the Russian tourism market is settling into
position, beyond the decline caused by the economic
and financial crisis.
Poland
Poland’s economy showed a positive trend again in 2008:
the estimated growth rate of 5-5.5% is driven by
domestic demand and by markedly increased investment
and consumption.
Forecasts for the years to come are conditioned
considerably by the international financial crisis, even
though Poland was not directly involved in the bank
collapses that occurred in other countries. The
government has already reviewed GDP growth
estimates downward for 2009, lowering it from 4.8 to
3.7%.
Outgoing tourism also grew considerably in recent years,
and Italy is among the destinations of choice, although,
particularly in the beach tourism segment, it has to
contend with such competitors as Croatia, Tunisia, and
Egypt.
The profile of Polish tourists is changing; they are
increasingly demanding and in search of high standards
of quality, in addition to satisfying value. More than one
half of tourists organize autonomously, also through
online promotions, and only about 20% rely on
intermediation.
Italian-made quality, along with Italy’s heritage of art and
Advertising poster in out-patient waiting rooms, Hungary
culture, is a strong point for our country, in demand
mostly for the cities of art (including the lesser-known
ones) and for religious tourism. This is followed by the
beach and mountain product, while less attention is given
to lakes and spas, although they are growing as well.
Again in 2008, tourist flows from Poland showed good
performance.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic’s GDP growth slowed in 2008; in
the second quarter, it was measured at 4.6%, a decline
from the +5.4% for the first three months of the year.
This slowdown is a consequence of the stronger Czech
crown against the dollar and euro, the high internal
inflation rate, and the negative trend in the European
economy, along with stagnating demand in the euro
zone.
Growth prospects are still positive, according to the
government’s estimates: for 2008, the Czech National
Bank forecasts a GDP increase of about 4.1%, falling to
3.6% in 2009 before rising to about 4.1% in 2010.
Increased foreign tourism was sustained in recent years,
driven by the healthy economic trend. Italy holds a good
position, after Croatia and Slovakia. The beach remains
the tourism product most in demand, followed by
cultural trips.The means of transport of choice is the car;
the number of trips by plane continues to rise.
The trend in organized tourism was positive again in
2008.
Hungary
As a consequence of the international crisis, the second
quarter of 2008 saw a negative trend in Hungarian
macroeconomic indices. In the first quarter, GDP grew by
+1.9%. Estimates are also lower for 2009; after expected
growth exceeding 3.5 %, a major recession is forecast
(according to official estimates, by more than 1% of the
GDP, although some economic analysts are not ruling out
levels between -2 and -3% of the GDP).
61
America
Hungarians’ propensity to travel abroad has been
growing constantly in recent years. Among the
motivations for travel, beach and lake tourism hold first
place, followed by culture and winter sports.
Italy is a highly desired and valued destination, although it
is deemed rather expensive; the Hungarian tourist is
quite watchful of prices, affordability and value.
The regions of northern Italy are privileged, due
particularly to their proximity and the possibility of
reaching tourism locations by car; the South still appears
little visited.
Again in 2008, Italy, and in particular the Northeast, was
confirmed as one of the destinations preferred by the
Hungarian tourist. In addition to the sea, cities of art and
ski locations were the destinations of choice.
62
United States and Canada
The financial crisis in 2008 that upended the leading
financial institutions, investment banks and insurance
companies in the United States saw the American
economy take a clear turn for the worse and enter a
recession. In the first half of 2008, the United States
economy was still strong and the GDP even saw modest
increases. The situation worsened in the second half of
the year. For 2009, OECD forecasts are clearly negative,
with GDP to decline by an estimated 2.8%.
The outgoing trend in the United States was quite
positive in recent years; Italy, always a desired destination
for American tourists, benefited from this, strengthening
its own flows and claiming second place among
European destinations, behind the United Kingdom.
American tourists visiting Europe and Italy are part of a
highly-cultured, high-income segment of the population,
oriented towards carefully assessing value.
