Piemonte and Tourism - on Sviluppo Piemonte Turismo

Transcription

PROMOZIONE TURISTICA - ANALISI DELLA
DOMANDA E DEL MERCATO TURISTICO
Via A. Avogadro, 30 – 10121 Torino
Tel. 011.4321504
e-mail: [email protected]
Manager: Marzia Baracchino
OFFERTA TURISTICA – INTERVENTI
COMUNITARI IN MATERIA TURISTICA
Tel. 011.4321503
Manager: Paola Casagrande
PROGRAMMAZIONE ED ORGANIZZAZIONE
TURISTICA-TURISMO SOCIALE-TEMPO
LIBERO
Tel. 011.4321505
Manager: Andrea Marini
SVILUPPO PIEMONTE TURISMO
Tel. 011.4326210
Fax 011.4326216
Director: Maria Elena Rossi
Market Research and Statistics
Manager: Cristina Bergonzo
Concept:
Maria Elena Rossi, Cristina Bergonzo
Publishing coordination:
Emanuela Sarti, Silvia Molinario
Graphic Project: Sunday Torino
Piemonte and Tourism
DIREZIONE CULTURA, TURISMO E SPORT
Via Meucci, 1 – 10121 Torino
Tel. 011.4321564
Fax 011.4322009
Director: Daniela Formento
International sceneries, market trends and Piedmontese tourist products.
This publication has been made with the
contribution of Piemonte's overall tourist
system, for this reason it is not possible to
thank every single person directly or indirectly
involved in this achievement.
Therefore, our warmest thanks go to every
operator, body, institution or tourist
professional, Piedmontese and not, who have
promoted or collaborated with us in this
project, as well as to all the readers willing to
contribute with their observations, comments
and hints for the development of tourism in
Piedmont.
Turin, 25th June 2009
There is no
substitute
for preparation
Peter Megargee Brown
from: Thirty Maxims of cross-examination
Tel. 011.4321504
Tel. 011.4321503
LIBERO
Tel. 011.4321505
Tel. 011.4326210
Fax 011.4326216
Concept:
Tel. 011.4321564
Fax 011.4322009
Piedmont.
There is no
substitute
for preparation
international sceneries, market trend and Piedmontese tourist products.
 / SUMMARY
/ MARKETS
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
/ NATIONAL AND
INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
internaTIONAL SCENERIES, MARKET trendS
AND PIEDMONTESE TOURIST PRODUCTS
2
1/
Destination Italy 2020 by Francesca Traclò
Page 6
2/
International tourism.
The dynamics of demand by Rolf Freitag
Page 16
3/
The trends of international tourism in Italy
and competitive countries by Mara Manente
and Valeria Minghetti
4/
The dynamics of italian tourism by Flavia Maria Coccia
Page 24
Page 30
5/
The economic impact of the tourist sector
on Piemonte’s regional economy
by Angelo Pichierri
and Carlo Alberto Dondona
page 40
6/
Tourism: a resource for the
suistainable development of Piemonte
by Maria Elena Rossi
page 46
Tourist flows in Piemonte:
•The Trends of 2000 and the record year 2008
by Cristina Bergonzo
page 54
7/
8/
The image of tourist Piemonte
in foreign press by Klaus Davi
pag. 64
Turin, tourism and culture:
•I. Destination Turin: a reference
development model for many by Anna Martina
•IV. La Venaria Reale, reality and future by Alberto Vanelli
page 72
page 82
10/
Piemonte’s mountains:
an innovative tourist product
by Luigi Gaido
page 86
Piedmontese hills privileged sceneries
for regional food & wine
by Valter Cantino
page 96
11/
12/
MICE tourism:
•I. The international meeting industry
by Gabriella Ghigi
•II. Piemonte’s congress system
in 2008 by Attilio Gardini
and Gabriella Ghigi
•III. The customer satisfaction of
congress tourists in Piemonte by Filippo Monge
page 102
page 108
page 120
/ PRODUCTS AND SEGMENTS
9/
3
/NATIONAlAND
INTERNATIONAlCONTEXT
1/
Destination Italy 2020 by Francesca Traclò
Page 6
2/
International tourism.
The dynamics of demand by Rolf Freitag
Page 16
The trends of international tourism in Italy
and competitive countries by Mara Manente
and Valeria Minghetti
4/
The dynamics of italian tourism by Flavia Maria Coccia
Page 24
Page 30
3/
5
1/
DESTINATION ITALY 2020
by Francesca
Traclò
Developing ad hoc forecasts from now to 2020
seems a road full of obstacles, with the risk of
presenting numbers not very reliable, without
clarifying the complex scenery where our
reasoning should be based. The current financial crisis has made it more difficult to think in
inertial way, using past behaviour models. We
are witnessing a structural break. It is necessary to consider the open questions enlivening
the global debate: what will consumers’ behaviour be in the future? Will Americans be able
to consume less and better? How much more
will Chinese people consume? What role will
the environment play? What role will technologies have?
6
The compass of our reasoning is the observation
of the basic trends which are already characterising the evolution of our social and economic
systems, starting from the micro aspects of
every individual, sometimes tourist, sometimes
citizen.
A wider diffusion of cultural contents, together with the growth of cultural demand, the
advent of new technologies which have reduced
physical and intellectual distances, thus facilitating communication and the development of
networks between people with similar interests,
are all factors which have contributed to change
the tourist’s behaviour from passive spectator
into curious traveller, interested in experiencing knowledge through travel. In time, the
tourist experience has become one of the main
ways for enriching one’s cultural heritage. This
experience starts much earlier than the physical
journey, in our everyday life at home, through a
careful search for places and moments which
can lead to the discovery of new cultures and
territories.
We attend film festivals, conferences, exhibitions or blogs which accurately describe a
destination, thus collecting and classifying
information useful for the choice of the journey.
There is a positive synergy between virtual and
real: the network, as occasion and place of
personal growth, multiplies the opportunities
of meeting other people and attending events in
our city or in other places.
There is a growing participation in festivals,
universal exhibitions or any possible international events which can be a good opportunity to
visit a place.
“
Today TOURISTS look for
a live experience through
which getting in contact with
the visited reality and are not
only interested in visiting
PLACES, but they also wish
to seize ASPECTS of
PEOPLE’S LIFE and establish
a relation with the
TERRITORY
”
The 41 million people visiting Seville’s Expo
at the beginning of the ‘90s or the 1.5 million
tourists coming to Turin during the 15 days of the
The use of technologies has deeply changed
tourists’ purchasing behaviour, not only at home
in the way of organizing a journey, but also after
in the management of the transfer and stay
in the selected destination. In fact, as a result
of technology intermodality and the development of web services usable on smart phones,
palmtops and notebooks everyday smaller, the
journey can be planned almost in real time. It is
not necessary to decide in advance what to do
and where to go because it is possible to select
on the spot the best solutions consistent with
one’s needs; and if the journey is a discovery,
current technologies can turn the most traditional tourist into an explorer.
Over 43% of people use the network to search
for tourist information; this percentage reaches
55.3% for people aged between 25 and 34. In
addition, there is a growing use of the Internet,
to download audio and video contents, and of
open source applications for the shared creation of contents or the co-planning of journeys.
In the United States 55% of tourists owning a last
generation mobile phone and 77% of frequent
flyers use it to search for information on the
local services and entertainment opportunities
offered by the destination. Mobile-commerce,
i.e. e-commerce through the mobile phone,
is also growing considerably: it is estimated
that in 2010 it will reach a turnover of over 121
million dollars2.
/ NATIONAL AND
The last Istat (Italian Central Institute of Statistics) survey on Citizens and new technologies1
has clearly shown an increase in the number
of families owning a personal computer (from
47.8% to 50.1%), the Internet access has passed
from 38.8% to 42%, the use of the short band
has dropped (from 14.7% to 9.1%) while the
broadband connection has grown (from 22.6%
to 27.6%). 74.3% of families with at least one
minor own a PC, while 60.9% have an Internet access, including 41% with a broadband
connection, and nearly one family out of two
declares to own a video camera. Over 80% of the
people aged between 15 and 19 use the Internet,
while for those between 15 and 24 the percentage barely exceeds 71%. If we look at foreign
countries, for example the Netherlands, in 2008
nearly 9 people out of 10 declared to have an
Internet access and around 8 used a broadband
connection. In Europe, the average of families
with an Internet access amounts to 60% and this
figure grows year by year.
Winter Olympic Games in 2006 are an example
of the great role played by big events as drivers
for the promotion of the local tourist system.
Today tourists look for a live experience through
which getting in contact with the visited reality
and are not only interested in visiting places, but
they also wish to seize aspects of people’s life
and establish a relation with the territory.
This is witnessed by the social networks which
have been developed recently on the web,
where millions of people meet and share their
experiences, plan their trips together, exchange
houses and accommodations. In 2007 the United
States invested 86 billion dollars in social
networking and in the Web 2.0 for tourism,
while for 2009 the investments will amount to 90
billion dollars. “TripAdvisor”, one of the portals
using social networking as the main service to
attract tourists, has a monthly average of 25
million visitors and every minute there are at
least three people posting a comment in the
community.
1
Istat, Cittadini e nuove tecnologie, 2008.
PhoCusWright, U.S. Online Travel Overview Eighth Edition PLUS 2009-2010, 2008.
2
7
2008 was a troubled year also for the tourist
sector: the second semester was characterized by a negative trend of arrivals compared to
the same period of the previous year and only
thanks to the 5% growth of the first six months,
it was possible to close the year with +2%,
compared to the average +7% recorded in the
period 2003-2007. In this scenery, Asia’s growth
rate, compared to 2007, dropped by around 9
percentage points falling from 10.5% to 1.6%,
and Europe from + 5.6% to 0.1 %3 .
There is no doubt that the financial crisis, the
credit squeeze, the price growth of raw materials and the volatility of exchange rates have
favoured the drop of tourist demand by affecting people’s available income, but even more
by influencing expectations, thus discouraging
long distance travels and encouraging domestic tourism which requires a lower average
expense. But there is also another aspect
to point out, i.e. the impact on business and
leisure demand behaviours. As it often happens
in moments of deep crisis, some changes occur
in behaviours which go beyond the crisis and
permanently modify the way people relate to
the purchase of a given service. Firms have
adopted a more cautious cost-benefit approach
in the choice of travel solutions, bigger companies have revised their internal model of planning trips, they have started negotiations with
tour operators to get better discounts, the trip
is authorised only when really necessary and in
most of cases it is carefully planned to knock
down the overall price of the business trip.
3
UNWTO, UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, volume 7, no.1, January 2008.
PhoCusWright, European Online Travel Overview Fourth Edition, 2008.
Source: UNWTO.
6
Country Brand Index, 2008. www.countrybrandindex.com.
4
5
8
On the one hand it is not possible to forecast
the length of this economic crisis, neither its
slowing down pace and impact on tourism, but
on the other it is possible to say that to overcome
it quickly it is necessary to invest in innovation.
In Italy, according to the forecasts of PhoCusWright, on line market in 2008 amounted to 3.4
billion Euros4, in Spain to 5.4 billion, in France
to 10 billion, in Germany to 12 billion and in the
UK to over 21 billion Euros. In the United States
the overall value of tourist products distributed
on-line, according to the same source, in 2008
reached over 68 billion Euros.
Therefore the tourist sector, despite the temporary crisis, has great potentials because longterm forecasts indicate it as one of the strongest
sectors, with an estimated 4%5 annual average
growth of demand from now to 2020; however,
Italy’s main problem is not the economic crisis
but the continuous loss of competitiveness due
to the sector structural difficulties. According
to the Country Brand Index6 of 2008, Italy ranks
first for art, culture, gastronomy, second in the
desire of tourists to repeat the visit, but it is
excluded from the first ten for life quality and
use of new technologies.
Score Rank
Score
Rank
Score
Rank
Score
Switzerland
1
5,63
1
5,94
2
5,55
3
5,39
Austria
2
5,43
4
5,86
8
5,27
7
5,16
Germany
3
5,41
6
5,67
3
5,43
9
5,13
Australia
4
5,34
30
5,23
11
5,18
1
5,61
Spain
5
5,30
28
5,24
5
5,32
4
5,33
United Kingdom
6
5,28
26
5,28
6
5,32
5
5,26
United States
7
5,28
49
4,75
1
5,58
2
5,52
Sweden
8
5,27
9
5,62
15
5,05
8
5,15
Canada
9
5,26
23
5,31
4
5,40
10
5,07
France
10
5,23
12
5,57
7
5,28
12
4,85
Iceland
11
5,16
3
5,86
9
5,21
36
4,40
Finland
12
5,11
5
5,74
23
4,80
14
4,78
Denmark
13
5,10
10
5,61
10
5,20
28
4,49
Hong Kong SAR
14
5,09
2
5,91
16
5,04
42
4,31
Portugal
15
5,09
14
5,50
22
4,83
11
4,93
Singapore
16
5,06
7
5,67
13
5,13
37
4,39
Norway
17
5,05
8
5,66
19
4,90
20
4,60
Netherlands
18
5,01
22
5,35
14
5,11
21
4,58
New Zealand
19
4,96
15
5,48
26
4,72
17
4,70
Luxembourg
20
4,95
24
5,28
12
5,17
35
4,41
Ireland
21
4,93
11
5,57
20
4,90
41
4,31
Greece
22
4,92
17
5,46
30
4,63
18
4,66
Japan
23
4,90
34
5,11
21
4,88
16
4,73
Cyprus
24
4,87
27
5,24
17
5,04
40
4,34
Malta
25
4,86
13
5,56
25
4,73
43
4,28
Estonia
26
4,85
18
5,41
18
4,91
49
4,22
Belgium
27
4,84
21
5,36
31
4,61
22
4,56
Italy
28
4,84
41
4,99
24
4,77
15
4,74
Barbados
29
4,77
16
5,46
32
4,58
46
4,26
Czech Republic
30
4,75
20
5,38
37
4,37
25
4,51
/ NATIONAL AND
Rank
Country
Table 1
The Travel & Tourism
Subindexe competitiveness
Overall
T&T Regulator T&T Business
T&T Human,
Index
framework
environment and
cultural
infrastructure and natural
resources
9
In the world, Italy is certainly the most desired
destination7 and the most searched on the web.
But how is it possible to influence the choice of
a journey? With no doubt, an important role is
played by the country image, which however is
less and less controllable as it is the result of
daily news, the actions of companies working
at international level, but also of films, art and
books, and surely of the travel reports by other
tourists, whose impact has grown thanks to the
Internet.
And so, if we talk about promotion, it is necessary to understand how to invest and what
instruments can be used to address the potential tourist. The recent experience has shown
the effectiveness of some means, like movies,
because they can touch people’s emotional side
and create the dream, by stimulating desire and
helping tourists imagine their trip.
And if Italy’s strength lies in its territories,
cinema is definitely the most suitable means to
talk about this country. Ferrario, in his film ‘Dopo
Mezzanotte’ (After Midnight), says: “places tell
stories better than characters”. Through movies
it is possible to carry out low cost promotion.
And so an audiovisual library is a project where
it is worth investing, as well as Italian Culture
“
The CHOICE OF THE
JOURNEY is considerably
influenced by the image of the
country and the recent experience
has shown the effectiveness of
some means like movies because
they touch people’s emotional
side and CONTRIBUTE TO
7
Source: Isnart.
10
”
CREATE THE DREAM
Institutes, to promote the precious jewels of a
TV archive like Teche Rai through new technologies. Another suitable step would be exporting
abroad live shows, such as opera, festivals (like
Spoleto’s “Festival dei due mondi”) and plays,
all low cost actions, but with a great impact in
contexts where the demand for Italian culture
has not been satisfied yet.
At the same time it is also important to create,
both in Italy and abroad, a regular system
of event offers, in order to produce different
“containers” with a strong and immediately
recognizable branding, capable of representing
the different aspects of the Italian territories,
from the food & wine sector to Made in Italy,
meant as a mixture of unique skills and values
produced in that territory.
And finally a consideration regards the subjects
representing Italy abroad, with the purpose of
reaching a consistency capable of gathering
skills and resources to become one single gateway to the Italian system and ensure a more
strategic distribution compared to emerging
countries, as it has already been achieved in
countries like Spain and France.
The recent Memorandum of Understanding
signed in January 2009 by the Department for the
Development and Competitiveness of Tourism
of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs is a step forward in this direction
and sets as one of the goals the enhancement of
the diplomatic-consular-cultural network in the
activities for the promotion of Italy in the world
and the construction of a cohesive image of Italy
as a brand, to be disseminated through specific
communication projects capable of exalting our
best Made in Italy products.
Visitors mainly of * Big cities Small towns
Difference
Overall judgment
8,34
8,56
0,22
Welcome
8,21
8,72
0,51
Cities and works of art
8,89
8,65
-0,24
Landscape and nature
8,37
9,03
0,66
Hotels and accomodation
7,8
8,35
0,55
Cuisine
8,4
8,69
0,29
6,114
6,34
0,226
Service quality and variety
7,92
8,04
0,12
Tourist services
7,46
7,95
0,49
Safety
8,06
8,42
0,36
Price and cost of life
/ NATIONAL AND
Table 2: Level of satisfaction of International tourists
As it can be deduced from the analysis carried
out by the Rosselli Foundation , the network
of Italian Culture Institutes, with 89 offices
currently active all over the world, is an essential instrument for the promotion of Italian
territories. This is clearly demonstrated by the
fact that over 70% of these Institutes have been
involved in territory promotional activities, and
by the high percentage (20%) of initiatives for
the promotion of Italian tourist and food & wine
sectors, in addition to a majority still represented by cultural offers.
Moreover, in 30% of cases the Italian Culture
Institutes seem to bear most of the expenses,
and sometimes all the costs of an event. This is
also due to a capacity of self-financing derived
from bodies, institutions and private individuals,
both Italian and local, membership fees, revenues from language courses, for a total amount,
in 2007, of over 23 million Euros. corresponding
*
to 52% of the overall budget of all Institutes.
The continuous growth of importance of the
role played by Italian Culture Institutes for the
promotion of territories is also ensured by the
last provisions issued by the Directorate General for Cultural Promotion and Cooperation of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which has enlarged the scope of initiatives in order to facilitate
the networking of information and the creation of scale economies for the organization of
events involving different Institutes, as well as
the organization of more important events. For
example “Italidea”, presented during the last
conference of the Institute directors in November 2008, is a travelling exhibition, open and in
continuous evolution, capable of representing
and communicating Italy’s richness, style and
philosophy.
P. Sergardi, L’ Italia dei Centri Minori, Conferenza “L’Italia ed il turismo internazionale”, Venezia, Aprile 2008.
Source: processing of data from the Italian Exchange Rate Office
8
By F. Traclò, Gli Istituti Italiani di Cultura per la promozione del Brand Italia.Un nuovo modello di relazioni per promuovere il
sistema-Paese, Fondazione Rosselli,2009.
11
12
The quality of tourist services, including IT services, is assigned by foreign tourists a score of 7.46
in big cities and 7.95 in small towns, according
to a 1:10 scale (see table 2). These figures are
interesting because they point out the existence
of a problem regarding IT accessibility whose
risk is, unless significant actions are adopted to
improve organization models and technologies,
to provide a service quality far below international standards. Indeed, the possibility of using
new technologies to send information to mobile
phones, palmtops or smart phones of travelling
tourists depends on the existence of data banks
updated in real time, providing all the required
tourists information.
A recent survey run by Google Italia on foreign
tourists looking for on-line information about
Italy has pointed out that, even if Italy is one of
the most searched tourist destinations, visitors often give it up as soon as they enter the
booking and purchasing phase, while Spain has
the leadership with 41% visitors’ access. According to this survey, foreign tourists do not find
suitable information, clear and well organized
on Italy as a destination, and so they choose
different destinations.
Therefore, an important and precious work
must be carried out on communication in terms
of IT accessibility. It is necessary to increase
the range of information available on the web
and the way of accessing it, also through the
development of territory IT systems which can
provide accurate tourist services. The quality of
information and its formats are two priorities.
With the support of satellites and the integration of different electronic devices now tourists
can be offered customised models of visiting a
site: young people can enjoy game simulations,
adults can experience thematic readings according to their individual interests.
Clear is the reference to material and immaterial networks as an essential asset for the development of tourist offers more suitable to meet
post-modern tourists’ needs and also more
sustainable. From free Internet to mp3 guides,
there is a world where it is necessary to work at
different levels:
• create information, by opening the market
to new players capable of disseminating
culture and using languages more suitable
to the new media;
• strengthen infrastructures because there
are still some areas in the country without
ADSL, and the power of the network is an
essential condition for the development of
innovative systems;
• encourage the use of new technologies
by all the operators working in the sectors
linked with tourism as drivers to improve the
quality of services, both through an improvement of productivity by creating important
cost economies, and through the production
of new services which two years ago were
merely unthinkable.
Of the total amount of travels sold in Europe,
28% was sold on-line in 2008; the estimate
for 2010 is 35% and it will keep on growing in
the following years. More than 70% tourists
search for web information, including also aged
people.
Around 3.400 museums and 2.000 archaeological areas are scattered all over the Italian
peninsula. In Italy there are 43 UNESCO sites,
8 more compared to the whole North America,
which determine Italy’s absolute leadership.
Cultural tourism represents 33% of the whole
“
A recent SURVEY
carried out by Google Italia
on foreign tourists looking for
informaTION on line about Italy has pointed out that,
even if Italy is one of the most
searched tourist destinations,
tourists often give it up as soon
as they enter the booking and
purchasing phase
”
As to the system for attracting tourists, a particular focus is on the food & wine sector, where
Italy has the international leadership. It has
4.396 agricultural and food typical products, i.e.
with over 25 years of tradition; in terms of Euro-
9
Confcultura e Federturismo, “Arte, turismo culturale e indotto economico”, 2009.
/ NATIONAL AND
pean certifications, Italy is the leader with 114
products with Protected Designation of Origin
(DOP) and 62 with Protected Geographical Designation (IGP), 477 are the wines assigned with the
Controlled Designation of Origin (DOC), Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin (DOCG)
and Typical Geographical Designation (IGT)10. This
heritage, far more than the cultural one, is well
distributed all over the territory: 94% of small
municipalities has at least one DOP product. To
increase its value, the food & wine production
chain can make a step forward by offering to visitors the possibility of getting in contact with this
heritage, through a product distribution more
suitable to the tourist’s time needs, with restaurants giving more visibility to local products, with
open cellars, oil mills and gardens, so that visitors can discover the traditions and innovative
techniques which nowadays allow many farms to
keep a millenary culture still alive.