Rome, Florence and Venice continue to be the Italian
destinations that attract the greatest flows, while interest
5.2
is growing in small cities of art, historical towns and
villages where local inhabitants are friendly and one can
experience the Italian lifestyle.
Interest in wine & food and wellness holidays is seeing
constant growth, thanks also to the numerous bargains
included in the catalogues by North American operators.
The United States’ economic climate and the dollar’s
weakness against the euro penalized the European
continent and Italy in 2008, with declining arrivals.
Canada’s economic growth in 2008 was less than had
been foreseen: the weakness of the United States
economy (a market that absorbs about 80% of Canada’s
exports), turmoil on the financial markets, and sharply
increased fuel costs have in fact limited GDP growth to
no more than 1%. A recovery is forecast for 2009.
In recent years, Canada’s outgoing tourism saw healthy
growth, to the benefit of our destination as well. With
reference to Italy, lifestyle remains a component with
great impact, along with the heritage of art and culture;
there is growing demand for destinations in lesser-known
Italy. One of the characteristics of Canadian tourists is
their high socioeconomic profile; they are quite careful
and experienced, seeking quality and niche products.
Although the slowed economy in 2008 also hampered
the growth of outgoing to Italy, our country is still one of
the most sold destinations in organized tourism.
Brazil
Until September 2008, before the international financial
crisis had intensified, Brazil recorded significant economic
growth (in the first half, GDP grew by 5.8%), thanks above
all to the highly positive trend in exports, which allowed
the country to gain considerable positions among the
world’s leading exporters.The situation changed in the final
months of the year, following the critical international
economic situation: to counter possible repercussions at
home, the government adopted new measures to
reinvigorate certain productive sectors.The 2009 financial
law estimates that GDP growth will equal 4% (while
authoritative economists and research institutions see
growth at about 2.5%).
ENIT stand at ABAV in São Paulo, Brazil
destinations of choice, ranked after France.
The main Italian locations are the cities of Rome,
Florence, Venice and Milan, and the Regions of Sicily,
Sardinia and Campania (the Amalfi Coast in particular).
It should be stressed that Brazilian tourists between 18
and 50 years of age account for approximately 80% of
travellers; tourists older than 60 are also on the rise.
Thanks to the weak dollar, the stable euro/real exchange
rate and the country’s good economic conditions, the
first half of 2008 saw Brazil register a highly sustained
increase in international trips. However, flows decreased
in the second half: tour operators and airlines reported
strong declines, on both the domestic and international
markets.
A constantly growing average income in recent years has
positively influenced outgoing tourist flows.
Italy holds second place among the European
63
Mexico
Mexico is Latin America’s number-two economy. Over
the past decade, the Mexican economy strengthened,
showing an initial decline in 2008, worsened by the
international crisis: estimated GDP growth is 2.8% –
worse than the forecasts at the start of the year. Raising
concern is the growing inflation rate which, in September
2008, reached 5.57% on an annual basis; a reduction is
foreseen for 2009.
Mexico is a leader in outgoing Latin American tourism to
the leading world destinations: the country’s
socioeconomic composition includes a middle/upper
class that, although very restricted, has major economic
possibilities and can increasingly afford trips abroad.
As regards European destinations, the Mexican’s choice is
determined chiefly by the desire to become acquainted
with the Old World’s history and culture, with second
place including business trips, study trips, and religious
tourism.
Italy is a highly desired destination and very much in
demand: according to the Mexican association of travel
agencies, our country is ranked third among the
European destinations preferred by Mexicans, after Spain
and France, and ahead of the United Kingdom.
The main Italian tourism locations of choice for Mexicans
are Rome, Florence, Venice and Naples. For business
tourism, the leading destinations are the northern
regions – Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont and Emilia
Romagna.
Argentina
The Argentine economy went through a phase of
sustained expansion in recent years: this positive trend –
which began with overcoming the deep crisis of 20012002 and consolidated over the next five years, with
GDP growth rates at “Asian” levels (averaging better than
8%) – has yet to expire. Despite the international
economic situation, GDP saw 7% growth in 2008;
inflation is the factor raising the most concern. Economic
forecasts generally show growth much more contained
than in the past.