The social, economic and structural characteristics of the country suggest a widespread
tourist model compatible with the environment
and the cultural traditions of each place, well
integrated and not invasive, aiming at a better
distribution in terms of time and space.
To reach this objective, the road is certainly
long and difficult, because it requires structural changes, not only of the companies closely
linked with the tourist sector, but especially of
the whole system of infrastructures and the city
ruling models.
Essential to the country tourist competitiveness
is the question of infrastructures, as pointed out
by the key words described in table 3: intermodality, interoperability between the different
network nodes, better quality standards, planning quality, design and Italian style.
tourist sector GDP, for a total value of 54 billion
Euros9, This figure is below that of Spain where
it amounts to 39%. but above that of the UK
(28%) and France (31%).
Even if the cultural offer has made great
progress and improved the quality of the services provided in compliance with international
standards, it still needs to better integrate with
the tourist sector, mainly through the massive
use of new technologies. Several actions can
be taken to better promote our culture: developing websites, at least in two languages and
more interactive, producing virtual guides
tailor-made according to reference targets and
downloadable from the web, on-line cultural
games, and everything needed to help tourists
know more about the destination. In addition,
new services are required on the spot to make
tourists enjoy the cultural visit in a funnier way
and more consistent with the learning models
of the different reference targets.
10
Source MIPAF
13
“
2008 = 28% of journeys in Europe sold on line
Forecast 2010 = 35%
Over 70% tourists SERCHING FOR INFORMATION on the web.
Our big, medium and small towns suffer from
a significant technological gap which affects
the efficiency and effectiveness of services.
New technologies mean services for all the city
users, i.e. citizens, tourists and companies, but
also instruments supporting the rule by local
authorities. Both aspects are essential and, in
most of cases, the availability of advanced IT
tools to support the work of public bodies is
a necessary condition for the development of
innovative services for the other categories of
the above mentioned users. The question does
not only regard the distribution of wireless
systems, certainly important to improve the city
use by tourists, but also of advanced devices for
traffic management and monitoring systems for
public service networks.
Finally, particular attention shall be paid to
the protection of urban civilization, to prevent
tourism from eradicating the typical elements
of urban culture from smaller towns, made of
local customs and traditions which significantly attract international tourists as they are the
expression of the Italian identity.
14
”
As stressed by the World Tourism Organization,
tourism is a sector where it is worth investing as
it creates a lot of jobs and is deeply rooted in the
territory. And in Italy tourism is an opportunity
to support smaller realities which still represent Italy’s DNA, to set up policies safeguarding
the environmental and cultural heritage of the
country. Innovation, training and creativity can
be the key to induce the private sector to considerably invest in competitive tourist enterprises
and to convince the public sector to act for the
growth of tourism, but above all of the country.
Interoperability
Intermodality
•Semplification
of information
•Save of time
•Easy purchase
•Improvement of IT
accessibility
•Money
saving
•Accessibility of
less known Italian
Design and
italian style
•Service
customisation
•Strengthening
of Italy’s brand
•Integration
with territory
resources •Better
welcome
•Strengthening
of local product
•Growth of
average stay
•Easy booking
of transport
service
•Taylor-made
journey
Improvement of
service standard
/ NATIONAL AND
Table 3: Actions on infrastructures
15
2/
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM,
THE DYNAMICS OF DEMAND
by
Rolf Freitag
In the world, in very different environments,
there are over 200 nations, over 600 languages are spoken and there are many different
religions. However, today accurate statistics
have made it possible to define a clear picture
of the travel market: the present survey started in 1988 and every year it updates the data
coming from 58 countries of origin, 34 countries
in Europe and 24 overseas, with over 6.000.000
interviews, providing up-to-date information on
market volumes and turnover, behaviours and
reasons for choosing a journey, collection of
information and booking, travellers and target
groups, the most recent trends and also making
short and long-term travel forecasts.
2008 had started off well for travels, with +
5% between January and June and excellent
prospects in every continent, following the same
growth recorded in the previous years.
But then the situation changed and after years
of boom, between July and December 2008 the
global economy showed a change in direction.
16
The greediness for consumption of the last
years turned into fear all over the world, speculation led to regular increases in the price of
necessaries such as energy and food products,
thus stopping abruptly in mid-2008 the boom of
shopping everywhere. The trust of the mass of
travel consumers suddenly started to fail and
low and medium-income families immediately
reduced their journeys: first to Asia (since May
2008), then to North America and Europe.
And then, in September 2008, the Lehman
Brothers went bankrupt and the financial crisis
originated in the United States has destroyed so
far 40% of the world assets. The greediness of
wealthy investors on global financial markets
has turned into fear of further financial losses.
“
2008 had started off well
for travels, with
+ 5% between
January and June,
with excellent prospects
of growth all over the world.
Then, the crisis.
”
This way also high-end consumers have learnt
that the money market has its limits, that the
perceived wealth was nothing but a nice illusion
and that hard times have started.
For many years the travel market has remained
steady and capable of facing any problem, including terrorism, natural disasters, SARS, avian
influenza, media attacks against the pollution
generated by aircrafts. But now a real economic
crisis has started, not just a recession, even if
some still underestimate it.
2008 can still be considered, in terms of travels,
the best of all times, with a global + 4% growth.
/ NATIONAL AND
Travel consumption in the world 1996-2008
950
900
850
800
750
700
650
600
550
500
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
Million
2008 travels in the world
According to the estimates of the UNWTO of
Madrid and the World Travel Market of Munich,
this year recorded 934 million outbound
journeys (+2%) and 6 billion nights (+1%), with
800 billion Euros expenditure, a 6% growing
trend, an average expense per night of 120
Euros and 1.219 Euros per journey.
2008 world performance of inbound journeys
World: +2%
+4%
+5%
+2%
+1%
17
In this general framework, the good performance
of America and Africa stand out with an average
growth of inbound journeys respectively by +4 %
and +5%, growth recorded also in South and SouthEastern Asia; instead a -1 and -2% was recorded in
North and Western Europe, while good results were
obtained by Eastern arising destinations (+3%).
7
SPAIN
6
RUSSIA
5
ITALY
NETHERLANDS
4
FRANCE
3
UNITED KINGDOM
2
GERMANY
1
0
20
Million travels
It is important to stress the fact that 75% of the
European outbound growth comes from the 7
main markets
18
The European outbound sector in 2008 recorded 418 million travels with +2% in the continent
and in the world; stable the figure for the nights
spent in Europe and +1% was recorded for the
nights spent in the rest of the world.
Interesting are the data about the 7 main European outbound markets in 2008:
1) Russia + 1.8 million travels
2) Poland + 1.0 million travels
3) Netherlands + 1.1 million travels
4) United Kingdom + 0.8 million travels
5) Ireland + 0.7 million travels
6) Greece + 0.5 million travels
40
60
80
On the contrary, the European boom of flights
seems close to an end: the stable +7% average
growth recorded from 2005 to 2007 in 2008
dropped to +1%, while “earth” journeys last
year grew by 3%. At the same time, flight prices
increased by 10%.
The ten top destinations of european travellers in 2008 ?
Croatia 2%
USA 3%
Greece 3%
/ NATIONAL AND
At the same time, it is particularly significant to
find out that in Europe the length of journeys
has diminished: short journeys (1-3 nights) in
2008 increased by 9%; tourist prefer means of
transport such as ships (+7%), trains (+6%) and
low cost flights (+4%), a trend which is not likely
to change in 2009.
Spain 12%
Turkey 4%
Austria 5%
France 10%
United Kingdom 6%
The European expenditure in 2008
On average, Europeans invested € 903 (+1%)
in their journeys, spending € 98 (+3%) per
night. Those spending more are the Swiss, with
amounts twenty times as bigger than those of
the Polish, thus ranking first in Europe with a
per-capita expense of € 2.600. Second is Ireland
with € 2.200, followed by Denmark, Norway, the
Germany 9%
Netherlands, Austria, Great Britain, Finland,
Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Spain, France,
Portugal, Czech Republic, Italy and Poland.
For booking, nearly 40% of European travellers
in 2008 chose Internet and nearly 25% travel
agencies, while barely 10% booked directly the
hotel.
Higher is the purchasing power, higher is the
Italy 8%
19
travel expense, thus a spontaneous question
is: what is the impact of the income reduction
resulting from the economic crisis?
But what did Europeans book before leaving for
their holidays in 2008? 40% purchased a holiday
package and Internet was again the main means
used: 41% booked online (+15% in 2007/2008),
while 15% (+6%) searched on-line only for information; the web was used by 56% of travellers
(+12%) and the number of non-users dropped
(-2%), although they still amount to 44%.
As to the Europeans’ favourite destinations in
2008, the tour was chosen by +14%, the city
break by +5%, sun & sea by +5%, the countryside by +2%.
But what were the Europeans’ reasons for
travelling abroad in 2008? 5% more (294 million)
chose to travel for holiday reasons, 4% more
(61 million) for other leisure reasons and 1%
more (63 million) for business reasons, 55%
of travellers spoke English, 40% German, 27%
French, 9% Dutch, 7% Russian, 6% Italian, and
5% Spanish.
Europeans’ travelling trend kept on growing
until Autumn 2008, with +4% between January
and April, +2% between May and August, however a first setback (-1%) occurred between
September and December.
20
The German travel market
In 2008 Germans made 302 million trips (+2%),
corresponding to 1.8 billion nights (+5%), spending 134 billion Euros (+6%), 226 million travellers chose a domestic holiday (+3%), while the
number of travellers crossing the borders remained the same. From 2000 up to 2008 in Germany
there was a growth of domestic holidays in every
season, with +4% in January-April, +1% in MayAugust, +2% in September-December. Snow
holidays grew by 12%, sun & sea by 11%, stays to
attend special events and holidays in the countryside both increased by 4%.
The Germans who travelled outside Germany
made 76 million trips (+0%), with 730 million
nights (+4%), and an overall expense of 68 billion
Euros (+6%), 52 million people travelled for holiday reasons (+1%), 10 million for business reasons
(+6%), and 14 million for other leisure reasons
(-6%).
The first 7 destinations chosen by the Germans
were:
• 1 Spain (17% + 1%)
• 2 Austria (15% + 5%).
• 3 Italy (14% + 5%).
• 4 Turkey (8% +10%).
• 5 France (6% -10%).
• 6 Netherlands (4% -0 %).
• 7 Greece (4% -4%).
marketing and
online sales
”
/ NATIONAL AND
2009 will not be an easy year due to a real
crisis, and not just a recession, which is affecting the whole world. The years of the tourist
boom belong to the past. The first global trends
recorded in January 2009 are well represented
by the data of the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) pointing out -4.6% of trips
in December 2008 and -5.6% in January 2009,
-10% only in Scandinavia, with a growth, however, of destinations like Abu Dhabi +30% and
Uruguay +10%.
If we analyse the length of big economic crises
in the past, we can notice different situations:
from the 43 months of the big recession in
1929-1939, with an 89% market crash, to the 6
months of the crisis in 1979-1980, with a 17%
market drop, and the 8 months in 2001-2003,
with a 49% market drop. US optimists think that
the recovery from the current crisis will start
already at the end of 2009, but probably it will
last longer. European experts believe there will
be a slow recovery in 2011; Middle East experts
forecast that the crisis will last five years, with
a full recovery at the end of 2012. Therefore,
the market crash is not likely to have a quick
recovery.
To answer the question about the possible
impact of the crisis on tourism, we can consider
three aspects:
• travelling does not play a vital role for life,
and it is not free;
• travelling is still an important priority for
consumers with an income over 20.000
Euros/year;
• this range of consumers will keep on travelling also in 2009.
Now many low income families have other
expense priorities, therefore this range has
already stopped travelling outside the national
borders since May 2008, a situation which has
gone on until now.
European travel market forecasts for
2009
According to the last study carried out in
February 2009, four European travellers out of
ten will change their behaviour in 2009 because
of the crisis. But not all European markets will
be affected the same way by the crisis.
What is awaiting us?
“
The impact of the crisis can
be minimised by setting up
price policies,
effectively communicating
news, building cooperation
between public sector
and private sector,
correcting the wrong aspects
of development, strengthening
21
United States
Conclusions
The United States hope that the recovery of the
US economy will start in 2010, two thirds of
US people declare that they will change their
travelling behaviour in 2009.
As a result of the world economic crisis, in 2009
travels will drop all over the world, even if the
crisis will not affect everyone in the same way
and some types of trips will hold on better.
Forecasts say there will be a slight drop of trips
to nearby destinations, a higher impact on long
distance travels, a crisis in the segment of business trips and flights, 2009 will see an increase
in domestic travels, Internet users and a greater use of web technologies. The impact of the
crisis can be minimised by setting up price policies, effectively communicating news, building
cooperation between public sector and private
sector, correcting the wrong aspects of development, strengthening marketing and on-line
sales. To suitably face the after-crisis and seize
the resulting opportunities, it is necessary
to start working immediately to develop new
markets with a view to sustainability, levering on
the favourable prospect of future investments.
Latin America
In most South American countries the GDP
might slightly increase in 2009; in particular, the
Brazilian tourist industry in January-February
2009 recorded a 2% growth, mainly due to an
increase in domestic trips.
Asia and Pacific area
The economic crisis in Asia reached its lowest
level since 2001, China and India keep on
growing, even if at a slow pace; Asians have
already lost 100 billion dollars because of the
crisis; as a result, over half of Asian people will
change their travelling behaviour in 2009.
Forecasts of economic growth in the Euro zone
6
4
2
0
-2
22
-4
-6
-8
1990
2009
Gross domestic product
Industrial production
2012
3/
THE TRENDS OF INTERNATIONAL
TOURISM IN ITALY AND COMPETITIVE
COUNTRIES
by
Mara Manente and Valeria Minghetti
General picture
The analyses of the World Tourism Organization point out that, after the significant growth
of world tourism in the first half of 2008 (+5%
compared to the same period in 2007), the trend
stopped in summer, still confirming positive
data for 2008, but without exceeding +2%.
The uncertainty of the economic-financial situation and the hidden and never averted danger of
recession which characterized 2008 as well as
the events and turbulence of the international
geo-political scenery have definitely influenced
the holiday propensity and modes in terms of
selected destinations, length of stay, organization, tendency to spend for tourism (also in
Veneto region), especially in the second half of
last year.
“
the most evident fact was
the drop of NORTH
AMERICAN TOURISM,
24
penalized by a weak dollar in
addition to the hard economic
situation, and the resulting
negative trend in
”
BIG CITIES OF ART
As to international tourism in Italy, the most
evident fact was the drop of North American
tourism, penalized by a weak dollar in addition
to the hard economic situation, and the resulting negative trend of big cities of art. At the
same time, there was a significant increase in
tourism from Eastern Europe which enabled
some destinations to recover compared to the
difficult trend of the German market.
In general, some situations consolidated throughout 2008:
• the price as a critical factor: a growing
attention on the holiday overall price and
the need for more certainty in relation to the
expense amount. This concern often reflects
a higher interest in all-inclusive solutions;
• the reduction of average stay, or better
the confirmation of a reverse relationship
between stay and expense, meaning that once
a budget has been established for the holiday,
higher is the daily per capita cost, lower will
be the length of stay;
• the growing dichotomy (spending divide)
between medium-high tourists, basically
rigid on prices, less sensitive to the negative economic situation and therefore with a
substantially unchanged willingness to spend
(also in tourism), and tourists looking for
cheaper holidays (the majority) and therefore
new formulas and solutions to save money (in
terms of length of stay, destination, means of
transport, accommodation).
“IRREMISSIBLE GOOD”,
taking a break is a
PRIMARY NEED,
there is a growing search
for genuineness and naturalness,
for the
CONTACT
/ NATIONAL AND
“
the holidays is seen more
and more as an
with new cultures
and experiences
”
Some comparisons in the international
context
The table and charts below make it possible to
compare the trend of international tourism in
Italy and Piemonte in 2008 with some competitive destinations.
In 2008, after a significant growth of domestic
tourism, our region witnessed a drop of foreign
demand - representing slightly over one third
of the overall movement - with a reduction of
overnight stay and in particular of arrivals above
the national average.
Also the expense of foreign tourists has fallen
more in Piemonte compared to the Italian
average.
By comparing this trend with that of international tourism in some countries considered as
Piemonte’s and Italy’s competitors, it is possible to notice that foreign demand is critical also
in France, while positive are the performances
of Austria, probably due to the World Football
Championship, and Switzerland, thanks to the
dynamic response of international markets
(Eastern Europe and Asia).
These aspects, mainly due to the economic
crisis, lead to other more structural changes of
tourists’ behaviour.
Values have changed and keep on changing:
the holiday is seen more and more as an “irremissible good”, taking a break is a primary
need, above all in times of high tension, there
is a growing search for genuineness and naturalness, for the contact with new cultures and
experiences, with the resulting growth of travel
occasions, especially abroad.
The demographic structure has changed: not
only the “third age” segment has grown, but the
family segment has dropped, while the number
of singles has increased.
Life styles have changed: the search for
wellness is a priority and leisure time occasions
keep on growing (gyms, Internet cafés, shopping
centres); the individual dimension is essential in
making choices.
The main consequences are a diversification of
holiday needs and behaviours, the search for
different leisure and relaxing opportunities, but
also for learning occasions, the growth of individual tourism, or better of tailor-made tourism,
the growth of travel frequency but for shorter
stays. The increase of short breaks, “multiholidays” i.e. the possibility of spending more
holidays throughout the year, and weekend trips
just outside town represent the other significant
recent social-economic change: the shift from
“service economy” to “experience economy”,
which means a growing tourists’ request for
the opportunity to live a unique holiday experience from a personal and emotional point of
view, where the length of stay is replaced by the
intensity of stay.
25
International tourism in Italy
and Piemonte in 2008
Travellers Nights
spending nights
Expense Italy
-2,1%
-5,0%
-0,1%
Piemonte
-4,6%
-5,9%
-2,3%
Source: Sviluppo Piemonte Turismo and Bank of Italy
International tourism trend in Piemonte, Italy and some competitor countries. Var.% 2007-08
2,80%
Switzerland•+
-1,70%
France•+
5,50%
Austria
4,80%
-5,00%
Italy
Piedmont
-2,10%
-5,90%
-4,60%
-7%
-6%
-5%
-4%
-3%
-2%
-1%
0
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
Overnight stay
Arrivals
26
Notes: (•) hotel situation; (-) only arrivals; (+) overnightstay
Source: Piemonte Region, Bank of Italy and National Tourist Offices
/ NATIONAL AND
By comparing the performances of the main
international markets in Italy and Piemonte,
it is clear that Piemonte is less affected by the
reduction of tourism from the Swiss and English
markets and shows a slight increase compared to
France regarding Italy as a destination. Instead,
stronger is the reduction of the German and US
markets, while Dutch tourists tend to stay longer
compared to the national average, with a considerable increase in the number of nights.
International tourism trend in Italy according to main countries of origin. Var.% 2007-08
-5,0%
Tot. Foreign
-2,1%
-8,0%
USA
-6,8%
-14,1%
UK
-14,7%
-27,5%
Switzerland
-12,8%
2,1%
Netherlands
9,7%
-8,2%
France
0,1%
-8,3%
Germany
-0,9%
-28%
-24%
-20%
-16%
-12%
-8%
-4%
0
4%
8%
12%
Overnight stay
Arrivals
Source: Bank of Italy
27
International tourism trend in Piemonte according to main countries of origin. Var.% 2007-08
-5,9%
Tot. Foreign
USA
-4,6%
-21,6%
-28,6%
-2,4%
UK
-1,8%
-9,2%
Switzerland
-9,0%
4,8%
Netherlands
-1,4%
2,9%
France
1,6%
-13,5%
Germany
-8,1%
-35%
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15 %
-10%
-5%
0
5%
10%
Overnight stay
Arrivals
Source: Sviluppo Piemonte Turismo
28
4/
THE DYNAMICS
OF ITALIAN TOURISM
by
30
Flavia Maria Coccia
Experts keep on debating whether the world
economic-financial crisis will affect tourism.
The Secretary General of the World Tourism
Organization (WTO), Francesco Frangialli,
maintains that this sector is not so vulnerable
because the need to go on holiday is stronger
in post-industrial societies, even if there is a
strong concern for the change of consumers’
habits.
Indeed, the behaviour of consumers, especially
in Italy, has changed due to the difficult economic situation and they are getting worse as a
result of the financial crisis.
The final national consumption of Italian families, according to Istat, show a drop both in the
first and second quarter of 2008, compared to
the same quarters of 2007, passing from 186.25
billion Euros to 185.96 billion in the first quarter of 2008 and from 190.55 billion in the second
quarter of 2007 to 189.19 billion in 2008 (linked
values, base year: 2000).
This concentration of consumption is clear in
the item of expenditure concerning
Italians’ holidays which already in August 2008
showed a -17.6% drop compared to
2007 (from 20.3 billion Euros to 16.7 billion
Euros), but in September this reduction was
considerably accentuated by a further 32.4%
drop (from 5.7 billion Euros in 2007 to 3.8 billion
Euros in 2008), reaching -36.8% for trips abroad,
whose expenditure in August had actually grown
(+14%). In addition, by the end of 2008 and the
beginning of winter, there was a return to Italy
as holiday destination mainly by tourists with
a higher spending capacity. An unexpected
success was recorded by the mountains which,
thanks to the positive climate factor, brings rays
of hope to tour operators, in contrast however
with the Christmas tourist drop in cities of art.
In conclusion, 2008 ended up negatively as
regards domestic tourism, with a -5.6% drop
in Italians’ departures, from over 155 million to
146.5. On the one hand this has led to a strong
increase in short stays abroad and on the other
to a reduction by over 1/3 of long holidays and
by -5.7% of short holidays in Italy.
“
2008 ended up negatively
as regards domestic tourism
with a -5.6% drop
in Italians’ departures from
over 155 MILLION to 146.5.