64
ENIT stand at JATA in Tokyo, Japan
Tourist flows from Argentina recorded substantial
increases in recent years; 2008 (first half) also saw the
number of Argentine tourists abroad on the rise,
although Europe, with its flows holding steady, is
penalized since other destinations (especially South
America, the Caribbean, and North America) benefited
from the weak US dollar.
Among European countries, although Italy holds a good
position, competition with Spain, which has made
considerable investment in this market, is increasingly
bitter.
The heritage of art and culture, and the strong links
between Italy and Argentina, where there is an
enormous community of Italian origin, are our
destination’s strong points.
The tourism products preferred by the Argentine tourist
are those connected with art and culture,
recreation/shopping, ethnic/religious offerings and stays
connected with business trips.
Brochure on UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy, Japan
5.3
Asia and Oceania
Japan
The dynamism shown by the Japanese economy in the
last quarter of 2007 and early 2008 began to show its
first signs of slowing down starting from the year’s
second quarter, with an initial 0.9% decline in the gross
domestic product followed by an additional 1.8% drop in
the quarter from July-September 2008. Beyond the
decisive fall in GDP, which officially marked the start of a
recession, in late October the Japanese economic
situation showed stagnating private consumption
accompanied by sharply declining investment. The Bank
of Japan has revised its growth forecasts for fiscal year
2009-2010 downward, from 1.5% to 0.6%.
Asian destinations; China, Korea and increasingly Australia
are the destinations of choice.
In Europe, Italy is ranked first among visited destinations,
enjoying great renown in Japan and attracting travellers
with its cultural and artistic heritage, Italian-made quality
and lifestyle.
Confirmed as the leading Italian destinations are the
major cities of art in the so-called “Golden Route” (Milan,
Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples), the locations listed as
UNESCO Heritage Sites and destinations connected
with discovering Italy’s rich heritage of wine and food.
Japanese tourists already acquainted with Italy
For reasons of cultural affinity and geographic proximity,
Japanese outgoing tourism is directed mainly towards
65
(repeaters) are attracted by the lesser-known cities of art
and by the villages that now, thanks to promotional
activities, enjoy greater renown.
Because of the economic situation in Japan and
internationally, the flows of tourists from Japan decreased
considerably in 2008. However, Italy is managing to hold onto
its market share and sales of tourism packages held steady.
China
Although China had to deal with situations of grave
difficulty in 2008 (Sichuan earthquake, high inflation,
slowed international growth, the current financial crisis),
the holding of the Olympic Games allowed the rhythm
of rapid growth that has characterized the Asian country
for years to be maintained, albeit with slight reductions.
The first 9 months of 2008 recorded GDP growth
equalling 9.9%. However, for 2009, the World Bank
estimates a more contained growth equal to 7.5%.
Chinese outgoing tourism is also seeing continuous
growth: Asian destinations absorb almost 90% of these
flows, while Europe’s market share equals about 5%.
With reference to Italy, the cities of art – Rome, Florence,
Venice and Milan for shopping – remain the destinations
of the classic itineraries; tours in the cities of southern
Italy have also consolidated their presence. Offerings for
holidays in pursuit of recreation, honeymoons and wine
& food tours for a high-level target are constantly on the
rise. Lastly, Italy has established itself in the luxury
segment, becoming a point of reference for China’s
wealthy class and including many locations, from the sea
to the hills, high fashion shopping, exclusive lodging
facilities and one-of-a-kind quality; a winning combination
is that of sports (golfing, sailing, cycling, extreme sports,
etc.) and wellness (baths and spas).
66
Despite the earthquake in the Sichuan area, the Olympic
Games, and lastly the economic crisis, outbound trips had
already reached 34.39 million by September 2008, for
14.8% growth against the same period in 2007. Italy held
onto its position, with a healthy trend in tourist flows.