On the one hand this has led
to a strong increase of
SHORT STAYS ABROAD
and on the other to a
reduction by over 1/3
of long holidays and by -5.7%
of short holidays in Italy
”
In addition, we can observe that such a negative
effect on the propensity of high-income Italians
to consume for holiday reasons had already
occurred due to the events of 2001, however
at that time no economic recession had taken
place simultaneously.
In that year, the percentage of Italians who had
declared their intention to go on a winter holiday had fallen from 31% to 21%, between the
pre- and post-event period, thus recovering
immediately after the first shock. While 2009
has already started with 2 million departures
less in the first 4 months of the year, therefore
continuing with the long wave of drops already
recorded in summer.
/ NATIONAL AND
Unlike other critical periods which influenced world tourist flows in the past, the end of
2008 and the beginning of 2009 confirm that
the current economic crisis is to be added to a
general consumption contraction in the demand
for non-necessary goods.
As a result, there is a wider and wider gap
(divide) between people who can afford a holiday and those who cannot. And if in Winter the
number of departures is the same thanks to
well-off people, this gap will be more evident
in traditional holiday times when, in the past,
going on holiday was normal for nearly every
social class.
Actually, these signals are strongly affected
by the widespread fear due to the economic
uncertainty, with the direct result of making the
financial crisis last long. Moreover, the signals
of economic recession and stagnation might get
worse if Italy’s key international markets suffered a setback in consumption.
At the same time, the Italian supply system is
suffering almost endemically the lack of future
planning, closely linked with a marketing weakness. This way our accommodation enterprises
can be strongly affected by the changes of the
economic situation in a very short time: in other
words, it is as if the industry could live on a job
portfolio of max thirty days.
And then, there is also the problem of seasonality which in some areas depends on the climate
context, in others on the territory incapacity
of providing different and alternative tourist
products off season.
In this mechanism Italy’s tourism might fall in
a vicelike grip difficult to get rid of: all over the
world big chains able to quickly change their
price strategies have started offering hotel
These dynamics get significantly emphasized if
we consider the holiday length where we realize
that the expenditure contraction has directly
influenced the average number of nights. Considering that the reduction in the length of stay has
been going on for some years (with the choice of
going on holiday several times throughout the
year), in addition to a reduction of consumption,
we clearly notice a critical situation. This reduction is confirmed also for the holiday expenditure of the second semester which ends up with
-4% and a final negative result of -0.3%.
Other signals confirming these dynamics:
• a greater choice of staying in private houses
(+21.8% in August compared to 2007) rather
than in hotels or other accommodation facilities (-7.4% compared to 2007);
• this despite over 10% price reduction granted by accommodation facilities in real terms
(price really applied for a standard double
room: 79.3 Euros in 2007 fallen to 68.8 Euros
in 2008).
31
rooms at very competitive prices. The reaction
of our enterprises is slower but in line; however, due to their small or even micro size, they
risk eroding their turnover without having real
advantages.
On the whole, the system of the Italian offer
remains too linked with the dynamics of the
last-week booking. Indeed, in 2008 the trend
of hotel room occupancy in just 30 days varied
between booking and final occupancy by over
20%, up to 33%.
Therefore, it is clear that from the final and
anticipatory data of the whole year, the Italian
accommodation supply is diversified:
• on the one hand there are medium-high and
high category hotels (from 4 stars upwards)
with sales and room reservations above the
average;
• on the other there is a medium hotel system
(3 stars) which is very big and can offer a
large room availability (including a multitude
of small hotels scattered all over the national territory), but it is suffering the crisis of
2008 more than in past years. In fact, in July
and August (the culminating period for many
“
At the same time, the
ITALIAN SUPPLY
SYSTEM
32
is suffering almost
endemically the lack of
future planning,
closely linked with a
marketing weakness
”
accommodation enterprises being their business based on seasonality), bookings were
below half of available bedrooms;
• even worse is the situation of two or one
star hotels.
This situation points out the difficulty of Italian
medium and low category hotels to find good
marketing strategies and to face the market
with effective promotional policies, connected
with other enterprises. The Internet incidence
is still low if compared, for example, with the
data concerning extra-hotel enterprises (farm
holiday centres or B&B), as well as the capacity
of being included in big portals for global web
marketing. The small size of our enterprises
does not help the mechanism of wholesale on
big T.O. catalogues.
Internet is used to make up for this lack, but the
web, which is considerably affecting and stimulating the purchase of millions of holidays (in
Italy the amount of web customers has reached
40%), is used in a traditional way (website with
e-mail booking, 55%), online booking amounts
to less than half (47.7%) and even less are the
accommodation enterprises (38%) entering the
network of great portals (Expedia, Travelonline).
In this context, the vanishing of supply is one
of the causes of the difficulty for small hotel
owners to join forces and become a group.
However, it is not necessary to radically change
the nature of this typically Italian supply system
which, if suitably enhanced, could become a
strong point. As a matter of fact, these enterprises are an added value to Italian hospitality as
they can offer guests not a standard accommodation, but tailor-made solutions, thus opposing
”
the specifically Italian idea of a “small, excellent and tailor-made” tourism to that of the “big,
quality, standardized” model of international
tourism.
This is demonstrated, for example, by the extrahotel system which in some Italian areas (especially in central regions, but also in the south
as in Puglia’s farms) has succeeded to enter
the international market despite consisting of
micro enterprises. And the data show that these
types of offers are more present in great web
marketing portals than low category hotels, and
that through Internet they can obtain a higher
amount of customers (40%) again compared to
2 or 1 star hotels, but also 3 star hotels.
The comparison data with other countries also
provide useful indications:
• the Italian hotel system has an average
bedroom occupancy rate slightly lower than
France, while it is higher than Spain only
in January and December (thanks to our
mountain offer);
• the growth recorded in the first three
months compared with last year established
our leadership in relation to the two considered countries;
The problem is that in Italy only 50% of beds
is available for the whole year, while both in
France and Spain the season fluctuation has
a lower impact. In a sense, it is like having a
nice race car but driving it with half cylinders
or horsepower.
/ NATIONAL AND
• from April to June Spain had a considerable
drop (-12.5% in April and -4.9% in June)
bigger than that recorded in Italy;
• as to France, the general trend is substantially stable without any sign of growth.
The health of traditional products, the
territory dynamics and the market
changes
Sea
If we consider the data concerning accommodation facilities, it is clear that seaside tourism is
the most important product (followed by cities
of art), but in a pure marketing sense, it is also
the most consolidated product and the most
affected by international competition.
In general, our seaside resorts suffer because
of their incapacity to promote the territory and
launch on the market offers different from the
traditional Sun & Beach, for example by seizing
opportunities resulting from the several cultural resources, sporting activities, food & wine
excellence and organizing them to the guests’
benefit. This tourist product is affected by
factors such as the seasonal opening of accommodation facilities which are not able to sell
themselves in other periods (with limits concerning also the final quality of the service provided to customers), a poor marketing strategy,
an environment no longer uncontaminated with
“
This situation points out
the difficulty of Italian
medium and low category
HOTELS to find good
marketing strategies and
to face the market with
effective promotional policies,
connected with other
enterprises
33
alarms like pollution and places where swimming is prohibited. All this in 2008 is represented by an annual average bedroom occupancy of
41%, below that of 2007 amounting to 43.2%.
But the signals which show a different trend and
performance also pave the way to the future of
this product, through an offer which has become
successful thanks to the mix of affordable prices
and environmental resources, but also territory
entertainment and a more advanced hospitality
model combining services and activities typical
of a seaside holiday (sports, fun, child services) with other tourist elements (food&wine +
culture).
Cities of art
34
The cities of art, which so far have been growing
steadily, now are starting to be affected by the
US market crisis and the general economic
uncertainty, closing for the first time with a
break-even result (only +0.7%). The system
linked with cities such as Venice, Florence,
Rome (in addition to Milan and Naples, before
the waste emergency) works well with big
events used as attraction, but the traditional
markets (USA, Japan, UK, France and Germany)
are discovering less known Italy, that of small
villages and the excellence of local products,
because they still keep the appeal of Italian
typicality. Villages represent our “Made in Italy”
for tourism, thanks to the wide range of food
products and handicrafts, where accommodation facilities are harmonized with the local
territory and culture.
Whereas the offers of big cities are naturally
evolving in the global direction of accommodation facility standardization, thus improving
their market fame, but also losing some of their
personality. But this is a fixed course. Therefore,
our big cities of art compete directly with other
capitals in the world, with accessibility, prices,
urban services and transport as main elements
of competitiveness. And in relation to these
elements, unfortunately our level is poor.
Mountain
The Alpine offer is probably the strongest tourist
product. It is surely affected by the climate, but
it has demonstrated it can overcome unfavourable conditions. And sometimes it can even be
favoured by the weather, e.g. the great hot of
early Summer which in the past increased the
number of bookings in the mountain, and the
abundant snow of last winter which made it
break even compared to 2007 (-0.7%) in terms
of average bedroom occupancy rate.
Some years ago the mountain was mainly
specialized in the snow segment with winter
holiday weeks, while in Summer it suffered
the competition of Italian seaside resorts. But
just in few years several mountain resorts (in
particular Dolomiti) have been able to offer a
convincing Summer product to families and
sports people, thus setting up a complete holiday system (e.g. the Summer holiday camps in
Alto Adige valleys where, thanks to the contribution of private bodies, tourist associations
organize leisure activities and entertainment
every day and night). Not only: many destinations
have also been able to combine modernity with
history, updating their facilities and services, but
keeping their traditional and local roots. This is
a successful solution above all on international
markets which prefer the excellence of small
mountain resorts (all in the same network) to the
big alpine resorts across the borders.
The Spa resorts which have started addressing
different customers (more interested in wellness
and psycho-physical activities) are recovering
after a period of decline of this product. Holiday times have changed: in the past Spring and
Autumn, now Summer and Winter, especially
Christmas time. Also in this case the combination of culture, typical products and ad hoc
services, targeted according to tourists’ different needs, are essential for promoting these
territories and destinations. In fact the average
rate of bedroom occupancy is similar to 2007
values (45.3% in 2007 and 44.6% in 2008).
The potential of this product is great, also
considering that the European population in the
next twenty years will go through a progressive
ageing process, becoming a very interesting
market target attracted by wellness holidays.
but also active holidays (golf, walking), with a
great availability of free time and money. For
this reason France is including specific tourist
products for this important market segment in
its marketing plan.
The supply system of great lakes has three typical features: the presence of medium and high
category enterprises, the presence of second
homes and the strong presence of open air
opportunities, a key element for international
visitors from Northern Europe. However, the
loss of the US market has negatively affected
the bedroom sale ( 6.9% of average annual
occupancy rate) compared to last year, when
lake destinations had excellent results.
/ NATIONAL AND
Spa
Lake
Our lakes, in particular the great lakes of
Northern Italy, are chosen especially by international rather than national tourism. Over half
of the sold bedrooms are occupied by foreign
visitors. Anyway this is a healthy product, as the
number of reservations is higher compared to
other more famous Italian tourist products (sea
and cities).
35
A comparison for growing,
Spain and France
36
Essential is the comparison with great international tourism competitors like France and
Spain, in relation to which we often lose according to the lists drawn up by international
bodies. Yet, the numbers of our accommodation
capacity point out a greater potential.
Indeed, the Italian tourist system has a wide
bedroom availability, bigger than that of Spain,
slightly smaller that the French one. And
reaching unthinkable goals would be possible
if we could sell all the bedrooms and available
beds, thus tripling our visitors’ overnight stay.
Specifically, it is clear that our weakness is the
marked seasonality of our accommodation facilities. But not only: the Italian accommodation
system lacks an effective marketing capacity,
and if we make a comparison between occupied
bedrooms and bookings, we notice that our
accommodation industry has an order portfolio
of max 90 days, with the resulting difficulty of
planning.
As pointed out by the comparison with our
competitors, France and Spain, the percentage
of bedroom occupancy in hotels shows that
France always takes the lead and never falls
below 50% of sold bedrooms throughout the
12 months of the year. Spain and Italy are sold
out in August, with 72% of hotel bedroom occupancy. But Spain manages to have higher sales
compared to Italy. Only in Winter months, the
sale of Italian bedrooms exceeds the amount of
sold bedrooms in Spain, mainly thanks to our
mountain products.
Another difference between the accommodation
systems of these countries is the considerable
wider hotel accommodation capacity of Italy
than France and Spain.
Also considering the effective bedroom availability and the hotel closing periods in Italy and
Spain, this gap is still clear: Italian hotels have
about 1 million beds more, but the Italian unsold
rate is higher.
Therefore, real competitiveness is based on the
following factors:
• result continuity, with the capacity of
getting free from seasonal peaks and ensuring a constant customer flow throughout the
year. It is clear that from this point of view
France shows a substantial advantage: the
difference between the minimum of the year
(December for France, with 51.2%) and the
maximum of June (69.8%) amounts to 18.6%
compared to 36% in Spain and 32% in Italy;
• the capacity of reducing the amount of
unsold hotel bedrooms in relation to a considerably wider bedroom availability. First, in
Italy like in Spain the amount of hotel beds
represents nearly half of the overall available
amount, while in France it is mainly concentrated in complementary facilities (78%). The
Italian accommodation system might get
better results if it set up a more innovative
and diversified marketing network according
to the different products and targets.
/ NATIONAL AND
“
The Italian tourist system has a
wide bedroom availability,
bigger than that of Spain, slightly smaller that the
French one.
And reaching unthinkable goals would be possible
if we could sell all the bedrooms
and available beds.
”
thus tripling our visitors’ overnight stay.
Hotel bedroom occupancy 2008
80,0
70,0
60,0
50,0
40,0
30,0
20,0
0,0
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
France
51,6
55,2
58,1
59,2
65,0
69,8
68,6
68,0
69,1
63,1
53,7
51,2
Spain
40,3
46,9
50,8
49,21
52,9
57,7
66,2
71,9
60,3
49,7
41,6
36,0
Italy
44,3
45,4
46,6
41,9
44,6
51,0
63,1
71,4
53,2
48,0
39,3
39,0
Source: Isnart, IET (Instituto de Estudios Turìsticos) e Direction du Tourisme
France
Spain
Italy
10,0
37
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
5/
The economic impact of the tourist sector
on Piemonte’s regional economy
by Angelo Pichierri
and Carlo Alberto Dondona
page 40
6/
Tourism: a resource for the
sustainable development of Piemonte
by Maria Elena Rossi
page 46
Tourist flows in Piemonte:
•The Trends of 2000 and the record year 2008
by Cristina Bergonzo
page 54
7/
39
5/
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE
TOURIST SECTOR ON PIEmonte’S
REGIONAL ECONOMY
by
Angelo Pichierri and Carlo Alberto Dondona
In a very quoted passage, the Indian economist Amartya Sen, Nobel prize winner in 1998,
explains some basic aspects of his theory with
the bicycle apologue. Riding the bike, he says
more or less, is pleasant, it is healthy and in
some circumstances and countries it is very
useful. To obtain this desirable result (functioning) two steps are required. The first - banal
but essential - is the availability of a bicycle.
This is a necessary condition but not sufficient,
because to use this resource correctly a capability is needed. i.e. being able to ride the bike and
to keep it under control. Holding these capabilities increases the freedom of the people who
acquire them, because it raises their possibility
of choosing between alternative paths.
In the recent literature on local development,
this approach has been applied to territories,
considered as possible owners of collective
capabilities, i.e. the competitive advantages,
according to the definition of other theories,
deriving from specific and therefore valuable
know-how. From this point of view, the availability of more capabilities ensures higher levels of
freedom, thus making a territory less vulnerable
and dependent.
40
Now let’s try to apply the model suggested
by Sen to the main theme of this booklet, i.e.
tourism in Piemonte. Is attracting tourists a
distinctive capability of our region? At first the
answer seems rather negative, or else, positive
only for limited parts of the regional territory.
But the matter is much more complex. Unlike
Sen’s bicycle, the usable resources in this field
are not a fact, but a variable depending on the
evolution of culture, income and social stratification. One century ago the Alps were not
a tourist attraction; eighty years ago factory
workers were not potential tourists; forty years
ago nobody ever dreamt of visiting Langa; ten
years ago nobody ever fancied to make a trip
to Vercelli. From this point of view, Piemonte’s tourist resources are potentially unlimited:
as someone said, apart from the sea, we have
everything. An important task, therefore, is not
only to exploit our visible resources, but to use
also our hidden resources.
One century ago the Alps
were not a tourist attraction;
eighty years ago factory
workers were not potential tourists;
forty years ago nobody
ever dreamt of visiting Langa;
ten years ago nobody
ever fancied to make
a trip to Vercelli
There is also another set of theories which can
give interesting indications to whom carries out
policy-oriented research and applied to Piedmontese tourism, focusing on the notion of
identity, or better of collective identity. A Dutch
geographer, Hoekveld, proposed a charming
definition of regional identity as representation:
identity consists of different properties which
are combined in a potentially different way, even
if not accidental. Therefore, representation is
based on properties considered important and,
as for individual identity, it is normal that people
focus on those properties they think to excel at.
But there is an important corollary: it is necessary to distinguish between self-representation and external representation, i.e. how we
see ourselves and how we are seen by others.
Indeed, it can be very frustrating to find out the
great difference between individual identity and
collective identity, i.e. realizing that the others
do not see us as excellent at a certain property,
or consider as fundamental properties those
were we do not excel at all.
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
Another school of thought, the “economy of
conventions”, applies a similar reasoning to
economic identity, where the important properties are only those concerning the product:
Turin people finding their identity in the capacity to make good cars. Vercelli people in the
capacity to make good rice, Langa people in the
capacity to make good wine.
Following this line of thought, we can state that
tourism as a product is not the core of Piemonte’s self-representation (or representation).
Probably it is not even the core of those region’s
territories which live on tourism, but where up
to some time ago the leading industrial culture
had generated an inferiority complex difficult to
overcome.
This is the ground where we must work hard if
we want to promote tourism in Piemonte. The
message to be conveyed (not with this terminology) is that the presence of more capabilities,
of economies of differentiation rather than of
economies of scale, is a competitive advantage
and a life insurance in troubled times. And it
also brings an important added value in terms
of life quality and aesthetic dimension: there is
nothing sadder than a city (of a region) which
is only industrial or only tourist, but there is
nothing livelier and more stimulating than a
widely diversified economy of a city (of a region)
where people can go for business, to work, to
study, to visit an exhibition, to eat well.
Sen’s model also suggests something else. The
availability (or discovery) of a resource is not
sufficient to obtain the desired result: there is
an intermediate step needed for the creation of
the capabilities which make it possible to reach
this result. In other words, it is necessary to
have what one of the authors of Friuli-Venezia
Giulia region’s strategic plan defined as “smart
connectors” between the available resource and
its placement in the “suitable hands”, i.e. public
bodies, trade associations, but also agencies
and groups which can be created temporarily
or for specific projects, provided that they are
managed by dedicated and skilled personnel.
41
Tourism in Piemonte:
some quantitative aspects
Considering what said so far, we have noticed
that in recent years tourism has shown constant
growth rates and that the quantitative growth
of the sector has gone together with a qualitative transformation. Mass tourism, typical of
the 1960’s and ‘70s, was followed by a more
individualized and segmented tourism. With
the decline of the first type, especially in Italy1,
a new type of tourism has consolidated, focused on quality and offers linked with territorial
identity. In this context Piemonte, since 2000
up to now, also thanks to the Winter Olympic
Games in 2006, has shown constant growth
rates higher than in the rest of Italy, becoming
an emerging destination and confirming the
importance of tourism in the regional economic
context.
But what is the economic contribution of
tourism in Piemonte’s economy? With no doubt
the increase of tourists can have a considerable impact on local economy but, being it a
very composite activity, it is difficult to measure
its size and even more difficult to measure its
economic implications.
That is why, the goal of one of IRES (Institute
for Social-Economic Research) researches is to
assess, through different methods, the economic impact of tourism in Piemonte. With this
purpose, tourist flows have been broken up in
the main product areas, by assigning to each
different type of tourism a certain expense
propensity, in order to measure the induced and
indirect effects on the local economy based on
goods and service production.
1
42
First it is necessary to give a definition of
tourist. Tourism is the direct experience, the
action carried out by people who travel and
visit a place for amusement, knowledge and
learning purposes. According to the definition
of the World Tourism Organization (a department of the United Nations), tourist is anyone
travelling to any country different from one’s
habitual residence, outside one’s daily environment, for minimum one night, but not over
one year, and whose goal is different from any
remunerated activity practiced in the visited
country. This definition includes anyone travelling for amusement, relaxation and holiday, to
visit parents and friends, for business reasons,
for health reasons, for religion/pilgrimage, and
other reasons.
A possible approach to try and estimate the
economic value of tourism is the assessment of
its impact on the residents’ income, considering
both the direct influence of tourists’ expenditure
on the income of the relevant receivers (hotel
owners, restaurant owners, shop owners) and
the income generated by the subsequent expenditure of the latter ones throughout the whole
chain of economic links. This method is called
Keynesian tourist multiplier.
Another method allows following, in a similar way,
the tourists’ expenditure repercussions on the
material production required to meet their needs,
considering suppliers and their sub-contractors.
This method is called Leontief multiplier.
As a matter of fact, these methods are complementary and can interact. All of them show
some difficulties, especially in the exact defini-
In 1970 Italy was the first country in the world for number of foreign tourists; currently it ranks fifth after France, Spain, United
States and China. In 2020, according to the forecasts of the World Tourism Organization, it will fall by other two positions.
multiplier value is 1.6 and it has been used in
the calculation of tourism impact on regional
economy. Input-output interdependence tables
establish a relationship between the different
economic sectors. In the case of tourism, they
allow to assess, considering the whole economic system, the incidence of tourists’ expenditure and of investments in tourist facilities.
A second type of effects regards the costs of raw
materials and semi-finished products needed
by hotel and restaurant owners to produce
what is necessary to meet the tourists’ needs
and required by their suppliers to produce what
tourists purchase. These effects, called indirect,
are calculated through the Leontief multiplier,
i.e. by means of input-output tables or sectorial
interdependence tables.
They offer a schematic representation of internal relations, determined by the production and
movement (purchases and sales) of goods in the
different sectors of an economic system, and
external relations (imports and exports). These
techniques can be used to measure the impact
of change of any industry demand on the whole
economy.
Induced effects, instead, are the effects of
tourism on the income of local residents, different from the direct impact, and calculated
through the Keynesian multiplier. The total
economic impact is the sum of these effects:
direct effect, indirect effect, induced effect.
The satellite accounts2 of the tourist sector are
reckoned according to this type of analysis. Also
in this case, as for the different multipliers per
country, an indicative number is provided corresponding to the contribution from the different
sectors to the tourist system. It is the so-called
spill over, i.e. the part of the added value generated by the sale of goods and services used
in tourism by other regions, which, according
to sector studies, in Piemonte amounts to 650
2
“
A possible approach to
estimate the economic value
of tourism is assessing its impact
on the RESIDENTS’ INCOME,
considering direct, indirect and
induced effects
”
Tourism Satellite Accounts is a method developed jointly by the United Nations Statistics Division, the Statistical Office of the European Commission, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Tourism Organization, to analyze
into details every aspect of goods and service demand ascribable to tourism, in a wide economic context. This method is based on
the analysis of demand generated by the different forms of tourism (inside the same economy, from other economies or to other
economies), classified according to the characteristics of visitor, trip, purchased goods and services.
It is possible to use multipliers already calculated and to notice a directly proportional ratio
between the tourist inclination of a country
and the value of the multiplier. For Italy the
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
tion of the different economic components.
The effects of tourism on the economy are three.
The first is the direct effect, i.e. the impact of
the goods and services, produced to meet the
tourists’ needs, on the economy of a country.
These are the costs needed for a tourist stay,
including hotel fee, restaurant bills, purchases,
tourist guides, and fuel.
43
million Euros.
The first step needed to quantify the economic
impact of tourism is the evaluation of the tourist’s direct expenditure.
The values of expenditure have been reckoned
through direct surveys3, the comparison and
average of similar sector studies carried out
by agencies and specialized institutes. Through
these surveys we have tried to calculate the
tendency to spend by visitors and, for the
Average expenditure per type of destination
mountain sector, the impact of second home
tourism which also contributes to the tourist
economy. In these calculations, we also tried
to take into account the weight of the different
types of local tourism and therefore of the
different spending behaviours, i.e. what each
tourist or, more likely, what each segment of
tourists daily spends on average, value which
can be different from segment to segment as
illustrated in the table below:
Reasons/
Destinations
Tourist
Excursionist
Mountain
76
50-70
Lake
73
50
Culture
110-150
20-50
Wine
130-150
100
Business
111
-
Territory/Culture and other •
90
20
98
55
Average expenditure
(•) Events, Sports
44
Naturally, these are indicative values of an
average expenditure which, however, can vary
considerably according to the type of tourism,
country of origin (tourists coming from faraway
countries spend much more, e.g. Japan or the
US), the type of selected accommodation facility
and many other variables.
Through the assignment of these average per
capita expenditure values considering the number
3
of tourists and excursionists, it has been possible
to obtain a first estimate of tourism incidence on
the regional economy.
On the basis of the official tourist overnight stay
recorded in 2007 in hotel and extra-hotel accommodation facilities and according to the estimate
of the regional tourist movement, the reckoned
overall expenditure amounts to 2.1 billion Euros
which, considering the multiplier effect of expenses, as pointed out above, takes the total amount to
Interviews have been made to tourists in the four main tourist product areas of the region: mountains (around 600 interviews in
Sestriere, Claviere and Pragelato, in the area of the Olympic Mountains, and in Limone Piemonte, Alagna Valsesia and ScopelloAlpe Mera), City of Turin (800 interviews in the city centre), hills (350 interviews in Alba and Bra), lakes (500 interviews at Lake
Maggiore, Orta lake and Avigliana lake).
Composition of the daily average expenditure
Transports 4%
Shopping 24%
3.3 billion Euros, corresponding to 2.7% of regional GDP, also taking into account that Piemonte,
being a region with a mainly industrial economy,
has one of the highest domestic products in Italy,
and to 4.6% if we compare the tourist expenditure
with the consumption of Piedmontese families. To
be noticed that these values, even if different from
those recorded in other regions with a higher
tourist inclination (e.g. Trentino), are in line with
the national average, with the values of other
regions having a similar tourist tendency or even
higher, such as Lazio or Sicily.
worried about negative externalities. Or that, in
a period of crisis like the present one, it is not
advisable to split hairs in relation to the environmental effects or job quality of those working
in companies directly or indirectly interested in
tourist movements. It is a very dangerous way
of thinking, not only from a moral point of view,
but also from an economic point of view. The
resources representing tourist attractions are
exhaustible and have been too often depleted.
Food for thought
common resources whose use must be regulated if we want to prevent their destruction. This
is another prospect to consider, and where our
future research should be oriented.
The data described so far confirm that tourism
can be a driver of local development, therefore
essential for a region like ours. But it needs to
be added that in our region, local governance has
tried to take seriously the European approach
proposing (requiring, prescribing) to keep together economic performance, social cohesion,
environmental sustainability. Some people may
think that as tourism still needs great support
and promotion, it is not the right time to get
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
Museums 11%
Pasti 33%
So, time has come to start with a different school
of thought, that dealing with commons, i.e.
Accomodation 28%
45
6/
TOURISM: A RESOURCE FOR
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF PIEMONTE
by
Maria Elena Rossi
Nowadays talking about tourist development
also implies the concept of sustainability. A
recent communication of the European Commission, the Agenda for European sustainable
tourism, clearly defines the future prospects
of European tourism as based on the quality of
tourists’ experience: if destinations care about
the environment, working conditions and local
communities, they will also care more about
tourists. With a greater focus on sustainability,
tourist operators can protect the competitive
advantages which make Europe the most attractive tourist destination in the world, with its wide
range of different landscapes and cultures. In
addition, with a socially responsible approach to
sustainability, it is possible to help the tourist
industry update its products and services and
improve their quality and value.
The concept of sustainability used to safeguard
the competitive advantages of tourist destinations is even more a value for a country like
Italy where over 50% of the world artistic and
cultural
46
heritage is located, in unique landscapes and
with the typical “Made in Italy” savoir faire, a
combination of tradition, genuineness and innovation. In a period of strong economic crisis, on
the one hand we notice the solidity of traditional
Made in Italy sectors such as clothing, furniture, agricultural and food industry, industrial
equipment, while on the other Italian tourism
is suffering a growing loss of competitiveness
compared to other countries such as France
and Spain, especially due to a lack of shared
medium and long-term vision, based on a
fundamental pillar like sustainability.
What is Piemonte’s position in this context?
How has tourism developed in recent years?
What is our future vision? Can tourism be seen
as a resource for the region’s sustainable development?
Tourist overnight stay in Piemonte is equally
distributed in the four main product areas defined by the Regional Tourism Strategic Plan:
Turin and metropolitan area around 25.8% of
regional overnight stay, Lakes 24%. Mountain
27.4% and Hills 11%.
In Piemonte tourism has grown by +37% in
terms of arrivals and by +43% in terms of
overnight stay in the last 8 years, breaking the
record with over 11.560.000 tourists thanks to
several key factors: the investments made to
improve accommodation facilities and the offer
of targeted services, the positioning and promoting policy before, during and after the Winter
Olympic Games 2006, the growing public and
private awareness of the sector potentials and a
new culture of hospitality. These medium-term
processes, which are still in progress, result
from a shared strategy developed for the Regional Tourism Strategic Plan where the concept of
sustainability is the main priority, also achieved
Apart from the single projects, there are
many elements demonstrating that tourism in
Piemonte has been developed in a balanced
way. First, accommodation, with a growth above
all of the extra-hotel segment (farm holiday
centres and bed & breakfast) and a balanced
and widespread hotel growth mainly in Turin
and urban areas1.
“
There are many elements
demonstrating that tourism
in Piemonte has been developed in a balanced way. First,
accommodation, with a growth
above all of the extra-hotel
segment (holiday centres and
Bed & breakfast)
and a balanced and widespread
HOTEL GROWTH
MAINLY IN TURIN
AND URBAN AREAS
”
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
through different projects: visitor management,
Ecolabel, sustainable villages, Orange Flags,
Turismabile, just to mention some of the most
important.
Overnight stay 2008
% 50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
5
0
Turin and
metropolitan area
1
Lakes
Mountains
Hills
10
See the analysis Tourist Flows in Piemonte: the trends of 2000 and the record year 2008 - by Cristina Bergonzo
47
Another interesting indicator is the tourist
development of Langhe, Monferrato and Roero
where there is the qualitatively most important tourist growth of the last 8 years, thanks
to a virtuous dynamics, a model for Piemonte
but not only, which must be safeguarded: it is
territory tourism, linked with local traditions
and products, a genuine experience representing the real added value which has stimulated growth especially at international level. As
a result, this wine growing and making area
has been proposed as UNESCO world heritage
candidate site.
Hills - Annual overnight stay
1.500.000
1.000.000
500.000
0
2000
2001
Italy
48
2002
Abroad
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
To complete the picture of the four macroareas of regional tourism, mountains (in particular the Olympic Mountains) and lakes are
going through a different phase compared to
the hills and Turin, as they have been tourist
territories for several decades. For Piedmontese mountains, in addition to the recent
growth of traditional winter tourism, there
has been a similar trend also for Summer
tourism, with a virtuous process of deseasonalization of tourist flows. In the case of
Winter tourism, it is necessary to start a phase
of product innovation linked with the offer of
new services, especially to non-skiers, to fight
against the segment stagnation at international level and to build a competitive positioning also in Summer, addressing a growing
target of tourists interested in nature and the
environment. And climate changes make this
approach even more urgent.
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
Also Turin is an emblematic case: tourism
has been included in the strategic lines of the
Strategic Development Plan (called “Torino
Internazionale”), in a prospect of transformation and repositioning of one company town,
now emerging tourist destination, which
offers a widespread life quality to all citizens,
mainly thanks to the reclaiming and revitalization of the old town centre, and hospitality
and attractions to tourists. “The days when
Turin was known exclusively as the home of
automakers and a certain bloody shroud are
over. Since hosting the 2006 Winter Olympic
Games, Turin, a northern Italian city along
the Po River, has been transformed from
a nondescript industrial city into a cosmopolitan center of artisanal food and modern
design ” (Gisela Williams, New York Times
Travel, 19.10.08). This New York Times quotation effectively illustrates the new city image
abroad, an image in which also Turin citizens have started to recognize themselves.
One of Turin’s great future challenges is the
congress sector, strategic and with a high
potential, where green meetings represents
an important source of development to be
pursued.
”
“
We are working with other European regions
for the creation of indicators able to define
the impact on life quality and the
negative impact on the GDP
of the environmental costs of the actions taken.
This way it will be possible to integrate
the Strategic Environmental Assessment Plan of the Regional Tourism Strategic Plan
49
Mountains - Winter Season overnight stay
3.500.000
3.000.000
2.500.000
2.000.000
1.500.000
1.000.000
500.000
0
2000/
2001
2001/
2002
2002/
2003
2003/
2004
2004/
2005
2005/
2006
2006/
2007
2007/
2008
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Abroad
Italy
Mountains - Summer Season overnight stay
3.000.000
2.500.000
2.000.000
1.500.000
1.000.000
50
500.000
0
2001
2002
Italy
2003
Abroad
The Regional Tourism Strategic Plan has set
economic goals and adopted the GDP as official index to measure their achievement. At
European level, according to the restrictive
definition of direct impact, tourism provides a
4% contribution to the GDP creation, while its
indirect contribution is much higher, over 10%
of the European Union GDP, with the creation
of 12% jobs. For Piemonte, the direct impact
is 2.7% of the regional GDP; while its indirect
impact amounts to 4.6%, an important incidence
in a mainly industrial economy. The matter is
whether the GDP is a sufficient indicator to
We are working on this point with other European regions for the creation of indicators able
to define the impact on life quality and the negative impact on the GDP of the environmental
costs of the actions taken, as well as a Balanced
Scorecard model taking into account 4 different perspectives: the territory stakeholders
and their wellbeing; the customers/tourists;
the internal processes implied in the tourism
value chain; the learning and growth capacity
for the improvement of the destination overall
quality. This way it will be possible to integrate
the Strategic Environmental Assessment Plan
of the Regional Tourism Strategic Plan.
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
A qualitative survey on national and international
tourists run by the OMERO (Olympic and Mega
Events Research Observatory) group on the
whole Piedmontese territory in the last 2 years
confirm Piemonte positioning as sustainable
tourist destination. The positive aspects mainly
pointed out by tourists compared to others (hotel
quality, accessibility, food & wine products) in the
four macro-areas of Piemonte are the beauty
of the place, nature and culture. The strong
tendency to return expressed by the interviewees
is a valuable asset to be capitalized.
measure the economic and social wellbeing,
especially for a complex and cross-sector like
tourism. The debate on the general GDP suitability started in the 1970’s and in Europe there
is a strong tendency to search for alternative
models.
The tourist vision for the future of Piemonte
is to become a region accessible to everyone,
which is worth a trip throughout the year, for
pleasure, study and work, where it is possible to visit cultural and natural attractions, to
attend special events, practice sports, taste
delicious food and wine, purchase Made in
Italy items, representing local craftsmanship
and excellence, with a sustainable and socially
responsible approach.
As to Piedmontese lakes, besides a strong
international overnight stay in extra-hotel facilities, the traditional leisure tourism is a mature
product to be further innovated, without compromising the environment and the atmosphere
which have made it famous. The lake area,
like Turin, is a consolidated congress location
and is suitable for a sustainable development
of the MICE sector. This volume presents some
interesting proposals for the mountain and lake
development in this direction.
51
The data of the 2000-2008 trend and the surveys
presented in this volume demonstrate that in
Piemonte there is a dynamic and vital tourist
sector, which was against the trend of 2008
compared to other sectors. Both in the shortterm, in response to the current economic
crisis, and in the medium/long-term, Piemonte
shall pursue a positioning strategy as sustainable destination, to consolidate its competitive advantage at national level, but especially
to increase international tourism. The Winter
Olympic Games have produced a stone-in-thepond effect: the Olympic fame has propagated
in concentric circles, touching first and more
effectively Italy, where it was easier to transform the interest in the destination into travel
purchase.
On international markets, the effect was perceived, but it is necessary to continue throwing
stones until the dynamics of tourist development
of the last years will be confirmed, through an
improvement of the territory accessibility, the
Internet marketing and the new technologies,
in a partnership between public and private
sector.
“
“The gross national product
does not include the beauty of
our poetry or the strength of our
marriages. the intelligence of our
public debate (…)
It measures neither our wit nor
our courage; neither our wisdom
nor our learning; neither our
compassion (…).
It measures everything,
in short, except that which
makes life worthwhile”
(Robert F. Kennedy address at
Kansas University, 18th March 1968)
”
52
7/
TOURIST FLOWS IN PIEMONTE:
THE TRENDS OF 2000 AND THE
RECORD YEAR 2008
by
Cristina Bergonzo
From data to information
54
What are the tourist trends in Piemonte?
What is the most important foreign market
for Piemonte? What is its share? What are
the emerging markets? In which Piedmontese
territories English people stay more? What is
the favourite accommodation facility of Dutch
people? And of US people?
These and other questions can be answered by
consulting the historical source of Piemonte
tourist flow statistical data available since 1991
and representing official statistics, i.e. ISTAT,
which consist of data collected from the territory accommodation facilities by the provincial
statistical offices through national forms and
regularly submitted by every Italian province to
the central headquarters. For this reason they
are an important parameter for a comparison
with the trend of other Italian regions.
These data are one of the first sources of
information required, consulted and analysed
by anyone interested in assessing the trend
of tourism in a given territory. In fact, even if
they do not cover all the aspects needed for an
exhaustive analysis of the sector, the quantitative data are an important measure of demand
and supply, integrated with the suitable economic and qualitative evaluations.
Starting from the data concerning the monthly
arrivals and overnight stay, with the detail of the
country of origin or Italian region and the type of
selected accommodation facility, it is possible
to obtain accurate information to answer the
questions above.
The trend since 2000 and the record
year 2008
In the years 2000, Piemonte had a constant
growth year by year. If in 2000, arrivals
amounted to over 2 million 532 thousand, in
2008 they were over 3 million 476 thousand,
with a +37.3% increase. A similar trend for overnight stays: from 8 million 92 thousand 269 in
2000 to 11 million 560 thousand in 2008, with a
+42.9% increase.
Very positive is the trend of the domestic market,
while the foreign market has shown a drop after
the Winter Olympic Games.
Considering tourist seasons in 2008, it is clear
that in Summer the increase was substantial
compared to the results of the previous years,
despite an uncertain situation in August.
The first quarter of the year benefited from the
2007-2008 ski season thanks to the abundant
snow falls and the offer of new products available after the investments made for the Winter
Olympic Games, thus taking the tourist overnight stays to 2.379.217: second result of the
years 2000 after the three Olympic months.
Trends of Arrival 2000-2008
3.476.243
3.500.000
3.289.398
3.313.508
2.750.000
2.532.630
2.682.994 2.651.068
2.872.642
2.810.110
2.315.848
1.926.664
2.000.000
1.467.541
1.556.407 1.526.372
2.135.023
1.667.661 1.673.485
1.216.598
1.250.000
1.065.089
500.000
1.987.614
1.126.587
2000
2001
1.124.696
1.142.449
1.199.157
2002
2003
2004
Italy
Total
1.362.734
1.325.894
2005
2006
2007
1.160.395
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
3.351.621
2008
Abroad
Trend of Overnight stay 2000-2008
10.209.190
10.000.000
10.316.710
8.092.269
6.000.000
4.707.103
8.770.355 8.591.889
5.069.486 4.930.796
8.944.345
9.314.598
5.219.796 5.309.511
7.473.297
5.748.813
4.342.500
4.000.000
2.000.000
3.385.166
2000
3.700.869
2001
Total
3.661.093
3.724.549
2002
2003
Italy
6.153.947 5.974.210
4.032.087
2004
Abroad
4.460.377
4.940.383
2005
2006
2007
4.087.569
2008
8.000.000
11.560.866
11.094.330
12.000.000
55
Trend of monthly overnight stay
2.000.000
1.600.000
1.200.000
800.000
400.000
0
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Nov
Dec
2008
Trend of monthly arrivals
500.000
400.000
300.000
200.000
100.000
0
56
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Sep
Oct
2008
main foreign markets:
GERmANY
BENELUX
UNItED KINGDOm
FRANCE
SWItZERLAND
Considering the monthly trend of arrivals it is
clear that from May to October the monthly
results are better than previous years. In particular May, with over 374 thousand arrivals, is
the second peak of the year after July, with
over 387 thousand arrivals, a sign of the region
consolidation as destination of short breaks
and appealing events.
The main foreign markets for 2008 are
Germany, BeNeLux, United Kingdom, France
and Switzerland, respectively with 24%, 15%,
11%, 9% and 7% of foreign tourist overnight
stay in Piemonte.
If on the one hand the traditional foreign
markets are in decline – Germany, United Kingdom, Austria and Switzerland – on the other
there is a positive trend for BeNeLux (+2.7%
compared to 2007) and an increase of French
stays (+2.9% than the previous year).
The distribution of tourists per type of accommodation facility is also an interesting factor:
last year 53.4% tourists stayed in 3, 4, 5 star and
5 star luxury hotels in the region. Instead 35.2%
stayed in extra-hotel facilities, mainly campsites with 18.3%.
Analyzing the number of stays per market
and type of accommodation facility chosen by
tourists, it is clear that in Piemonte German
people mainly stay in 3, 4, 5 star and luxury
hotels, and then in campsites.
Dutch people prefer campsites, typical of open
air holidays. French people spend 73% of their
nights in 3, 4 and 5 star hotels; even higher is
the amount of English people, 77%, mainly in 4
and 5 star hotels, i.e. around 50% of nights.
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
24%
15%
11%
9%
7%
2008 overnight stay per market and type of accomodation
1 e 2 * Hotel 7%
3 * Hotel 31,5%
Camp site 18,3%
Bed&Breakfast 0,6%
Farm holiday centre 1,9%
Apartment hotel 4,4%
4,5 e 5 * Luxury Hotel 21,9%
Extrahotel accomodation 14,4%
57
2008 overnight stay per market and type of accomodation
FRANCE NETHERLANDS GERMANY
UK
SWITZERLAND
AUSTRIA
USA
ITALY
TOTAL
Tipe of facility
1 e 2 Hotel
*
22.963
4.910
24.960
20.638
11.394
2.886
3.888
583.949
807.375
3 Hotel
*
153.468
30.619
269.752
122.459
67.476
28.833
26.809
2.577.176
3.635.981
4,5 e 5 Luxury Hotel
*
125.995
37.243
164.370
226.842
61.399
24.497
94.234
1.398.387
2.535.028
Apartment hotel
9.779
21.045
31.639
34.359
4.511
1.538
2.267
295.585
510.983
Farm holiday centre
6.870
8.233
29.041
4.000
18.460
3.314
5.765
116.580
220.773
Bed & Breakfast
3.066
1.558
7.562
752
2.560
695
993
43.610
69.325
Camp site
26.288
395.432
326.679
19.185
66.346
8.788
483
1.219.800
2.113.892
Extrahotel accomodation
36.983
27.952
114.395
26.921
40.307
13.478
6.045
1.238.210
1.667.509
385.412
526.992
968.398
455.156
272.453
84.029
140.484
7.473.297
11.560.866
TOTAL
The development of accommodation
supply
The positive increase of tourist flows is closely
linked with the increase of the accommodation
supply and the improvement of the existing one.
From 2000 to 2008 there was a +72% increase of
accommodation facilities, +25% of bedrooms and
+29% of the region’s total amount of beds.
By and large, there was an increase from 3.000
accommodation facilities to over 4.800, from
around 61.000 bedrooms to 76.200, from 140.863
beds to 181.505.
“
Year 2000: over 2 million 532 thousand arrivals
8 million 92 thousand 269 overnight stay
58
Year 2008: 3 million 476 thousand arrivals =
+37,3%.
11 million 560 thousand overnight stay =
+42,9%.