South Korea
In recent years, the Republic of Korea confirmed its
standing as one of the most dynamic countries in terms
of economic and technological development. However,
the international financial turmoil in 2008 had a major
impact on the Korean economy; the crisis exacerbated
problems in three fundamental sectors – construction,
the banking system and exports – and the economy
recorded growth of about 4.0% per year. Forecasts for
2009 estimate a growth no better than that in 2008.
In recent years, Korean tourism abroad saw intense
development, sustained by strong economic growth.
Italy is a destination desired by the Korean public, thanks
above all to its established image as a country of art,
culture, wine & food traditions, music and fashion.
Among motivations for travel, religion is not to be
underestimated: in fact, about 12% of the Korean
population professes to be of the Catholic faith (the
highest percentage in Asia after the Philippines).
However, Korean tourists concentrate their visits almost
exclusively in such major tourism centres as Rome,
Florence, Venice and Milan. Trips are still generally in
organized groups that traverse the major European
capitals in a period of one or at most two weeks,
devoting few days to each stop.
In 2008, the tourist flows abroad slowed due to the
global economic crisis: in the first half of 2008, outbound
growth was modest – +1.5% over the same period in
2007.
India
India has confirmed its position as one of the world’s
largest economies: in 2007/2008 GDP showed a 9%
increase, although the distribution of wealth is still
strongly imbalanced.
Partial data for financial year 2008/2009 show growth
slowing to +7.5%; forecasts for 2009/2010 are equal to
+6.8%.
The factors determining this decline are linked to the
crisis in the manufacturing sector caused by increased
ENIT stand at Vetrina Italiana, Mumbai, India
relatively solid domestic financial and banking system, the
Australian economy also entered a period of contraction
in the recent months. For 2009, a recession is forecast,
with the economy expected to shrink by an estimated
0.8% to 1.4%.
production costs and lower demand (especially foreign
demand) on the heels of the difficult international
economic situation.
The rise in Indian outgoing tourism is continuing thanks
to economic growth, more free time and a growing
desire to be acquainted with foreign places.
Visits to cities of art and mountain locations and
shopping, remain the chief travel motivations for Indian
tourists; among young people in particular, wine & food,
adventure tourism and cruises are also well established.
Italy holds an important position among European
destinations, on the strength of its brand and Italian-made
quality, which attract many Indian tourists. The Italian
destinations preferred by well-off tourists used to
travelling are not those of mass tourism; the high-profile
tourist prefers visiting a single region in order to gain indepth knowledge of the territory.
Groups, on the other hand, visit the major cities of art:
Rome,Venice, Pisa, Florence, Assisi, Padua, Siena.
Despite the international economic turmoil, the tourist
flow from India to our country was again quite high in
2008, with healthy growth percentages recorded.
Australia’s outgoing tourism is confirmed as growing; Italy
remains one of the European destinations of choice,
second only to the United Kingdom. The Australian
tourist visiting Italy chooses, on average, as chief travel
destinations, such regions as Latium, Tuscany, Veneto,
Lombardy, Campania, Liguria, Sicily and Umbria.There is a
growing segment of repeaters choosing to visit locations
in lesser-known Italy, seeking niche products and showing
a preference for renting houses or apartments.
Again in 2008, Italy enjoyed sustained growth on the
Australian market.
Growth in New Zealand’s economy slowed to +0.2%
(estimates) in 2008; moreover, inflation continued to rise,
exceeding the threshold of 5% over the first 9 months.
International Monetary Fund forecasts for 2009 expect
GDP to shrink by an estimated 2%.
New Zealanders are showing a constantly increasing
propensity to travel and outgoing tourism is
consequently on the rise, thanks also to a healthy
economic trend in recent years.
Young tourists are starting to travel in more substantial
numbers, alongside the over-60 segment, which is Italy’s
traditional clientele.
Our country’s main tourism locations are Rome,Venice,
Tuscany, Lombard, the Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast and
Sicily; the cities of art, nature, the beach and wine & food
are privileged tourism products.
Australia and New Zealand
In 2008, Australia placed fifteenth among the more
developed countries, with a GDP showing +3.6%
growth, declining in the final four months of the year.
Following the international financial crisis, despite its
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6 > Information
Technology
uring 2008, ENIT consolidated the investments in
technological infrastructure made the previous year,
in order to draw maximum profit from recently acquired
equipment. The server platform was substantially
reorganized, by optimizing the basic infrastructural
services of use for all corporate applications, based on a
re-engineering process structured in a number of
successive steps that will continue in the future, also
involving a re-engineering of the central office’s network.
At the same time, the international network increased its
transmission speed and the capacity of the central
archives was enlarged; arrangements were begun for
additional services to increase the potentials of the
telecommunications infrastructure towards ENIT’s own
offices and to the outside, using high-savings technologies
such as VoIP and Web conferencing.
ENIT’s web platforms were subjected to an analysis and
review process that produced a re-engineering that will
be completed in 2009, through the homogenization of
ENIT’s institutional sites and the arrangement of a
content management platform to support the
distributed editing process. The extension of the
corporate information technology services to the foreign
offices, through the internal-use web platform, is also
planned.
D
The current website was partially restyled in graphics and
content: in particular, the array of services to users was
enlarged and additional information sections were
introduced. For example, in the area dedicated to the
local situations of Regions, Provinces and Municipalities,
the modes of navigation were improved and the pages
on national parks and protected marine areas were
contextualized; photographic documentation was
enriched with images from ENIT’s archives of historic
photographs.
In addition, the two numerically most important
databases published on the site were updated – the one
with over 1,400 tourist offices throughout the territory,
entirely updated, and the one for hotels.
Moreover, in order to help the user navigate the site and
search for information, search modes for the Hotel
section were implemented and coverage of News, now
contextualized on the territory and usable in RSS, was
expanded.
68
7 > Objectives
for 2009
n 2009, which also marks ENIT’s 90th anniversary16, the
many promotional actions implemented by ENIT will
make it possible to continue in the effort to establish
Brand Italy on the largest international markets, pursuing
the following strategic objectives:
> repositioning Brand Italy abroad
> stimulating renewed interest in it
> defining a new brand personality
I
In particular, in light of the current situation on the
international markets, a major advertising intervention is
needed, through a communications instrument that,
thanks to immediate and broad coverage, allows the
identified targets to be reached quickly.
This instrument is the spot advertisement, to be
broadcast on international television channels and over
the internet, in order to ensure:
> precisely reaching the target group addressed by the
spot, based on the differentiation of television
networks (general television – satellite channels) and
their programming;
> a high entry threshold on the economic level but low
“contact cost” in consideration of the very high
number of people reached by the advertising message;
> high frequency, through the repetition of the
advertising message reaching the “target public” a
number of times.
The campaign planned for 2009 – ITALIA MUCH
MORE – will be implemented in 3 strategic areas:
> North America (United States and Canada)
> United Kingdom
> German-speaking area (Germany, Austria and
Switzerland)
and with the following instruments:
> Television advertising campaign, with transmission to
take place on the top-rated domestic television
broadcasters, during prime time, and with the greatest
affinity with the target of reference (United States,
Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and
Switzerland);
> Spreading the promotional and advertising message
on the Internet, in collaboration with the largest
publishing groups, the specialized press and leading
travel industry websites (United States, Germany,
Austria and Switzerland).
Some images from the spot advertisement Italia Much More
The spot’s creative rationale is based upon:
> “direct message”
> ironic language
> thematic distinctions (art/culture – nature – Italian
lifestyle)
Along with the advertising campaign, many project lines
will be implemented during 2009:
> co-marketing with operators and carriers
> B2B events on emerging markets
> targeted actions to support the congress segment
> trade fairs and workshops abroad
> exchanges in Italy
> specific promotional efforts for tourism products and
markets
> restyled website www.enit.it
> actions on emerging markets to support the issuance
of tourist visas.