”
Piemonte’s accomodation facilities
2000
Facilities
Bedrooms
Beds
Facilities
Bedrooms
Beds
Types
and stars
1 hotel
*
456
5.908
10.477
268
3.515
6.228
2 hotel
*
372
6.371
11.465
319
4.849
8.895
3 hotel
*
505
15.340
28.827
718
20.034
39.731
4 hotel
*
90
6.608
12.615
176
10.690
21.570
1
172
307
9
1.049
2.222
1.424
34.399
63.691
1.490
40.137
78.646
5 e 5 luxury hotel
*
*
Hotel Total
42
1.370
2.719
77
2.238
5.763
Campsite
Apartment Hotel Total
150
14.575
45.676
164
15.664
49.412
Farm holiday centre
294
1.379
3.359
713
3.599
8.443
70
125
239
1.031
2.221
4.571
Bed & Breakfast
Piemonte Region Total
819
9.131
25.179
1.348
12.357
34.670
2.799
60.979
140.863
4.823
76.216
181.505
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
2008
2008 vs 2000
Facilities
Bedrooms
Beds
1 hotel
*
-41%
-41%
-41%
2 hotel
*
-14%
-24%
-22%
3 hotel
*
42%
31%
38%
4 hotel
*
96%
62%
71%
800%
510%
624%
5 e 5 luxury hotel
*
*
Hotel Total
Apartment Hotel Total
Campsite
Farm holiday centre
Bed & Breakfast
5%
17%
23%
83%
63%
112%
9%
7%
8%
143%
161%
151%
1373%
1677%
1813%
65%
35%
38%
Piemonte Region Total
72%
25%
29%
Types
and stars
59
Trend of accomodation facilities
1.490
1.424
1.600
1.348
1.200
1.031
718
800
400
456
268
372
505
319
176
90
1
0
1 * hotel
819
713
2 * hotel
3 * hotel
4 * hotel
9
42
5 * and 5*
luxury
hotels
Hotel
Total
77
Apartment
hotel
150
294
164
Campsite
70
Farm
holiday
centre
Bed&
Breakfast
Extra-hotel
accomodation
2008
2000
Trend of bedrooms
45.000
40.137
37.500
34.399
30.000
20.034
22.500
15.644
14.575
15.340
15.000
10.690
6.608
6.371
7.500 5.908
4.849
3.515
0
1 * hotel
2 * hotel
3 * hotel
4 * hotel
5 * and 5*
luxury
hotels
3.599
1.379
125 2.221
2.238
1.370
172 1.049
Hotel
Total
Apartment
hotel
12.357
9.131
Campsite
Farm
holiday
centre
Bed&
Breakfast
Extra-hotel
accomodation
2008
2000
Trend of beds
78.646
80.600
63.691
49.412
45.676
60.200
60
39.731
40.000
28.827
307
0
1 * hotel
2 * hotel
2000
34.670
25.179
21.570
12.615
11.465
20.000 10.477
8.895
6.228
3 * hotel
2008
4 * hotel
5 * and 5*
luxury
hotels
8.443
4.571
3.359
239
5.763
2.719
2.222
Hotel
Total
Apartment
hotel
Campsite
Farm
holiday
centre
Bed&
Breakfast
Extra-hotel
accomodation
As to the main product areas identified by the
regional strategic plan, the tourist overnight
stay in 2008 is rather equally distributed: Turin
and metropolitan area around 25.8% of regional total overnight stay, Lakes 24%, Mountain
27.4% and Hills 11.3%.
2008 had a positive increase of tourist flows
compared to the previous year for all product
areas except for the lakes, penalized by the drop
of foreign tourists.
Turin and metropolitan area have grown in
terms of arrivals and overnight stay with +7.8%
arrivals and +22.6% stays compared to the
previous year. In this area the domestic market
is the main driver of the positive trend.
As to Piemonte’s mountains, the winter season
had a +28% growth of tourists, with nearly 1.5
million (1.489.592). Summer 2008 had the best
result in terms of tourist overnight stay of the
years 2000: over 1.6 million (+32.7%).
In 2008, the lake Summer recorded a 4.3%
decline, yet it is the second best result of the
years 2000 with 2.408.876 tourists.
This decline, mainly due to the foreign market
drop, has been partially compensated by the
growth of the Italian market (+6%). But the
foreign market share remains the core business
of this area with a 73.5% tourist overnight stay.
by +5.4% and overnight stay by 6.8%, a positive
trend due both to Italian and foreign tourism.
In particular, the foreign market, amounting to
43% of total tourist overnight stay, increased
than the previous year by 6.9% for arrivals and
by 10% for tourist overnight stay.
The first three foreign markets are Germany,
Switzerland and BeNeLux and compared to
2007 the greatest increase in arrivals is from
Scandinavia (+44%), BeNeLux (+26.5%), France
(+10.6%), United Kingdom (+9.7%) and Germany
(+7.6%).
/ REGIONAL SCENERY
Focus on main products segments
identified by the Strategic Plan
In particular, the arrivals and stays of BeNeLux
tourists increased (+0.7% and +4.6% respectively), Germany instead showed a substantial
drop both in arrivals and overnight stay.
In the area of Piedmontese hills, arrivals grew
The higher percentages of hotels with many
stars and the decline of 1 or 2 star hotels
demonstrate the territory commitment to develop accommodation facilities providing more
services and higher quality.
61
/ MaRKETS
8/
pag. 64
The image of tourist Piemonte
in foreign press by Klaus Davi
63
8/
THE IMAGE OF TOURIST
PIEMONTE IN FOREIGN PRESS
by
Klaus Davi
nations than the traditional ones, above all far
from massive tourism, where it is still possible to go on a relaxing holiday and eat well. Of
course, with an eye on money. Therefore, the
attention of foreign people has shifted to the
Italian hinterland, and so now the most valued
areas are valleys, lakes and hills. And that is
why Piemonte ranks first as Italian region most
praised by foreign journalists, with an image
qualitative index (INDIMQ1) of + 29.91%.
Emerging, refined, diversified and with an excellent cost-benefit ratio. This is how the most
authoritative newspapers in the world describe
tourism in Piemonte. And this is what arises
from the analysis of 9.686 articles published in
over 100 newspapers in 12 nations (Australia,
Austria, China, France, Germany, Great Britain,
India, Middle East, Russia, Spain, Switzerland,
USA) in 2008.
According to this study, travellers coming to
Italy have started searching for different desti-
Top 10 italian regions most
praised by foreign press
The region ows this
result to the quality
of the different
tourist products
offered at
affordable
prices:
1
2
INDIMQ +29.91%
Lazio
+28.30%
3
Tuscany
+27.04%
4
Veneto
+26.62%
5
Umbria
+25.45%
6
Puglia
+24.55%
7
Trentino
+23.06%
8
Lombardy
+22.98%
9
Abruzzo
+21.74%
10
Sicily
+20.60%
Region
Piedmont
from the mountains to
the metropolitan area,
from Langhe to lakes,
from culture
to events
After the Olympic showcase in 2006, also sport
has become one of the main reasons attracting
foreign visitors to Piemonte. From golf to hunting,
from trekking to mountain climbing, from skiing
1
64
to biking, more and more foreign tourists come to
Piemonte for a physically active holiday along the
lake shores or in the pure air of the mountains.
But the several typical products and good food
The image qualitative index or satisfaction index (INDIMQ) is the qualitative datum which allows a numerical representation of the
judgement expressed by the foreign press on the tourist aspects of Italian regions.
43,82%TuRIN
19,62%
WINTER MOuNTaIN
8,87%
are the most important elements considered by
visitors.
Indeed, food & wine have a visibility index (INDIM)2
of 43.82%, followed by Turin with 19.62% and the
winter mountain with 8.87%. Interesting is also
EVENTS
7,80%
HILLS
6,72%
cuLTuRE
5,64%
SuMMER MOuNTaIN
2,69%
LaKES
2,42%
culture, with 5.64%. A good visibility is also obtained by events with 7.80% and hills with 6.72%,
while Summer mountain and lakes have a great
potential yet not fully exploited, with visibility
indexes respectively of 2.69% and 2.42%.
/ MARKETS
FOOD & WINE
INDIM - Visibility index for macro-aspects
Lakes 2.42%
Summer Mountain 2.69%
Mountain 1.07%
Short break 1.07%
Culture 5.64%
Hills 6.72%
Food & Wine 43.82%
Winter Mountain 8.87%
Turin 19.62%
2
Events 7.80%
The image quantitative index or visibility index (INDIM) is the quantitative datum which allows a numerical representation of the
visibility of each tourist aspect concerning Piemonte.
65
The several exhibitions organized in Turin
museums are the most celebrated events by
the foreign press with a visibility index (INDIM)
of 41.66%. Then, the renowned fairs and exhibitions organized by Slow Food and Terra Madre,
with a visibility index of 14.28%. The last ones
are folkloristic events and village feasts with
cheese and other food tasting, which have a
visibility index of 9.52%, together with concerts
organized in Turin’s stadium or in charming
locations for classical music, which have a visibility index of 5.95%.
As to the most mentioned Piedmontese loca-
with 28.57%, attracting crowds of visitors and
gastronomic journalists. Festivals rank third,
thanks to the driving force of the film festival.
Top 5 most praised events
by foreign press
1
2
Event
41,66%
Fairs
28,57%
3
Festivals
14,28%
4
Village fests and
Folklore
9,52%
Concerts
5,95%
5
tions, the first is obviously Turin (INDIM
46.27%), followed by places famous for food
& wine products like Alba and Cuneo (INDIM
8.27% and INDIM 6.92%); then ski resorts well
known by mountain lovers like Sestriere (5.50%)
and Sauze d’Oulx (INDIM 4.35%); Santo Stefano
Belbo, where the famous Italian writer Cesare
Pavese was born (INDIM 2.25%); Asti (INDIM
2.10%); Vercelli (INDIM 2.06%) known for rice
fields; Bra (INDIM 2%), made famous by Carlo
Petrini, founder of Slow Food; and Novara
(INDIM 1.96%).
Top 10 most mentioned locations by foreign press
INDIM Exhibition
66
Location
1
2
INDIM Turin
46,27%
Alba
8,27%
3
Cuneo
6,92%
4
Sestriere
5,50%
5
Sauze D’Oulx
4,35%
6
Santo Stefano Belbo
2,25%
7
Asti
2,10%
8
Vercelli
2,06%
9
Bra
2,00%
10
Novara
1,96%
The most attentive is the British press, with
24.46% (INDIM, visibility index) of the collected articles. If British people, traditionally in
love with Tuscan hills, now focus more on the
offers from Piedmontese ski resorts and on
wine making places, US people (INDIM 20.70%)
are more and more attracted by food & wine
products and the art exhibitions organized
in the Piedmontese capital. German people
(INDIM 20.16%) are mainly interested in culinary aspects.
Spain 5.91%
France 6.45%
Austria 7.53%
Switzerland 4.03%
Russia 3.23%
Australia 2.42%
China 2.15%
UAE 1.61%
India 1.34%
/ MARKETS
INDIM - Visibility index per Nation
GB 24.46%
Germany 20.16%
One of the most significant articles is the one
published by the British newspaper The Guardian with the title: “Lush vineyards, gorgeous
hotels, wild countryside ... welcome to Piedmont”. “Nowhere in Italy - the article continues - compares with Piemonte for travellers
looking for a combination of fine wines,
gastronomy and beautiful countryside. The
area to explore is just an hour’s drive down the
autostrada from Turin. You can also arrange
for tours of the cantinas of the really famous
producers, and if you need pampering for a
couple of nights, there is a seductive selection of castles, monasteries and mansions that
have been converted into luxury hotels. There
is the same choice when it comes to sampling
the rich gourmet heritage of Piemonte
cuisine….” (The Guardian. 20/07/08).
Usa 20.70%
67
Still The Guardian includes Piemonte in the
top ten ultimate adventures: “Cycling in the
Southern Piemonte takes you away from some
of the better known and more heavily travelled routes in Italy to a region with little traffic
and lots of lovely terrain. There’s clean, floralscented air to breathe and medieval villages
and majestic castles to admire. Winding your
way to the coast theoretically it’s downhill, but
the rolling hills will give you at least a few steep
climbs. A feast for the eyes during the day with
vineyards and orchards to pass, there’s plenty to
feast on by night with local truffles, hazelnuts,
wine and cheese” (The Guardian, 02/09/08). If
we go to Germany, the weekly magazine Die
Zeit suggests a car tour to discover delicacies:
“Piemonte is famous for its culinary traditions.
The refined cuisine, valued wines like Barolo and
Barbaresco, the noble white truffle are indissolubly linked with this Italian north-western
region” (Die Zeit, 20/11/08). Still Die Zeit invites
tourists to visit the natural park of Val Grande,
between Domodossola and Verbania, “for a real
experience in contact with the most uncontaminated nature. Between Val d’Ossola and Val
Vigezzo, the park offers natural spectacular
views beyond the borders of reality” (Die Zeit,
17/07/08).
“
“Piemonte famous
for its culinary traditions.
THE REFINED
cuISINE,
68
valued wines like Barolo and
Barbaresco, the noble white
truffle are indissolubly linked
with this Italian north-western
region” (Die Zeit, 20.11.2008)
”
And if you are looking for “paradise”, Neue
Zürcher Zeitung suggests one: “close to the
Swiss borders, between Val d’Ossola and Centovalli, Called the “Last Paradise”, the National
Park of Val Grande, between Domodossola
and Lake Maggiore, is the ultimate and biggest
wild area still present in Italy. People visiting
this territory first of all find peacefulness and
quietness, and then gorges, valleys, ridges,
waterfalls with “pools”, and a very rich wildlife.
Refuges with minimalist camps make a rest
possible during walks” (Neue Zürcher Zeitung,
17/08/08). And for ski lovers, Süddeutsche
Zeitung suggests a holiday in Alagna, “where
it is possible to ski on seven mountain tops
4.000 metres high, the snow is excellent all the
time and you can ski until June” (Süddeutsche
Zeitung, 17/01/08). While The Times crowns
Pragelato as “It is a picture-perfect ski resort,
with plenty of deep, powdery snow and glorious
sunshine. At this time of year you have the
slopes almost to yourself: in March things will
get busier, but queues in this part of Piemonte
are rare. Pragelato is not just about the snow.
Perched between two national parks, Val Troncea and Orsiera, this is a year-round resort.
Mountain biking, hiking and pony trekking are
popular pursuits during the Summer, as is golf”
(The Times, 08/02/08).
and softened by the Langhe hills has escaped
the mass tourism that has ruined many beautiful
spots in Italy. Hidden treasures can be found in
the small villages that were built by the Romans
on top of the hills” (The Hindu, 11/08/2008). And
from Australia: “It’s easy to see why the Slow
Food philosophy had its genesis in Piemonte.
This region is the rice bowl of Italy and has more
DOP (trademarked origin) products than any
other region except Sicily. Passionate cooks are
typical in Piemonte and it’s hard not to credit
their passion to the diversity and quality of the
local produce. In the surrounding countryside
of the Langhe, food lovers embark on weekend
pilgrimages to savour leisurely lunches at classic trattorias dotted among the Nebbiolo vines.
In Piemonte food and wine is a mission” (The
Sydney Morning Herald, 29/11/2008).
“
As pointed out by the
Financial Times,
Turin is a business city which
cannot be missed given
its proximity to ski resorts.
IDEAL DESTINATION for
businessmen who cannot resist
the temptation of skiing
The region is also making its way in tourist
sectors typical of other Italian areas, such as
business travel and religious tourism: good
transport, congress centres, fairs and the proximity to Alpine resorts make it easier to combine
business and holiday.
As a result, Piemonte is one of the most interesting Italian destinations for business tourism.
As pointed out by the Financial Times, Turin is
a business city which cannot be missed given
its proximity to ski resorts, ideal destination for
businessmen who cannot resist the temptation
of skiing (Financial Times, 03/11/08).
Thanks to the several investments and driven by
the exhibition of the Holy Shroud, Piemonte has
replaced traditional destinations of religious
tourism such as Assisi, Loreto and Naples,
getting a growing visibility by the foreign press.
And if the Russian newspaper Sluzhba Kontinentov mentions the 5 million euro investment made
by the Region for the development of religious
tourism (Sluzhba Kontinentov, 02/10/2008), the
Austrian Die Presse forecasts for 2010 the arrival of nearly two million pilgrims to visit the holy
relic (Die Presse, 02/06/08).
/ MARKETS
Appreciation comes also from the faraway India:
“This Italian region that is framed by the Alps
”
69
/ PRODUCTS AND
SEGMENTS
9/
Turin, tourism and culture:
• I. Destination Turin: a reference
development model for many by Anna Martina
• II. La Venaria Reale, reality and future by Alberto Vanelli
page 72
page 82
10/
Piemonte’ s mountains:
an innovative tourist product
by Luigi Gaido
page 86
Piedmontese hills privileged sceneries
for regional food & wine production
by Valter Cantino
page 96
11/
12/
page 102
page 108
page 120
MICE tourism:
• I. The international meeting industry
by Gabriella Ghigi
• II. Piemonte’ s congress system
in 2008 by Attilio Gardini
and Gabriella Ghigi
• III. The customer satisfaction of
congress tourists in Piemonte by Filippo Monge
71
9/ TURIN. TOURISM AND CULTURE:
I. DESTINATION TURIN:
A REFERENCE DEVELOPMENT
MODEL FOR MANY
by
Anna Martina
The starting point
At the end of the ‘90s the crisis of the Fordist
society, with the resulting impact on the city
economic and social tissue, urged Turin to
make a deep consideration of its future. Turin,
first city in Italy, decided to develop a Strategic
Plan, the main instrument to plan the development of a territory in the medium term and in a
context of strong changes.
Thus, all the city’s political, economic and social
actors were stimulated to equally take part in
the implementation of a specific instrument to
identify and promote the actions required for
Turin’s growth: the Strategic Plan for the city
promotion, called “Torino Internazionale”.
72
It is a development project whose purpose is
to redefine the future of Turin in a shared and
synergic way, by repositioning it at international level, outlining its development assets and
setting its communication goals.
At the same time, a new approach of the public
administration was developed, where business
logic and communication assist the institutional action through territory marketing to seize,
strengthen and manage all the identified development levers and to face the international
competition between cities considered sources
of attraction both for production and tourism.
The Municipality of Turin, in synergy with
the internal communication actions concerning the city, has started a project for enhancing the territory and effectively promote it at
national and international level. The first goal
is to involve the driving elements of Turin’s
economic, productive, political, administrative,
tourist, and cultural world in the definition of a
captivating and evocative image of the city, in
order to meet the expectations generated by the
transformation in progress and to structure a
coherent communication plan addressing also
the world outside the city.
The Municipality of Turin has set the city
external perception as basic assumption of its
communication actions.
And so in 1999 Censis, the Italian social
investment study centre, was asked to carry out
a survey on Turin’s international image through
interviews and case studies run on selected
samples of opinion leaders of the economic,
cultural and institutional world of eight foreign
countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany,
Japan, Great Britain, Spain and United States),
of representatives of foreign economic actors
in Italy and the national and international press
(24 of the main newspapers and journals).
“
Turin was the first city
in Italy to develop a Strategic
Plan, the main instrument to
plan the development
of a territory in the medium
form and in a context of
strong changes
”
But to make Turin capable of attracting business,
investments, companies, tourist flows, fairs and
congresses, new skills, competence centres
(cultural, training, technological), it must be led
outside anonymity on the way to strengthen a
winning image. Thus, for the city administration
it means working in different fields and focusing on different targets: citizens, institutions,
information multipliers inside and outside the
city belonging to the economic, cultural, tourist
world (opinion leaders, opinion makers, foreign
and resident), national and foreign mass media,
meeting planners and tour operators. It means
not working alone.
the goals to pursue are several.
In its modernization plan, the Municipality of
Turin has considered this rich asset as the main
focus of a national and international communication activity with the aim of making the city
more visible, appealing, accessible, with a good
value, and competitive: a strategic prerequisite
to let city play as protagonist in the competitive
scenery with other cities.
It arises that in 1999 Turin is not known, and if
so, it is wrongly perceived, misunderstood. It has
many different potentials which can allow it to
combine the heritage of the past with future
challenges, efficiency and emotion, rationality
and creativity, but its assets are generally not
acknowledged, too weakly evoked and fragmentally communicated.
A significant interpretative approach concerning
Turin’s image perception is the lack (30.6% in the
surveyed sample) of any memory linked with the
city: a “dangerous normality” described with key
words such as efficient/organized, cold/boring/
grey, maybe elegant, but representing Turin
abroad as flat and dull. In brief, when the survey
was carried out, Turin proved to be incapable of
playing the role of great economic and cultural
driver, despite the importance, quality and variety
of its profile. Indeed, in Turin’s “urban container”
there are many substantial ingredients (industry,
technology, international directionality, research
and innovation, artistic and cultural heritage,
history), but the historically poor attention on
image and promotional strategies dramatically reduces its fame and the impact of the city
brand, thus restraining its competitive potential,
essential in the new international scenery, both
to attract flows of investments and visitors who
can contribute to the improvement of the territory
economic tissue.
As a result, Turin decided to lay bare, examine
itself, take off its Fordist clothes and to put on
those of a city with numerous inclinations.
And it was able to identify and understand the
traps and promises of such a mutation.
Considering the characteristics which determine
the profile of a city with a potential high quality
offer, but without an effective and winning image,
73
The need for team work: the first
coordination committee
74
In such a delicate transition phase for the city,
the Municipality of Turin, going beyond its main
competence as public body and beyond its city
borders, started to think and act in terms of
“urban system”, by channelling the activities
of bodies and institutions operating in the key
sectors of the city social, cultural and economic
development around the need to overturn the
city image and enhance it.
Indeed, a complete synergy with other subjects
makes it possible to take a set of perfectly integrated and coordinated actions, whose goal is
not only the implementation of single events,
but also the enhancement of Turin and the
overall territory, to be proposed as a winning
transformation model.
In this respect, communication plays a strategic
role, not only as coordination of messages and
integration of means, but also as a glue between
the different subjects involved.
And so the First Strategic Plan established
the need to set up a coordination committee
between bodies and institutions operating for
Turin’s internationalization which deals specifically with the drawing up and implementation
of an integrated and coherent communication
plan for the international promotion of the city
and its resources.
As a result, following the growing awareness of
Turin’s administration that the fragmentation
and vicious competition between the subjects
operating in the social, economic and cultural
field for the city promotion is one of the main
obstacles to the territory growth, a Coordination Committee was established, aiming at a
virtuous and cooperative competition, based
on the identification of shared priorities, with
the goal of increasing the city fame by improving the way people know and perceive it. In
addition to the Municipality of Turin, represented at that time by the Central Communication
Service, the subjects involved in this activity
of structured communication and systematic
relation are: Turismo Torino, Torino Convention
Bureau, Itp-Investments in Turin and Piedmont,
Chamber of Commerce and Foreign Centre of
Chambers of Commerce, TOROC; then the
following were included: Torino and Piemonte
Film Commission, communication divisions of
Piemonte Region and the Province of Turin for
the coordination between the city and the rest of
the Piedmontese territory.
The first goal of the Coordination Committee is
the development of a city national and international communication plan defining the main
guidelines to be used as basis for an autonomous communication activity of the different
subjects involved according to their specific targets. This process is the meeting point
of different dynamics and generates precise
working methods. The operating task of the
Coordination Committee is to steer the activities of the subjects involved through the focus
on common strategies, shared messages and
contents, implementation of instruments and
actions, still keeping the specific features and
targets of each subject involved.
As a result, Turin is one of the few Italian cities
having different structures specialized in the
promotion of all sectors, actively collaborating
with each other to pursue one common goal:
the city economic development.
The first strategic resource to update Turin’s image
is culture. As pointed out also by the Plan called
Torino Internazionale, permanent resources and
cultural events represent the tangible sign of
transformation and Turin wants to invest in them
to strengthen its international position as European capital. As a result, Turin is seen as European
metropolis, city of culture, meeting point of people
and ideas, crossroads of change and innovation.
In particular, the city of Turin has become a great
protagonist in the promotion of contemporary
art, it is an important source of ideas and offers a
wide range of public and private locations where
contemporary art can be enjoyed (e.g. the Museum
of Contemporary Art in Rivoli Castle, the first created in Italy).
The birth of Artist Lights, a real outdoor exhibition
which makes Turin shine thanks to the installations
of many important contemporary artists, is the first
leading communication event of contemporary
art in Turin, communication is completely developed around Artist Lights with one entire month,
November, dedicated to contemporary art, involving
all Turin’s forces, from city institutions to museums
and private galleries (GAM-Civic gallery of modern
and contemporary art, Museum of Contemporary
Art in Rivoli Castle, Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
Foundation, Merz Foundation) and events (Artissima, Torino Film Festival, Torino Triennale Musei,
Club to club.…)
From the point of view of communication, the
system of contemporary art has become a great
promotional occasion for the city where most of
public relations are concentrated.
The nature of the goals set by the Coordination
Committee (i.e. improving how people know
and perceive Turin to position it among the
most prestigious European destinations) led
the City of Turin to take the lead and share its
communication activity with the other members
of the committee. And so it pledged to develop
a corporate image (as we would call it if the
Municipality were an enterprise) by sharing
messages and contents and by addressing all
the target publics of the other subjects. There
is a product “Turin”, to be proposed to potential tourists, a product suitable for investors, a
product suitable for film makers or congress
organizers, but it is the overall image of a dynamic and hospitable city which enables everyone
to pursue one’s communication strategy and to
make these messages credible and effective.
In this first phase, the main targets are national
and international opinion leaders and information mediators, towards whom actions must
be addressed and developed constantly and
progressively, with a great acceleration reached
in recent years.
To support the continuous improvement of
communication required for Turin’s promotion,
the municipality strengthened its public relation
system by developing, on the one hand, contents,
messages and instruments; and on the other
establishing relations with the reference public
subjects (national and international media and
opinion leaders), still in collaboration with the
other members of the Coordination Committee
for the city promotion.
The role of culture
The first communication plan of the
city of Turin
75
Promotion activities
76
And so in these years a process has been developed to increase Turin’s fame, to improve people’s
knowledge of the city and to change its national
and international perception, with the Winter
Olympic Games as exceptional launching pad.
As the Winter Games were approaching, the
messages concerning Turin city of culture, Turin
transforming city, Olympic Turin, tourist Turin,
Turin city of innovation, interlaced and harmoniously shaped the new identity and image of the
city. However, it would not have been possible to
go beyond the name familiarity (as it happened
for other cities which hosted the Winter Olympic
Games, such as Albertville and Lillehammer),
if Turin had not started, even before the Game
assignment in June 1999, an international
promotional campaign directed to communicate
the changes which were deeply modifying it. The
process of transformation, started in the mid ‘90s,
from automotive city to European metropolis, city
of culture and art, tourist destination, excellent
industrial and technological pole, required a set of
targeted actions to attract information mediators
and draw a new and different interest in the city.
With the designation of Turin as hosting city of the
XX Winter Olympic Games, the process which had
already started was further accelerated.
In particular, two strategic targets can be identified:
• Italian and foreign media;
• publishers and writers of tourist guide books.
As a result, two communication programmes
were developed, complementary both in their
structures and objectives, finalized to correct
and update Turin’s image in the press and international tourist guide books. Through these
targeted actions, the new image of Turin was
conveyed to the great public.
“
As the Winter Games were
approaching, the messages
concerning Turin city of culture,
Turin transforming city, olympic
Turin, tourism Turin, Turin city
of innovation, interlaced and
harmoniously shaped the new
identity and image of the city
Foreign press and presentations
”
The implemented communication strategy was
gradual from a geographical point of view and
targeted from a qualitative point of view. The
first phase involved the media of those countries
considered of immediate reference for the city
promotional policies (France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Great Britain). With
the approaching of the Olympic appointment,
the scope was enlarged to central and northern
European countries, to the US, Canada, Japan,
Russia and China.
A widespread awareness raising activity was
started with the media through one to one
meetings, whose goal was to build the journalists’ loyalty and to become their constant
project and operating reference; through
educational initiatives for groups of journalists
during important exhibitions, festivals or other
events; through press conferences for the city
presentation mainly held abroad.
Throughout the years, the results of this strategy can be measured by the increase in the
number of spontaneous contacts by journalists
Tourist guide books
Winter Olympic Games), in 2005 became a real
international roadshow, seizing the occasion of
Just after three years, in the world bookshops it
is possible to find 22 titles on Turin in 10 different languages, published by the main international publishers (Lonely Planet, Time Out,
Hachette, DuMont, Dorling Kindersley, Mondadori, Touring Club).
The parts concerning Turin were widened and
updated in over 50 guides dedicated to Italy
which now describe the city with great enthusiasm: “Turin has started its Renaissance
and shown up among Italian marvels” (Lonely
Planet); “You will find a gourmand city, which
Turin has started
ITS RENAISSANCE
AND SHOWN UP
aMonG
ITaLIan MaRVELs
(Lonely Planet)
the Olympic event and exploiting the promotional opportunities resulting from the publication
and distribution in the main countries of guide
books dedicated to Turin.
The other strategic target of public relation activities are the publishers and writers of tourist
guides.
In 2003, there was no tourist guide dedicated
to Turin, neither on the national or international market, Piemonte’ s capital was marginally
mentioned in guide books about Italy and described as “a grey, sad and provincial city” (Merian);
“a closed city, where young people always go to
the same places, while the middle class retires
in its clubs” (Routard); “a boring city, whose
nightlife has nothing to do with the fashionable
and sparkling one of Milan and Bologna” (Frommer’s).
asking the press office for up-to-date information and requesting the logistic-organizational
support for drawing up articles; a quantitative and qualitative increase in the number of
journalists attending educational events and,
above all, in the number of published articles.
From 2003 to 2005, the City of Turin hosted
about 270 journalists, including 131 for the 6
educational initiatives organized in 2004 and
over 60 just for the educational organized for the
Test Events of Torino Ice 2005. In 2005, the city
appeared in exhaustive reportages published in
the main international newspapers: New York
Times (USA), Le Monde (FRA), Afisha Mir (RU),
Katei Gaho (JAP), El Pais (E), Le Figaro (FRA),
Los Angeles Times (USA).
Presentations abroad play a significant role as
first contact with the media of target countries:
through press meetings, the city overall offer is
presented together with the main events of the
period, thus establishing a first relation then
strengthened by the invitation to visit Turin for
an educational initiative or for a trip.
This activity, started in 2000 and touching important European cities (Paris, London, Dublin,
Berlin, as well as Vancouver, hosting the next
77
loves life and fun, aristocratic and with an indescribable artistic heritage” (Hachette); “Turin is
like a modern amusement park which jealously
keeps its secrets. Spread news because Turin is
really magic!” (DuMont).
The “Project for Turin’s promotion in tourist
guide books” had medium-long term structural goals: supporting and consolidating the new
and different image of the city, steering short
break and individual tourism, giving tour operators new promotional tools and getting to the
Olympic appointment with a product well distributed in bookshops around the world and available for anyone (journalists, athletes, tourists)
coming to Turin in that period.
For the publication of the different guides, a
calendar of initiatives was developed with local
publishers and the collaboration of foreign
PR agencies: London, Beijing and Shanghai,
Moscow, Tokyo, Istanbul, Helsinki, Madrid,
Barcelona, Paris, and finally New York.
Turin is like a
modern amusement
park which jealously
keeps its secrets.
SPREAD NEWS
bECAUSE, TuRIn Is
REaLLY MaGIC!
(DuMont)
78
The Olympic Games, media and
broadcasters
The activity towards the media was increased
during the Olympic Games. On the one hand,
the Organizer Committee dealt with journalists interested in the sport event, while on the
other territory bodies, to promote the city and
the region, thought strategic to welcome in
the best way all the journalists in town, both
accredited and those not specifically interested
in the Winter Games, as well as those writing
for newspapers and magazines dealing with
tourism, life style, leisure and gastronomy.
Torino Piemonte Media Center
Through a synergic action, City, Province and
Region, in collaboration with the Chamber of
Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture of
Turin and Unioncamere, developed an information programme for journalists based in a dedicated facility, the Torino Piemonte Media Center.
Its purpose was to be a point of reference providing 360° information on the territory and making
journalists know Turin’s and Piemonte’ s excellent
resources, as well as representing a comfortable
and well-equipped workplace.
Over 1300 journalists were accredited by the
Torino Piemonte Media Center, 45% foreign and
55% Italian (around 300 TV journalists, 100 web
journalists, 700 journalists writing for newspapers
and magazines), involved in thematic meetings
with privileged representatives of the cultural,
economic and gastronomic world, in guided visits
on the territory, in a learning process about the
local artistic-architectural heritage, the city urban
and economic transformation and the rich savoir
vivre tradition.
Salt Lake City they were 160), with around 3.2
billion spectators.
An audience which now knows where Turin is
and knows the wealth and attractions of this
rediscovered city.
Those of Torino 2006
are among the MOST
FOLLOWED WINTER
OLYMPIC GAMES IN
HISTORY with
13.000 broadcasting
hours in 200 countries
(in Salt Lake City
they were 160),
with around
In addition to the Torino Piemonte Media
Center, the City of Turin, the Province of Turin
and Piemonte Region offered a high added value
service to TV broadcasters, in order to meet
their specific needs: the PTPress 2006.
Started in April 2005 and continued for sometime after the Paralympic Games, the main
purpose of the project PTPress 2006 was to
direct TV networks in the territory promotion,
by supporting them in their operating needs and
putting them in the condition to produce high
profile programmes enhancing the image of the
territory.
The strong points of this service, provided for
free, are a team of professionals dealing with
producers and TV crews and the creation of the
Torino Piemonte Video Bank, i.e. a video press
folder in five languages which can be consulted
via Internet.
Footage is also provided to TOBO (Torino
Olympic Broadcasting Organisation), i.e. the
internal department of TOROC (Torino Organizing Committee) in charge of the Games broadcasting coverage production and distribution.
Thanks to this service, IT and logistic support
was provided to 45 TV networks of 24 different
countries, for a total amount of 98 crews producing around 480 videos and films broadcast
before, during and after competitions.
As a result of the great effort towards the media,
those of Torino 2006 are among the most followed Winter Olympic Games in history, with
13.000 broadcasting hours in 200 countries (in
3,2 billion
spectactors
Torino and Piemonte Broadcasting
Service
79
The relationship with the NBC
The results
Particularly effective is the close relationship
with the American broadcaster NBC which,
for the seventh consecutive time, acquired the
TV rights for broadcasting the Winter Olympic
Games in the US. Thanks to the work of around
700 technicians and 300 journalists sent to
Turin, the NBC was able to cover an area of
around 203 million spectators, daily connected
with the Olympic city and territory, whose artistic, cultural and gastronomic richness represented an attractive background for the several
network programmes focused not only on the
sport event.
The numerous NBC crews in the city received a consistent logistic, organizational and IT
support, in particular the Today Show, the most
followed US morning programme, which during
the Olympic Games was daily broadcast live
from the studio arranged in San Carlo square,
the so-called “salotto di Torino”; Martha Stewart
Living, the lifestyle TV show hosted by one of the
greatest US TV celebrities; CNBC, the economic channel; Nightly News and Tonight Show,
respectively the evening TV news and the most
successful evening show.
200 countries with around 3.2 billion spectators
and 1500 articles published in newspapers of
the whole world brought Turin under the spotlight presenting the image of a lively, renewed,
interesting and enjoyable city, both for its cultural resources and lifestyle. What was unknown
or unperceived had become universally renowned. And of course, throughout the years many
things had really changed.
Thanks to the Olympic Games, Turin lost its
rhetorical grey aspect and from anonymity it
entered the “world map” with a new and captivating look.
The acknowledgement of success was stressed
by the pages of Italian and foreign newspapers
and magazines which unanimously celebrated the triumph of the City. “Turin queen of
the world” (L’Espresso, 26 November 2005),
“The world says: well done Turin” (Oggi, 22
February 2006), “So Turin has changed face”
(Il Sole 24 Ore, 3 February 2006), “Turin has
won the challenge, no more living on industry
only” (La Repubblica, 10 February 2006), “The
Olympic metamorphosis of Turin” (Le Figaro, 12
February 2006), “A city under metamorphosis”
(El Pais, 22 February 2006), “Turin rebuilds its
image thanks to the Olympics” (USA Today, 15
February 2006), “Turin amazes the whole world”
(Time, 10 February 2006), “Turin shines” (Izvestia, 18 February 2006), “Turin has touched the
sky” (The Guardian, 16 February 2006), “A city
of champions” (Financial Times, 12 February
2006), “The Olympic city: square, practical, chic”
(Der Spiegel, 4 February 2006).
“
The NBC in Turin
for the Olympic Games
80
2006:
700 technicians
300 journalists on the spot
203 million spectators
”
The strategic correlation between industry,
culture and great events, an essential asset for
Turin promotion during the Olympic Games, is
one of the most promising fields of investment
for the future, starting from the already scheduled events, above all the Ostension of the Holy
Shroud, Turin European Youth Capital in 2010
and the 150th anniversary of the Italian Unification in 2011. In addition, it is also very important to increase the appointments in the annual
calendar of festivals (such as Torino Film Festival, MI-TO Settembre Musica, Contemporary
Arts) and fairs (such as Salone del Gusto, Salone
del Libro…), very attractive, even if addressing
a public of lovers ad specialists. These events,
from a tourist point of view, represent an extraordinary resource because they give visibility to
the city and draw the attention of international
media.
The media coverage, not only of the sport
events, presented Turin as a city with numerous interests, historical-artistic resources
and cultural identities. Promoting the territory
image meant providing it with assets to be spent
in each realm of economic and social development to attract foreign investments, stimulate
the internationalization of education and training, enhance the growth of the tourist industry
and improve the urban quality.
The legacy of fame left by the Olympic Games
is an important element for the international
promotion of the city which shall improve its
skills to attract special events. The implementation of a system of international candidatures to host and organize great events is closely
linked with the territory capacity of developing
images which can be communicated through a
project for the territory identity and promotion.
In this respect, the preparation for the Olympic
Games was only the first step for presenting
an alternative image of Turin to that univocally
industrial. Therefore, if the theme of transformation was at the basis of the promotional
activity carried out in the last five years, today
it is necessary to work out new images, suitable
to communicate the opportunities of a mature
territory capable to equal other important European cities.
“
Today it is necessary
to work out
new images,
suitable to communicate
the opportunities of a
mature territory capable
to equal other important
European cities
”
After the Olympic Games
81
9/ TURIN. TOURISM AND CULTURE:
II. LA VENARIA REALE.
REALITY AND FUTURE
by
Alberto Vanelli
Together with the opening of the Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration Centre in
Venaria’s former stables and the opening of the
Horse International Centre at La Mandria Park,
the opening of Venaria Palace, in October 2007,
after two centuries of decay and eight intense
years of restoration, was another key step of the
Project “La Venaria Reale” which, promoted by
the European Union and managed by the Ministry for Arts and Culture and Piemonte Region,
is considered the biggest cultural heritage
restoration yard in Europe.
During the first year, Venaria Reale was visited
by nearly 1 million people, thus respecting its
mission as new centre of cultural production
and contemporary leisure place, capable of
offering the pleasures of history, art and architecture to Italian and international visitors, in
an extraordinary landscape setting. The events
organized in the first twelve months were
many and various: starting with the opening
“
In the first opening year,
with 1 million of visitors,
the mission of
82
NEW CENTRE OF
CULTURAL PRODUCTION
and contemporary LEISURE
PLACE was respected
”
exhibition about Venaria and the Savoy family
La Reggia di Venaria e i Savoia, Arte, magnificenza e storia di una corte Europea (12th October 2007 - 11th May 2008, which was the most
visited in Italy), then Musica a Corte, a cycle of
concerts, from Baroque to contemporary music,
held in S. Uberto Chapel (from November 2007
to February 2008), and the Venaria Real Festival
in the Gardens (17 concerts from 21st June to
12th September 2008); several exhibitions, such
as: L’oro del design italiano in Scuderia Grande
(from 24th April to 31st August 2008), Manti
Regali a Corte, Dal corredo della Regina Maria
José di Savoia in Galleria Grande (from 1st July
to 3rd November 2008), 100 anni di volo italiano
in Piemonte in Scuderia Grande (from 14th to
20th September 2008), Antiquari a Venaria 08,
Biennial antique exhibition displayed in Scuderia
Grande (from 4th to 12th October 2008); and the
numerous events such as La Reggia sull’acqua,
I° Trofeo Armida Peota d’oro (14th and 15th June
2008), the opening of Teatro d’acqua della nuova
Fontana del Cervo in Corte d’onore (15th June
2008) and of the restaurant Dolce Stil Novo alla
Reggia (9th September 2008), the appointments
of Domeniche da Re (concerts and shows held in
the Gardens from June to September), the plays
of Teatro a Corte (July 2008) and of Labirinti di
girasoli in the Gardens (from June to September 2008), as well as the different educational
activities organized during the school year and
in Summer.
“
Venaria’s soul
is directed to the present,
to the NEEDS and
WISHES
of contemporary man,
and from this point of view
it is and must remain
“a permanent
cultural project”
”
of Compagnia di San Paolo, this is a new legal
entity created in the world of cultural heritage
based on articles 112 and 115 of the Code for
Cultural Heritage. The Association grants Venaria Reale a complete managing autonomy with
a brand new administrative model: it deals
with the management of Venaria Palace, the
Gardens, Citroniera (greenhouse) and Scuderie
(stables) and then Villa dei Laghi with parts of
Borgo Castello in La Mandria park.
2009 is a key year, as it shall focus on the
complete consolidation of the capability of
working and making the whole Venaria structure operate effectively. After the starting
phase and after solving the first physiological
operating problems of the complex, it will be
necessary above all to launch the Association activity by hiring new personnel, adopting
expense procedures, setting up the general
organizational structure, enforcing rules and
regulations for a consistent work of the different offices.
Another priority will be the setting up of a
suitable organization for arranging important
temporary exhibitions and planning different
types of cultural and appealing events: for this
purpose an intense calendar of exhibitions and
shows has been developed in order to propose
some of the initiatives experimented so far at
Venaria as coherent and permanent appointments.
In 2008, the Association for the cultural enhancement of “La Venaria Reale” was also formally
established by the Ministry for Arts and Culture,
Piemonte Region, the City of Venaria Reale,
Compagnia di San Paolo, the Art Foundation
In addition, last July with the event La Reggia
di Venaria. Teatro di Storia e Magnificenza the
process of rearrangement of the visiting trail
was started and will be ended in 2009. The
calendar of events culminated with the shows
and animations of Anniversario a Corte organized for the first year of Venaria Palace opening
(12th October 2008); and finally the celebrations
for S. Uberto festivity (11th - 16th November
2008).
Besides the different events listed so far, it is
necessary to mention also the numerous initiatives held in Venaria Reale which was chosen
as prestigious location: congresses, ceremonies, gala dinners, conventions (such as those
for Fiat-Lancia and Alenia-Finmeccanica), but
also high profile institutional events like the
gala evening with the UN Secretary General
or the opening ceremonies of the XXIII World
Congress of Architecture, Turin’s Book Fair
and Artissima. All these activities, in addition
to the ticket sales, generated in the first year
revenues for 7 million Euros.
83
In this context, the communication and promotion capacity is particularly important, mainly
concerning the activities and the services offered to the public in general and the complex and
varied world of cultural tourism in particular
(schools of different types and levels, organized groups, media), while the presence of the
Association at fairs, the implementation of the
website, the creation of new instruments and
communication modes are some of the strategies to be adopted according to plans managed
in line with these goals.
Another key issue is the rearrangement of the
Palace visiting trail: a gradual process of the
exhibition room transformation to be finished
in the next few months, in order to enhance
the “empty” and the “spaces” of its architectural context also through the presence of
works and objects with an evocative meaning,
while in the basement the exhibition structure
describing the history of royal palaces and the
Savoy dynasty will be strengthened. This rearrangement project will require a change of
visual communication with the adoption of a
new publication-guide, new audio-guides and
videos also concerning the installations by Peter
Greenaway. The Gardens, too, will undergo
some changes to welcome better visitors, thus
confirming their role as modern leisure place,
also through renewed initiatives and events like
Domeniche da Re. Moreover, new tenders will
be issued for the management of the bookshop and the coffee refreshment rooms addi-
84
“
With these initiatives, present
and future, Venaria, rather than
going back to its old
magnificence, has found
, thanks to the
new
splendour
new cultural
prospects, and
projects conceived
as Venaria’s specific
and inner value
”
tional but essential services offered by Venaria
Palace.