69
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Matteo Marzotto
President of ENIT - Italian State Tourist Board
Board of Auditors
Mauro Di Dalmazio
Vice-President of
ENIT - Italian State Tourist Board
Coordinator of Regional Tourism
Councillors
Maurizio Marucci
Chairman of the Board
of Auditors
Maria Rita Lorenzetti
President of the Umbria Region
and Tourism Councillor
Flavio Fasano
Representative of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs
Marco Di Lello
Representative of the Regions
Piergiorgio Togni
Representing the President
of the Council of Ministers
Franco Manzato
Vice President of the Veneto Region
Councillor for Agriculture and Tourism
Policies
Francesco Alì
Member of the Board
of Auditors
Giovanni De Simone
Member of the Board
of Auditors
Giovanni Di Cola
Substitute Member of the Board
of Auditors
Severino Lepore
Representing the President
of the Council of Ministers
Court of Audit
Claudio Albonetti
President of Assoturismo/Confesercenti
Tiziano Mellarini
Tourism Councillor, Autonomous Province
of Trent
Salvatore Cilia
Magistrate at the Court of Audit
Audit Delegate
Bernabò Bocca
President of Federalberghi/Confcommercio
Massimo Ostillio
Tourism Councillor, Apulia Region
Costanzo Jannotti Pecci
President of Federterme
Guido Pasi
Tourism Councillor, Emilia Romagna
Region
Alberto Giacomini
Substitute Magistrate at the Court
of Audit
Andrea Mondello
President of Unioncamere
Angelo Canale
Head of the Department for the
Development and Competitiveness of Tourism
Organizational Chart
President
General Manager
Matteo Marzotto
Eugenio Magnani
Administrative area
Offices
Executive Area
Administration,
Assets Office, General Affairs
Marco Bruschini
26 Offices Abroad - 22 Countries
Advertising and
Multimedia Systems
Massimo Bartolucci
Personnel
Tiziano Ferrante
Planning and Method
Fernando Zitelli Conti
Accountancy
Anna Maria Antonuccio
External Relations,
Development & Special Events
Ad interim Massimo Bartolucci
Information Technology
and Information Systems
Autilia Zeccato
Studies, Programming
and Marketing
Marina Cencioni
70
ENIT Offices Abroad
EUROPE
GERMANY - FRANKFURT AM MEIN
ITALIENISCHE ZENTRALE
FÜR TOURISMUS ENIT
Area manager: Marco MONTINI
Neue Mainzerstr. 26 - D - 60311 Frankfurt/Main
Tel. 0049 69 237434
Fax 0049 69 232894
E-Mail: [email protected]
GERMANY - MUNICH
FÜR TOURISMUS ENIT
Manager: Leonardo CAMPANELLI
Prinzregentenstr. 22 - D - 80538 München
Tel. 0049 89 531317
Fax 0049 89 534527
GERMANY - BERLIN
FÜR TOURISMUS ENIT
Friedrichstr, 187 - D - 10117 Berlin
Tel. 0049 30 2478398
Fax 0049 30 2478399
SWITZERLAND - ZURICH
STAATLICHES ITALIENISCHES
FREMDENVERKEHRSAMT
Uraniastrasse,32 - CH - 8001 Zürich
Tel. 0041 434664040
Fax 0041 434664041
AUSTRIA - VIENNA
STAATLICHES ITALIENISCHES
FREMDENVERKEHRSAMT
Manager: Gaetano MANZO
Kärtnerring 4, A-1010 Wien
Tel. 0043 1 5051639-12
Fax 0043 1 5050248
POLAND - WARSAW
ENIT-ITALIAN STATE TOURIST BOARD
MONITORING UNIT
c/o Italian-Polish Chamber
of Commerce and Industry
Ul. Nowy S’wiat 39 - 00-029 Warszawa
Tel. 0048 22 8263484
Fax 0048 22 8263489
CZECH REPUBLIC - PRAGUE
MONITORING UNIT
c/o Italian-Czech Chamber
Cermàkova, 7 - 12000 Praga 2
Tel. 00420 222 523572
Fax 00420 222 523566
UNGARY - BUDAPEST
MONITORING UNIT
c/o Italian Chamber of Commerce
in Hungary
Vàci utca, 81 - 1056 Budapest
Tel. 0036 1 3280830
Fax 0036 1 2665261
RUSSIA - MOSCOW
ITALIAN STATE TOURIST BOARD (ENIT)
Area manager: Carlo BIRASCHI
Petroverigskiy per. 2, Bld.2
101000 - Moscow
Tel. 007495-4116651
Fax 007495-4116652
FRANCE - PARIS
OFFICE NATIONAL ITALIEN
DE TOURISME
Area manager: Domenico DI SALVO
23 Rue de La Paix - 75002 Paris
Tel. 0033 (0) 1 42660396
Fax 0033 (0) 1 47421974
GREAT BRITAIN - LONDON
ITALIAN STATE TOURIST BOARD
Area manager:Valerio SCOYNI
1, Princes Street - W1B 2AY London
Tel. 0044 207 4081254
Fax 0044 207 3993567
ASIA AND OCEANIA
BELGIUM - BRUSSELS
OFFICE NATIONAL ITALIEN DE TOURISME
NATIONAL ITALIAANS
VERKEERSBUREAU
Area manager ad interim:
Fernando ZITELLI CONTI
176, AVENUE LOUISE - 1050 Bruxelles
Tel. 00322 6471158
Fax 00322 6405603
NETHERLANDS - AMSTERDAM
NATIONAAL ITALIAANS
VERKEERSBUREAU
Manager: Edoardo FRANCATI
Stadhouderskade, 2 - 1054 ES
Amsterdam
Tel. 0031 20 6168244
Fax 0031 20 6188515
Email: [email protected]
SWEDEN - STOCKHOLM
ITALIENSKA STATENS TURISTBYRA°
Area manager: Carlo Antonio COLANERI
Strandvägen 7/a - Box 14040
SE 10440 Stockolm
Tel. 0046 8 545 68 330
Fax 0046 8 545 66 348/349
SPAIN - MADRID
ORGANISMO OFICIAL ITALIANO
PARA EL TURISMO
Area manager ad interim:
Marco BRUSCHINI
Paseo de la Castellana, 149 7°izda
Edificio Gorbea 2 - 28046 Madrid
Tel. 0034 91 5670670
Fax 0034 91 5711579
PORTUGAL - LISBON
MONITORING UNIT
c/o Italian Chamber of Commerce
in Portugal
Avenida 5 de Outubro, 95
1050-051 Lisboa
Tel. 00351 21 7935513
Fax. 00351 21 7977101
JAPAN - TOKYO
ITALIA SEIFU KANKO KYOKU
ITALIAN STATE TOURIST BOARD
Area manager: Enrico MARTINI
2-7-14, Minami Aoyama, Minato-Ku
107-0062 - Tokyo
Tel. 0081 3 34782051
Fax 0081 3 34799356
CHINA - BEIJING
MONITORING UNIT
c/o China Italy Chamber
of Commerce
Unit 2606-2607, Full Tower
9, Dong San Huan Zhong Lu
Chao Yang District, Beijing
Zip: 100020
Tel. 0086 10 85910545
Fax 0086 10 85910546
KOREA - SEOUL
MONITORING UNIT
c/o ICE - Italian Trade Commission
408, Somerset Palace, 85
Susong-dong, 110-885 Seoul-Korea
Tel. 0082-2-775.8806
Fax 0082-2-775.8807
INDIA - MUMBAI
MONITORING UNIT
c/o ICE - Italian Trade Commission
502, Bengal Chemicals Compound
Veer Savarkar Marg, Prabhadevi
400025 Mumbai
Tel. 0091 22 24368186
Fax 0091 22 24368191
AUSTRALIA - SIDNEY
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
TOURIST OFFICE
Manager:Vincenzo LUONGO
PO Box Q802 - QVB NSW 1230
Level 4, 46 Market Street - Sidney
NSW 2000
Tel. 0061 2 92621666
Fax 0061 2 92621677
AMERICA
USA - NEW YORK
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
TOURIST BOARD
Area manager: Riccardo STRANO
630, Fifth Avenue - suite 1565
New York NY 10111
Tel. 001 212 2455618
Fax 001 212 5869249
USA - CHICAGO
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
TOURIST BOARD
Area manager: Riccardo STRANO
500, North Michigan Avenue - 2240
Chicago IL 60611
Tel. 001 312 6440996
Fax 001 312 6443019
USA - LOS ANGELES
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TOURIST BOARD