In 2009 the Association shall also start, as
established by the Plan Agreement, a general
Strategic Plan for the redevelopment of Venaria
unicum, including the old town centre and La
Mandria park: an instrument intended to transform Venaria Reale in a holiday resort, a real
tourist destination where visitors can stay.
Finally, 2009 shall also consolidate the nature
of Venaria Reale as subject of cultural production, with the start up of activities conceived as
a real company branch, finalized to organize
and host great international exhibitions. The
important exhibition on Egypt “Egitto, Tesori
sommersi” raised the curtains on these new
activities: an event which had already touched
other important cities such as Berlin, Bonn,
Paris and Madrid and that Venaria welcomed
with a real added value, as the exhibition was
“
2011,
an event date
for the 150th
anniversary
of the Italian
Unification: on this
The horizon is
occasion Venaria Reale and the
other Royal Palaces will be one
of the main attractions for the
great flows of visitors coming to
Turin and Piedmont
Unification: on this occasion Venaria Reale and
the other Royal Palaces will be one of the main
attractions for the great flows of visitors coming
to Turin and Piedmont.
”
adapted to the imposing stable area of Scuderie
Juvarriane (around 5.000 square metres) and
was completely rearranged thanks to Robert
Wilson’s extraordinary ideas and Laurie Anderson’s refined sound setting, both specifically
conceived just for Venaria, where the exhibition
was exclusively staged in Italy. As a result, the
visit to the exhibition represents a unique experience, both from a learning and emotional point
of view, in line with the other leisure initiatives
proposed by the Reggia and its Gardens.
With these initiatives, present and future, Venaria, rather than going back to its old magnificence, has found new splendour, thanks to the
new cultural prospects and projects conceived
as Venaria’s specific and inner value.
Indeed, Venaria’s soul is directed to the present,
to the needs and wishes of contemporary man,
it is our mission and it is also the criterion we
followed for its restoration; and from this point
of view, Venaria is and must remain “a permanent cultural project”. The new splendour and
the extraordinary architectural quality of the
restored Reggia, the immensity and beauty of
the Gardens and natural spaces of La Mandria
park allow visitors to enjoy pleasant moments,
with new sensations and experiences, in a
combination of 17th-18th century magnificence,
different viewpoints and communication forms,
contemporary culture, according to a modern
conception of “taste” and “art of living” within
everyone’s reach. The horizon is 2011, an event
date for the 150th anniversary of the Italian
85
10/ PIEMONTE’ S MOUNTAINS:
AN INNOVATIVE TOURIST PRODUCT
by
Luigi Gaido
The Piedmontese mountains are varied, wide
and generally not very populated, “close” to
the urban and industrial triangle of the Italian
North-West, with great economic and tourist
flows, where tourism is an irreplaceable
resource, especially for medium-high valleys,
because in general low valleys represent an
extension of the surrounding plains economy.
In other cases, it is definitely a negative factor:
• migrations from greater heights, first down
to the valley floor and then to the plains, since
the 1920’s;
• tourist economy mainly at great heights
and few strong areas;
• model of tourist development based on
second homes and not on rent.
The proximity to urban areas in some cases was
and is an advantage:
• considerable proximity markets with a
traditional mountain practice;
• early industrialization based on the use of
water and energy resources.
Rotation accomodation and tourist overnight stay
Distribution per areas
Number of beds
Province mountain areas• and tourist
overnight 2008 Alessandria
Biella
Cuneo
Turin
VCO
Vercelli
Beds
Hotel
86
910
329
7.472
16.516
3.939
1.140
Region’s
total
mountain
areas
30.306
Extra-hotel
1.345
1.642
13.613
20.265
5.870
3.102
45.837
Total
2.255
1.971
21.085
36.781
9.809
4.242
76.143
40.968
52.474
580.443
2.045.259
302.025
148.323
3.169.492
Annual presence
Source: Sviluppo Piemonte Turismo
ted with the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.
Clearly, the stock of beds on rotation affects the
tourist economy development: the tourist overnight stay, depending directly on the number of
beds, is very poor compared to the territory size.
This also explains why the mountain contribution covers only one quarter of tourist overnight
stay in the whole region.
By breaking down the flows in relation to the
different provinces, it is possible to notice a
great disparity. In particular, the
Province of Turin represents over half of flows
of the whole Piedmontese mountains and the
Province of Cuneo has a greater impact than
the provinces of Verbano Cusio Ossola, Biella,
Vercelli and Alessandria altogether.
Mountain Area Whole Region Number of beds
Total overnight stay
Days of use
76.143
3.169.492
42
The great influence of Turin is clear, with around
half of total accommodation capacity (48%) and
tourist flows (65%)1. Then, Cuneo with little less
than one third of beds and around one fifth of
total flows; followed by Verbano Cusio Ossola,
whose accommodation capacity and flows do
not exceed 13% of total. The other areas cover
the remaining part of accommodation capacity
(11%) and tourist flows (8%).
The key factor is the scarcity of tourist beds on
Piemonte’ s mountains: just 76.200 on rotation,
linked with the economic value of tourism. It
must be noticed that this amount has grown
by 12% in the last two years, in 2005 they were
little less than 68.000. This boom is closely rela-
Prov. Turin
2.045.259
Prov. Cuneo
580.443
Prov. VCO
302.025
Prov. Vercelli
148.323
Prov. Biella 52.474
Prov. Alessandria 40.968
Tot. without Prov. TO
Tot. without Prov. TO and CN
1
Data 2008. Source: Sviluppo Piemonte Turismo.
1.124.233
543.790
Tourist overnight stay 2008
Mountain area per Province 87
Considerations on results
It is clear that the provinces where big and good
quality ski resorts are located are those with a
higher tourist weight.
This is important to dispel all doubts about the
fact that, in the short term, it is impossible to
radically change the current models of development with a considerable increase of ski areas
and the exclusive focus on alternative types of
tourism and tourist activities.
The limited use of beds for tourism on Piedmontese mountains cannot be explained univocally. In addition to the difficulty of collecting
data, probably there is a lack of perception of
the Piedmontese mountain offer by tourists
also due to the poor visibility before the Winter
Olympic Games.
Analysing the history records concerning tourist
overnight stay, it seems that the Piedmontese
tourist system has reached a certain balance,
but a “conservative” balance, which influences
its development. Moreover, the number of available tourist beds indicates that:
• except for some areas with very high flows
(already equipped), the intermediation of
tour operators and agencies is difficult: it
seems almost impossible to provide marketing allotments considering the average size
of businesses and their limited number, but
it is also true that Internet now offers new
opportunities to all businesses;
• there is a wide stock of beds in second
homes, 800.000 all over the region (ISNART/
SPT 2009). Reintroducing second homes beds
in the whole tourist accommodation system
is a key point for a short term promotion or
relaunch of tourist economy in some areas of
the Piedmontese mountains.
“
The great influence of
TURIN is clear,
with around half of total accomodation capacity
(48%) and tourist flows (54%).
Then, CunEO with one third of beds and around one fifth of total flows; followed by
Verbano Cusio Ossola, whose
accomodation capacity and flows do not exceed
15% of total. The other areas cover the remaining
part of accomodation capacity (11%)
and tourist flows (9%)
88
”
Product distribution per areas Product
Area No
Summer Nature sports
6
Culture and material culture
6
Traditional winter sports
5
Arising winter sports
5
Natural environment 5
Religious/devotional destinations
5
Summer facilities sports
4
Enogastronomy
4
One day tourism
4
Open air
3
Traditional and artistic handicraft
3
Health and wellness
3
High range
2
Mice
2
Business tourism
2
Mainstream target
1
Alpine health holiday
1
Special events
1
The products assigned by the Regional Strategic Tourist Plan to mountain areas are 18,
whose themes range from the natural environment to cultural heritage, from sport offer to
food & wine products or handicrafts; some are
also connected with the type of accommodation (High range, Mainstream target and Open
Air) or the Analysing the products identified in
the different areas, it arises that most of them
are present in several territories. The greatest distribution - in all areas - can be found in
two cases (Summer nature sports and Culture
and material culture), on the contrary in three
other cases (Mainstream target - VCO; Alpine
heath holiday - TO; Special events - BI) these
products are found just in one area.
Tourist products identified by the
Regional Strategic Tourist Plan in
mountain areas
89
Strategic line products
To be noticed that among the various lines, “Developing products with potentials to be expressed”
(14) and “Strengthening the fame and image of
Piemonte’ s tourism” (10) prevail against other
policies, “Acting on products immediately marketable”, “Supporting marketable niche products”
and “Supporting or developing products which
complete and characterize the territory offer”
include 6 products each. Finally, “Relaunching
products affected by a loss of competiveness”
includes 3 products. No product is found in the
line “Redeveloping or developing products in
areas affected by a loss of competitiveness or by
problems of economic upgrading”.
This distribution stresses, on the one hand, the
presence of a considerable amount of products
suitable for the market and already driving
tourism. On the other, there is the particular indication of territories with unexpressed potential.
The greatest flow generators - Turin and Cuneo base their offer on sports, especially in winter, as
these two areas are the only ones including Tradi-
90
tional winter sports in the category of immediately marketable products. This happens despite
important ski resorts and facilities can be found
also in the area of Verbano Cusio Ossola, Vercelli
and Biella. No surprise that Verbano Cusio Ossola
and Vercelli include traditional winter sports in
the category of critical products due to a loss of
competitiveness, a category also regarding some
areas in the province of Turin.
On the opposite side there are mountain areas
which can count on a range of products not linked
with ski lifts: Alessandria first, but also Biella and
Vercelli, where winter sports still have margins
of growth: for traditional and emerging sports in
Biella and for emerging sports in Vercelli.
In these areas, even if with some differences, the
new focus is on culture and identity represented
through various expressions: architecture, religion, handicrafts, and food & wine products.
Basically, the Piedmontese territory is subdivided into three zones with different morphological, offer and flow characteristics.
The first, with a marked tourist strength, is
mainly linked with winter sports, especially in
Turin; the second, intermediate, is between the
first and third type as it has good ski lifts and
therefore considerable tourist flows in winter,
but also in summer - e.g. in some areas near
Cuneo; the third, mainly focused on Summer
holidays, has lower tourist flows.
Due to their different structural differences,
these three types have different development
models.
The first is characterized by a strong territory
concentration and the presence of considerable investments, mainly on ski lifts which have
longer return times and so need great tourist
flows (and bed availability) to allow such a return.
The second, representing most Piedmontese
mountains, is a model with a wide territory distribution which could be better characterized by
games and sports thanks to smaller investments
and therefore with shorter return times.
Winter sport is the prevailing model in Winter
due to tourist overnight stay and turnover
compared to Summer, with a good availability
of rotation beds, at least in Piedmont.
The mountain tourist system with the highest
tourist overnight stay in Winter is Alta Val di
Susa. The valleys of Mondolè Ski and Val Vermegnana show a balanced tourist overnight stay
between Winter and summer: however, considering that the daily expense is higher in Winter,
these sites have a greater turnover in Winter.
The model of “intermediate” locations or territories includes wide ski areas (over 20 km of
slopes) served by a good ski lift system, as in
Alta Valsesia or Macugnaga, but where the availability of rotation beds is poor and tourist flows
are distributed in Winter and Summer, with the
latter prevailing. Often these locations and territories are situated near stronger tourist areas.
These are often quality territories with important tourist potentials which have not been
suitably exploited and need to be improved.
Of course, these locations and territories must
be monitored, but the sensation is that, without
a specific support, they are not really capable of
expressing all their potentials.
The rest of the Piedmontese mountain, actually
most of it, is based on a development model
mainly focused on the Summer season, widespread offers and activities, with limited tourist
flows and poor accommodation facilities.
However, this “widespread” model also represents a future opportunity considering the
problems linked with climate changes and the
current economic crisis which impose the need
to rethink the structure of the mountain tourist
offer.
As said above, the general economic model of
Piedmontese mountain tourism is “conservative”. This type, compared to dynamic business models, does not focus on the growth of
revenues, but rather on the maximisation of
revenues with a reduction of “risks” achieved
by controlling opening periods of businesses or
service provision.
Another important fact is that, except for tourist
systems with high flows and territory concentration - i.e. Olympic sites, Mondolè Ski and
Limone Piemonte - the remaining part of territory has a more or less widespread tourism,
generally not very well organized locally, i.e.
consisting of single realities offering sometimes quality products, but without the tendency
to create systems and attack the market.
For this reason, it seems that the Piedmontese
mountains, from a tourist point of view, are yet
to be “invented”.
The development models which have been
identified so far are based on different holiday
methods and seasons which should be supported by specific policies.
“
The Piedmontese mountains,
from a tourist point of view,
are yet to be “invented”:
its development models are
based on different HOLIDAY
METHODS AND SEASON, which
should be supported by specific
policies
”
Development models
91
Climate changes and resulting
impact
Observing climate changes, with the recent and
forecast global warming depleting the earth
snow cover and increasing the cost of artificial
snowmaking, it is evident that considerable
investment in equipments (also for snowmaking) shall be made in the suitable locations
for their exposure, size, height, and accommodation availability, i.e. those sites which
can attract great tourist flows, the only factor
which can ensure an economic return of these
investments. In the medium-long term, due to
the poor snow falls at heights below 2.000 m. it
will probably be necessary to adapt the slope/
ski-lift functional system and the marketing
approach based on drops and slopes to height
ski areas where skiers can be stocked, according to specialized areas.
The current economic crisis
92
The phenomenon (and its effects) is not well
known as it was declared only in the last six
months of 2008 and the reference to big crises of
the past, like that of ‘29, does not help because
at that time mass tourism did not exist.
In few months we have passed from the speculative bubble to global recession whose negative
impact is doomed to last for a long time. Recession means reduction of consumption which
will probably affect all sectors, tourism included. This inevitably implies cuts and sacrifices
which will firstly and mainly affect unnecessary
goods. Obviously, it is important to understand
how consumers will interpret the meaning of
unnecessary: indeed, it is not said that tourism
will be considered as such.
However, to be in the right, it is necessary to
think that this contraction will also affect the
tourist sector and that it is essential to analyze
its possible repercussions.
The consequences might be a reduction in
departures, cheap or even low cost product
purchases, with a preference for nearby destinations. Probably, also the capacity of investments
in second homes might fall.
This does not imply a general and considerable
reduction for all. First, crises are “selective” and
those working better can finally get benefits.
That is why key sectors, like promotion, shall
not be abandoned, but rather strengthened.
“
In terms of
development models,
it is necessary to enforce those
models ensuring the
economic GROWTH
with a low consumption of
resources and energies, as well
as a low impact on the territory
and environment
”
Moreover, no segment can be excluded beforehand. An example: proximity tourism, including
second homes, could be economically revitalized and therefore it shall not be neglected or its
potential considered “exhausted”.
In the near future it will be necessary to redefine products and above all reference markets,
keeping in mind that in periods of crisis alliances
are essential and therefore it is important to work
jointly to create a territory system and brand.
In general, tourist flows and their distribution,
except for some areas, do not seem to have an
excessive impact on the environment. Even if in
some periods (weekends and holidays) trips on
the outskirts record considerable flows concentrated in specific areas for sedentary activities,
with negative consequences in terms of waste
and car parks.
Actually, in the future social and economic
sustainability will be the critical element of
mountain tourism. Indeed, the population
ageing and the lack continuity in handing over
local businesses to younger generations might
lead to a rapid erosion of tourist flows and induced economy.
Therefore, in terms of development models, it
is necessary to enforce those models ensuring
the economic growth with a low consumption of
resources and energies, as well as a low impact
on the territory and environment.
What are the potentials which can be expressed
in the medium term? From a numerical point of
view, if we assume an increase in the opening
days of businesses to 90/100 days in 2 seasons
with a 60% average employment rate, the potential tourist overnight stay, considering the current
rotation accommodation availability, will barely
exceed 4 million. It means a 30% growth compared to 2008, with a gap of nearly 1 million.
As a result it is possible to assert that mountain
tourism is a potential source of economic
growth for Piemonte and represents an area
where investments, if made on good projects,
can have interesting returns.
However, such a widespread tourism involving a
considerable number of valleys makes it more
difficult to create local networks and to organize
independent tourist systems, capable of reaching
the national or international market. This is due,
on the one hand, to the real physical difficulty of
gathering operators, on the other to the need of
developing a new tourist culture based on the
knowledge of markets, their services, performance and response, business promotion and
marketing both in Italy and abroad.
Sustainability
Possible policies concerning Piemonte mountain tourism
Potential for development
Capacity factor
100%
80%
60%
30%
60 gg
4.568.580
3.654.864
2.741.148
1.370.574
90 gg
6.852.870
5.482.296
4.111.722
2.055.861
100 gg
7.614.300
6.091.440
4.568.580
2.284.290
120 gg
9.137.160
7.309.728
5.482.296
2.741.148
140 gg
10.660.020
8.528.016
6.396.012
3.198.006
Potential tourist presence according to the number of beds,
season lenght and
use coefficent
93
Positioning and image
The winning strategy for the future is to conceive
playful products focusing on funny and leisure
aspects to be stressed in the various advertising
materials.
The concept to be expressed for Piemonte could
be: “Funny mountain, mountain for everyone”.
Two factors must be stressed in the connection
between positioning and products in relation to
customer segments:
• this image and the resulting products
respond to young people’s needs;
• the figure of 1.000/1.200 m. which discriminates older customers, can be easily reached
in Piedmontese mountains.
In terms of customer segments, it means focusing on young people (16-25) as an investment
and on families (30-50) as core business, with
an eye on the special segment of 50-65 year-old
people (sports people, for example).
Even if Piemonte’ s name is closely linked with
the mountains, it does not essentially have a
mountain image, except for the Olympic locations, actually more connected with the image
of Turin rather than that of the mountains.
Maybe, it would be advisable to develop a specific brand “Piemonte’ s mountain” to be presented as part of the region’s brand.
94
“
Mountain tourism is a potential
source of economic growth for
Piemonte and represents an
area where investments,
if made on good projects can
have interesting returns
”
Policies according to goals and
development models
The following points out the strategic and
operating concepts and the main actions, i.e.
the priorities of Piemonte Region for developing
mountain tourism.
Then, these priorities shall be integrated with
other types of actions considering the specific
features of each territory.
For winter sports
It means completing the ski area updating already started with the Olympic event, through:
• accurate knowledge of the whole ski lift
system (Snow Plan to be completed);
• financial support to the infrastructures
required to increase attractiveness (ski lifts,
snowmaking equipment, snowcats, handsfree skipass readers):
At the same time encouraging:
• integration of tickets issued by different
companies or concerning different activities;
• use of ski lifts in Summer with the creation of
new activities or interest centres at height.
For locations and territories
“intermediate”
It implies a re-alignment of their offer in relation to market expectations. For Winter, the
focus shall be mainly on a diversification of the
activities linked with snow and ice, but also on
cultural and leisure activities other than skiing.
For Summer, it is necessary to complete the
offer of activities and entertainment.
In general, it is necessary to increase the quantity and quality of tourist and reception services.
Finally, there is also the need to get specialized
It means enhancing the birth of a real tourist
economy by creating the conditions necessary
for the development of small valley centres
where concentrating (if possible) all activities
and accommodation facilities. In general, it is
necessary to support projects and initiatives
with low investments and running costs. In the
case of ski lifts in local resorts or areas, as they
are not autonomous attractors, they should be
considered as sporting facilities, swimming
pools or football fields.
In the medium term the increase of accommodations is one of the main needs for the development of Piedmontese tourism, in particular
in the mountain.
As mentioned above, once established that except
for some areas with high flows, it is very difficult
to ensure the T.O. and agency intermediation, it
is necessary to include in the accommodation
system at least a part of the real estate segment
represented by secondary residences.
This is not an easy operation considering that
the economic value of second home tourism
is significant, therefore at the same time it
is necessary to work to extend the length of
secondary residents’ stays by developing ad
hoc tourist products and services. This way the
operation could be winning.
For local businesses and networks:
the quality of hospitality
Data confirm that the fragmentation of supply is
too big on very large territories.
There is a state of non-organization of operators
“
For winter, the focus shall be
mainly on a diversification of
the activities linked with snow
and ice, but also on cultural
and leisure activities other than
skiing. For summer, it is
necessary to complete the offer
of activities and entertainment
”
For the development models of “intermediate locations or territories” and “widespread
tourism”, the main priority is to create forms of
meta-management in and between the valleys,
with the specific purpose of:
• raising awareness of present and future
businessmen and improving their entrepreneurial culture in relation to the market, its
expectations and innovation;
• coordinating the creation of products and
their marketing in collaboration with agencies or T.O. through the Internet, with the aim
of organizing and selling packages for niche
markets, considering the current accommodation availability.
Hospitality, quality of accommodation and
completeness of supply are the strong items
at the basis of regional policies promoting
mountain tourism.
“
In the mountains:
76.143 BEDS
42 day of use
3.169.492 total
”
tourist presence
For areas with widespread tourism
on the territory, as well as a poor knowledge of
market trends, but this is not really a lack of organization because there are no local networks,
apart from those resulting from personal but
isolated contacts in faraway locations.
in relation to specific customer segments to
prevent wasting resources and energies.
95
11/
PIEDMONTESE HILLS
PRIVILEGED SCENERIES FOR
REGIONAL FOOD&WINE PRODUCTION
by
96
Valter Cantino
Piedmontese hills are soft and inviting places
of intact beauty. Gently moulded by nature into
round rises, farmed with love and passion to
grow vineyards in the shadow of castles and
small villages. A relaxing landscape, an oasis
of peace where life runs on a human scale, an
invitation to rediscover the values of a millenary civilization.
In the assessment of Piemonte as regional
tourist system capable of attracting significant
flows of guests and visitors, the hills are an
important element for the value and image of
the regional tourist brand.
Alba, Acqui, Langhe, Roero, Asti, Monferrato,
Casale are territories which, thanks to their
peculiarities, are likely to become the pole of
food & wine tourism with an offer of products
best representing the characteristics of our
territory, in Italy and abroad. The common
appeal of these territories are food & wine
products; in addition they have a pre-existing
identity, established before the recent flows
of tourists. This identity is based on the typical hill landscape, the symbolic meaning it was
given by literature, the cultural values of typical products, and a widely diversified accommodation offer combining different facilities
and services in each area, distributed on the
territory according to the model of widespread
hospitality.