Manager: Pompilio FABRIZI
12400, Wilshire BLVD. - suite 550
Los Angeles CA 90025
Tel. 001 310 8201898
Fax 001 310 8206357
CANADA - TORONTO
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TOURIST BOARD
OFFICE NATIONAL ITALIEN DU
TOURISME
Manager:Vincenzo COLOMBO
175 Bloor Street East
Suite 907 South Tower
Toronto (Ontario) M4W 3R8
Tel. 001 416 9254882
Fax 001 416 9254799
BRAZIL - SÃO PAULO
ENIT – ITALIAN STATE TOURIST BOARD
MONITORING UNIT
c/o Italian-Brazilian Chamber
Av. Paulista, 2073 - cj.2401 - Horsa II
Conjunto Nacional
Cep: 01311-940 - São Paulo - SP - Brasil
Tel. 0055 11 31790146/0651
Fax 0055 11 31790131
71
Notes
ENIT - Italian State Tourist Board was established by Decree
Law no. 35 of 14 March 2005, converted with
modifications into law no. 80 of 14 May 2005, succeeding
Italian State Tourist Office with more, and more complex,
institutional missions; it is regulated by Decree of the
President of the Republic no. 207 of 06 April 2006
“Regulation on the organization and government of the
Italian State Tourist Board, pursuant to article 12, paragraph
7, of decree law no. 35 of 14 March 2005, converted with
modifications into law no. 80 of 14 May 2005.”
8
The data used by the UNWTO for Italy are from Bank of
Italy.
9
“Report on the 2008 summer season,” National Tourism
Observatory.
2
Established with Law no. 286 of 24 November 2006.
3
D.P.C.M. 02 July 2008 – Delegation of functions of the
President of the Council of Ministers to the
Undersecretary of State to the office of the President of
the Council of Ministers, Michela Vittoria Brambilla.
Appointed Minister without portfolio with Decree of the
President of the Republic 8th may 2009.
1
4
“World Economic Outlook,” April 2009, www.imf.org
5
UNWTO,World Tourism Barometer, January 2009.
6
“Travel & Tourism economic impact 2009”, www.wttc.org
7
“ITB World Travel Trends Report 2008/2009”, ITB Berlin &
IPK International, http://www.messe-berlin.de
Last revision 25/5/2009
72
10
“Tourism in Italy and the mountains 2008/2009,”
National Tourism Observatory.
11
http://www.countrybrandindex.com
12
Survey data from The tourism journal, no.1, January
2008, http://www.ilgiornaledelturismo.com and from the
agency Apcom.
13
Survey of Travel and Leisure readers,
www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2008.
14
The survey was held on Internet with a questionnaire to
be filled out; details on results and methods are available
online at http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler.
15
Economic and tourism data are from the Country
Focuses produced by ENIT-Italian State Tourist Board, in
collaboration with the consular diplomatic network, from
the website www.ice.gov.it, and from the monitoring
efforts performed on foreign markets by ENIT’s offices.
16
National Board for Tourist Industries was founded with
Royal Decree Law no. 2099 of 12 October 1919.
Head Office
Via Marghera 2 / 6 - 00185 Roma
Tel. 0039 06 49711
Fax 0039 06 4463379 / 4469907
e-mail: [email protected]
www.enit.it

2008 Corporate Annual Report - ONT Osservatorio nazionale del

Transcription

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