The economic and tourist development has
touched several areas (Langhe, Alessandria,
Monferrato) which, exploiting local resources,
have been able to evolve. Long ago winemaking
boomed in Langhe (areas of Barolo, Barbaresco and Dolcetto) and then expanded to other
territories thanks to the quality of their lands
and above all to the smart and effective initiative of small and medium enterprises. The flow
of capitals has allowed the growth of top level
enterprises, technologically advanced. This
has had a great impact on the whole economy,
made up of skilled wine growers, agribusiness
and restaurant operators who, by keeping culinary traditions, have been capable of revitalizing ancient taverns and hotels where 1950’s
middle-class and educated tourists used to
stay, or promoting the new offers of farm holiday centres.
“
This is one of the most
beautiful landscapes in
the world, but they became
“le Langhe” when local
poets started evoking their
ghosts, giving them sensations
and feelings, like Cesare
Pavese, or passed from legend
to history, like
Beppe Fenoglio
”
Today tradition can be found in festivals, often
re-established with a philological intent,
but also in small scale economies based on
producers of the confectionery, dairy, fruit
“
The TOUR OPERATOR, essential actor of territory hospitality,
shall establish a close relation
with the incoming guests,
the territory and local producers
without focusing
only on demand and
supply
”
The tour operator, essential actor of territory
hospitality, shall establish a close relation with
the incoming guests, the territory and local
producers, without focusing only on demand
and supply. The operator is in a key position
both for the promotion of local products and
the territory communication and protection. By
promoting taste education, territory excellent
products and their origins, the operator can
play a fundamental role in creating a network
of the whole tourist supply. The enhancement
of the tourist sector can be achieved through
innovative and specialized training and the
development of skills will be more and more a
key factor for the success of our territory thanks
to integrated activities and synergic programmes typical of life-long learning organized by
our bodies, universities and enterprises.
The University of Gastronomic Sciences in
Pollenzo is a crucial actor in this process of
development of the strong points at the basis of
our region’s tourist strategy. The vision which
inspired the founder of this University is that
gastronomy plays a significant role being deeply
rooted in the past, however this tradition today
is no longer handed over with the same old
methods, i.e. through oral habits and customs.
The professional profile obtained with the
University three-year degree, the gastronomist,
is developed in the context of food technology
with a special focus on the cultural dimension.
Now we are living in a post-industrial society
and the food & wine sector is an important
asset which, to be marketed, must be related to an evolved consumer who requires the
support of highly educated operators capable
of selling such a complex product. The profile
resulting from this first level of our university
& vegetable and packaging sectors. But the
main product is still wine because, better than
anything else, it expresses the real and deep
economic-cultural identity of this land; however, a trip across Piemonte’ s hills also means
discovering another and diverse richness.
It is true, these are myths, i.e. things apparently useless. But without myths, without a real
historical memory, i.e. without landmarks,
neither people nor culture or farmlands can
survive. Langhe became “le Langhe” in people’s
minds when they became a myth, i.e. the object
of a real story, popular, charming and dreamy,
generated by imagination.
This is one of the most beautiful landscapes in
the world, but they became “le Langhe” when
local poets started evoking their ghosts, giving
them sensations and feelings, like Cesare
Pavese, or passed from legend to history, like
Beppe Fenoglio.
To keep this feature, which attracts considerable flows of daily tourists, but above all to
develop it through cultural reception models
enhancing the hills as destinations of short
breaks or longer holidays and their production
of specialities, operators must understand the
importance of proposing activities, products
and investments in favour of a diversification of
agricultural resources and the safeguard of the
environmental and landscape heritage.
97
degree is very important because it deals with
food processing and technology inside the food
production chain linked with distribution and
consumption. Indeed, in a learning cycle deeply
linked to the territory, the winning philosophy is
not the exaggerated search for a type of production favouring single persons while damaging
the whole system, but a production chain where
single producers can become emancipated in
relation to the whole productive system.
The aim of the second level of our university
degree is to raise the students’ awareness
on the value of the food & wine sector as well
as the value of the territory. Thus education
is developed in two directions: the institutional one to train people suitable for working in
international, national and local institutions,
and a more private one. The target does not
only include our three-year graduates, but also
people having a degree in political sciences, law
or technological areas who want to be further
educated to work in a food production chain
“
safeguarding our deeply rooted cultural values.
In this sense, our second level course can be
considered a tourist degree because tourism,
just like other products, to be sold requires
skilled people capable of enhancing the value
of specific areas.
If I visit a territory I want to enjoy its peculiarities and will appreciate the support of a skilled
person showing me the characteristics of local
products, stressing the importance of a short
production chain. Once it was not possible to
transport goods and in that context it was easier
to preserve local products which nowadays
might not really be profitable if considered from
a pure economic point of view. This could be an
original vision of the challenge in this critical
moment: enhancing those businesses which in
the past were not able to sustain a personal
economy.
The third level of our university education will
be the Food Policy Doctorate, in addition to a
specialized school on food policy - Scuola di
Alti Studi - for anyone qualified to attend post-
made up of
wine growers,
agribusiness and restaurant operators who,
by keeping culinary traditions, have been capable of revitalizing
ancient taverns and hotels where 1950’s middle-class
and educated tourists used to stay, or promoting the new offers of
farm holiday centres
98
”
We are thinking of our hills, instinctively associated to excellent food and wines.
Data confirm that this is the right way, but what
matters at the moment is “what is behind food”,
an aspect not enough debated. The cultural
value of food instead is a competitive factor
of diversification: it is important to invest in
culture, to rediscover our roots, to return to the
country side, to provide a sustainable model for
the people, re-examined through innovation
and technology. This investment in the connection between tradition and innovation is not an
end in itself because some of our implemen-
ted projects have already gained visibility. For
example, that of a market leader tour operator
who, in close collaboration with the University
of Gastronomic Sciences for defining routes and
themes, has combined the skilled management
of tourist services with the advice of food & wine
experts who have selected restaurants, where it
is possible to taste local cuisine, and businesses
to be visited to find out how typical products are
made. And Piedmontese hills are the perfect
setting with the great Langa wines and the traditional cuisine of Monferrato Casalese. In addition, to make this experience even more special,
a local guide will help visitors understand the
genuine link between a territory and its history,
with a special focus on the region food & wine
resources, while a tourist guide will illustrate
the most important cultural sites.
In repositioning a territory which has questioned its industrial origin, hopefully still solid,
additional factors are essential for welcoming
new challenges through a consolidated system.
“
Data confirm that this is the
right way, but what matters at
the moment is
.
It is important to invest in culture,
to REDISCOVER OUR ROOTS,
to return to the countryside, to
provide a sustainable model
for the people, re-examined
through innovation
and technology.
“what is
behind food”
”
graduate courses, also including a cross-subject
faculty dealing with food policies considered
from an economic, sociological, anthropological,
environmental, climate and legal point of view.
Our reality consists of several small operators
enhancing local territory, in a region where
the hills have their specific characteristics and
identity. However, the past age of industrial
development, however important, led people to
leave the countryside, and therefore also their
jobs and culture. In this context, the value of an
association like Slow Food is the defence and
rescue of these values, while the University of
Gastronomic Sciences has a different origin and
is institutionally based on scientific analysis,
research and innovation. The University role is
to revitalize research, otherwise it would merely
be the way of conveying learning models which
are not its own, without developing new ones.
In the food & wine sector, compared to other
sectors, service, intangible values and cultural
dimension have a great impact. These factors, if
well perceived, support distribution and become
a source of attraction for the territory.
99
The policies of public decision-makers shall
make this process easier, while industry, mainly
consisting of small enterprises offering excellent niche products, but poorly communicated,
shall be more aware of being part of an integrated production chain where team game is
essential.
It is important to notice that the end of a general
critical year instead was positive for the export
of Piedmontese food products which closed the
last quarter of 2008 with + 4.5%, thus adding 42
million Euros to the 930 earned in the corresponding period of 2007. Food products made
in Piedmont, third item in the Subalpine export
turnover after means of transport and mechanical parts, is actually the only positive item.
These good results and potentials have led to the
introduction inside the University of the project
called “Officine di Pollenzo”, a programme of
knowledge office transfer concerning the food
chain production methods.
Officine is a brand that we want to propose at
University through a training model made up of
different stages: first student, then entrepreneur and finally team manager, to rediscover
lost knowledge and replicate it. A key role will
be played by innovation, the capacity of promo-
100
ting university spin-off initiatives in the research
field to rediscover the traditional production
of bread, beer, cheese, preserves, jams and
marmalades, for the defence and enhancement
of a model which, by integrating technology, can
become again sustainable and find a new distribution balance.
“
Industry, especially small
enterprises offering excellent
niche products but poorly communicated, shall be more aware
of being part of an integrated
production chain where team
game is essential
”
12/ MICE TOURISM:
I. THE INTERNATIONAL
MEETING INDUSTRY
by
102
Gabriella Ghigi
The meeting industry in Italy is the first segment
of the tourist sector in terms of turnover. This
result is probably a lot below our potentials
if we consider that the rate of international
meetings last year was around 4%. Yet international meetings are those with the best results.
And if we compare them with national events
the higher figures concern:
• average per-capita expense (the national
congressman spends 3 to 4 times more than
tourist)
• length of stay
• number of participants
• use of territory services
The countries with stronger economies have
much higher export rates (hosted international
meetings) amounting to 20-30%. In the international classifications (ICCA – International
Conference and Convention Association and UIA
Union of International Association) of meeting
hosting cities, the first ones are Wien, Berlin,
Barcelona, Paris, London and many others.
These associations declare that Europe is a
leader for number of international association
meetings and associations located in the continent. These customers require complex services, skilled professionals and a guaranteed top
level performance. Therefore, competition can
be won with quality rather than with price, a
feature rewarding developed countries.
Upon these considerations, it is normal to
wonder why our country cannot raise the
amount of international meetings. In Europe
we are one of the main tourist destinations, we
have a developed economy, and therefore we
can provide complex services. But recently we
have lost figures and ended up with a negative
result of international meetings: actually there
are more Italians going abroad rather than
foreign congressmen coming to Italy.
Following these remarks, we felt the need to
understand the distinctive elements of the most
successful meeting destinations.
Field of survey
Our research focused on 16 European cities
selected according to their first-ranking position in ICCA or UIA classifications and in some
cases for some factors shared with Turin. Often
the most successful locations are capitals and
so the comparison with Turin cannot really be
made, while there are more analogies with
other cities, for example Lion ranking 40th in
the ICCA classification out of over 500 world
destinations.
Assessment criteria focused both on infrastructural factors (size of congress centres, hotel
accommodations, connection and transport
systems) and managerial factors.
vities and therefore need conference rooms.
Meetings, in particular those of international
associations, are financed through the sale of
exhibition areas to sponsors, and so these areas
must be present. Therefore, these two activities
are complementary.
Congress centres analyzed
N.
Location
City
Nation
Type of location
1
Amsterdam RAI Amsterdam
Holland
Congress and exhibition centre
2
CCIB Barcelona
International
Convention Centre
Barcelona
Spain
3
Budapest Congress
& World Trade Centre
Budapest
Hungary
Congress centre
4
Bella Center
Copenhagen
Denmark
5
Edinburgh International
Conference Centre - EICC
Edinburgh
Great Britain
6
Centre International
de Conferences Geneva
Switzerland
Congress centre
7
Scottish Exhibition +
Conference Centre
Glasgow
Great Britain
8
Istanbul Convention
and Exhibition Centre
Istanbul
Turkey
Congress centre
9
Cité Centre de Congrès
Lion
France
Congress centre
10
Lisboa Congress Centre
Lisbon
Portugal
Congress centre
Congress centre
11
Palazzo dei Congressi
Lugano
Switzerland
12
Forum Grimaldi Montecarlo
Principality of Monaco Congress centre
13
Nice Acropolis Convention
and Exhibition Centre Nice
France
14
Paris Expò CNIT
La Défense Paris
France
15
Palacio de Congresos
Valencia
Spain
Congress centre
16
Austria Center
Wien
Austria
In 7 cases out of 16, congress centres are situated inside fair grounds, thus linking congress
activities with exhibitions. These two functions
have many elements in common: exhibitions
include a lot of training and information acti-
Infrastructural aspects
103
To assess the offered performance we have
used the selection criteria of customers:
• suitable congress centres
• 5, 4, 3 star hotel rooms, according
to the congress centre capacity, possibly
at a pedestrian distance
• connection system
In those cities where congress buildings are
more than one, only the biggest has been
taken into consideration.
According to the classification of each
congress centre size, the following average
figures arise:
Plenary seats
Room No.
Tot. seats
Room No.
Exhibition area Sqm.
Restaurant
seats inside
Average
3.013
27
8.182
17.149
2.953
Torino Lingotto
1.901
13
3.500
1.200
350
Plenary room Foreign CC
>2.000 18.75%
>3.000 31.25%
104
from 2.000 to 3.000 50.00%
Bedrooms
5 stars
Bedrooms
4 stars
Bedrooms 3 stars
Bedrooms
Total
Average
2.243
6.036
5.156
13.435
526
3.211
4.925
8.662
Turin Managerial aspects
Also considering managerial aspects, there are
very interesting facts.
Conference room hiring fees are based on an
average daily use of 12 hours.
Response times to an enquiry are very rapid: the
average is 6.63 days, but excluding the last two
centres, it falls to 4 days. Six congress buildings
reply in 1 day, therefore with very rapid times
for the implementation of complex proposals,
where it is often necessary to involve other
presence of 5 star hotels and limited numbers
of bedrooms from 3 to less star hotels. In general, the availability of bedrooms is higher than
Turin (8.700. with 566 in 5-star hotels).
We can argue that the presence of a strong
congress activity has contributed to enlarge and
improve the hotel offer.
From an infrastructural point of view, the
analyzed cities have bigger congress buildings,
bigger hotels and also a higher number of flight
connections.
suppliers.
The customers interested in the services of
these facilities receive an accurate treatment,
their different needs are all met, not only in
relation to the room rent.
50% of the facilities include a plenary room with
2.000 to 3.000 seats, over 80% have more than
2.000 seats.
All the analyzed cities have good flight connections: on average, the airport is 14 Km far from
the congress centre and works with 56 flying
companies.
In Turin, the distance is lower, 9.5 Km, but the
flying companies present when the research
was carried out were half, i.e. 27.
The composition of hotel accommodation is
rather different from that of our country, where
the number of hotel rooms increases progressively from 5 to 3 star hotels. In the analyzed
foreign cities, it is the opposite: we find a strong
105
Provided services Catering
91,30%
Audiovisuals
89,96%
Arrangement
17,39%
Hotel
8,70%
Hostess
4,35%
The most successful congress centres advance
complex proposals including most of the services which can be purchased for a congress and
many different benefits.
In particular, these centres can put forward
proposals which can bring an economic advantage to the customer thanks to the collaboration
with the local convention bureau or the state
organization.
Here some examples:
• Amsterdam. Organizing a meeting or an
international congress in Holland means
creating a new business with a pre-defined time length: both require capitals and
resources to cover possible business risks.
To cover these costs, the Pre-financing and
Guarantee Fund (VGF) was set up, an initiative of the Dutch Ministry for Economic Affairs
and the Dutch Congress
Industry Association (NBTC). The Pre-financing and Guarantee Fund does not imply
any interests and can be requested to cover
initial costs and/or as basic capital against
106
the reduction in the number of participants.
Requests are subject to the approval of a
commission.
Main conditions: minimum length 2 days, use
of a PCO, written request sent at least one
year earlier, financial responsibility held by a
no-profit foundation.
• Edinburgh. The Congress Building is linked
with the Convention Bureau which offers:
site inspection with free hospitality for the
customer and all the delegates, “welcome
drink reception” offered by the city, free
hotel booking, discount card for local transport, free maps and brochures, promotional
material before the congress, fundraising
assistance for no-profit associations.
• Principality of Monaco. Here the Convention
Bureau manages the hotel booking and offers
anyone using at least 2 hotels and 1.200 room
nights: welcome drink with champagne and
snack, return bus hotel/gala dinner, if held
inside the Principality, restaurant discounts,
shops, museums.
of the services which can be
purchased for a congress and
many different benefits
”
From the received documentation it is possible to identify some common elements for the
success of the main congress centres:
• Quick reply
• Offer of integrated services
• Analytical documentation
• Clear conditions
• Incentives and benefits
• Introduction in a local system in synergy
with other operators and institutions.
To conclude, the analyzed cities have big facilities which can be reached from nearby airports
and have many connections.
Hotels are big with very high standards.
Management is efficient and customer-oriented, often integrated in more complex territory
“
There is growing awareness
complex
proposal including most
advance
of the economic
impact of the MICE
industry which the most
advanced cities have been able
to understand by developing
an efficient organization
”
“
The most successful
congress centres
system.
In many cases, recent enlargements or complete
renovations were carried out.
This picture stresses a clear and consistent
strategy which has allowed the analyzed cities
to develop an offer in line with customer needs,
communicated and promoted with the suitable
methods and resources.
There is a growing awareness of the economic
impact of the MICE industry which the most
advanced cities have been able to understand
by developing an efficient organization. This is
an opportunity for Turin too.
107
12/ MICE TOURISM:
II. PIEMONTE’ S CONGRESS
SYSTEM IN 2008
by
Attilio Gardini and Gabriella Ghigi
A positive year
In 2008 all the indicators of the congress system
in Piemonte were positive: there was an increase
in the number of events (+2.66%) and above all in
the number of hosted meetings (+12.62%). There
was also a growth in the number of participants,
but lower, due to a reduction in the event length:
this reduction is a general trend of the congress
market which was accentuated in 2008 due to the
recession of global economy. Piemonte partially
offset this trend by raising the amount of international events with a considerably higher average
length than regional and national events (in 2008
foreign congressmen on average spent 5 days per
person in Piedmont).
The congress activity
Hotels
in Piemonte Piemonte and Tourism
Congress centres and other locators
Total Meetings
-1,22%
+15,87%
+2,66%
Participants
+7,45%
+19,79%
+12,62%
Presence
+1,80%
+0,59%
+1,45%
The main changes affected specialized congress
facilities (congress buildings, smaller congress
centres and conference rooms of companies,
bodies and universities) with considerable increases in the number of events (+15.87%) and partici-
108
Trend of demand:
size and lenght of events
pants (+19.79%), but with a remarkable reduction
in the average stay, thus producing negative
effects for the presence of congressmen which
has grown fractionally (+0.59%).
Hotels
Centres
Total
Average size
+7,11
+0,25
+3,74
Average stay
-0,76
-0,97
-0,89
Trends according to event size:
small events are growing
In the specialized sector (congress buildings,
smaller congress centres and other conference
rooms) there was a good increase of mega
events (meetings with over 1.000 participants),
but this trend is partially cancelled by the drop
in the 500-1.000 and 300-500 segments; the
demand of smaller segments has significantly
grown, in line with the growth recorded in the
hotel sector.
The hotel sector has grown in all size segments,
including bigger segments, whose overall
weight however is very limited.
Dynamics of hosted events
according to size and location
Hotels
Centres
Total 50-100 participants
+4,97%
+4,36%
+4,80%
100-300 participants
+5,10%
+4,99%
+5,07%
+4,70%
-0,25%
+3,31%
+1,53%
-3,49%
+0,13%
>1000 participants
+2,11%
+1,07%
+1,82%
“
Congress hotels, yet reducing the number of
hosted events, have considerably increased
both the number of participants and the days of
presence as sector operators have moved to more
interesting segments and raised significantly the
average size of hosted events, thus offsetting the
general reduction of length.
A greater specialization enhancing the
competitive advantages of the different types of
”
congress hospitality
might favour margins, investments
and, as a result, ensure the sector development
109
110
The outcome of these changes is a regional
congress production characterized by a larger
relative weight of smaller segments (above all
100-300 participants) and by a drop of distribution reflecting the overall evolution of the global
market demand, but also a remarkable liveliness of the hotel sector which acquires market
shares and contributes to the increase of the
average size of the events hosted in 2008.
As a result, the regional congress market is
characterized by the competition, evident in all
size segments, between congress hotels and
congress centres; there is no clear size specialization of the two sectors (hotels and centres)
and in the current economic crisis this situation
triggers complex dynamics.
The size of Piedmontese hotels favours global
competition and the size-stay ratio encourages
the hotel positioning in bigger size segments.
Centres are actively present also in smaller
size segments, above all for short-length events
(sometimes without stays, where the hotel offer
is less motivated), and, on the contrary, hotels
expand also to mega events.
A greater specialization enhancing the competitive advantages of the different types of
congress hospitality might favour margins,
investments and, as a result, ensure the sector
development.
These complex trends can be better understood
considering the different positioning of the two
types of enterprises:
• great events, in which congress centres
are specialized, are strongly affected by
the economic recession, with the resulting
reduction in the event size;
• this has led to the growth of medium-size
events which favour the hotels positioned in
the lower segment.
Congress centres might get competitive advantages in big events, while hotels might be more
competitive in medium events. Destination
management might be used to favour a type
of specialization oriented to increase productivity through collaboration strategies between
congress enterprises exploiting their respective
competitive advantages.
“
The origin of participants:
+5.41%
NATIONAL -5.10%
INTERNATIONAL +10.95%
REGIONAL
”
Trends in
demand segments
Hotels
Centres
Total Enterprises
+8,62%
+1,96%
+8,58%
Bodies. TU. political parties
-8,21%
+14,51%
-3,19%
Scientific associations
-7,74%
-3,15%
-5,38%
Cultural associations
-12,58%
+1,48%
-7,65%
national events have dropped. The increase of
events mainly attended by foreign participants
is significant, especially considering the higher
European competition in this phase of demand
contraction. Two-digit percentages describing
the dynamics of the international segment in
Piemonte shall be carefully analyzed, consi-
The origin of
participants
dering the drop in number: but this demand
component is important both from a quantitative
(turnover) and qualitative point of view (length,
hotel stays, induced commercial, cultural and
tourist activity).
Hotels
Centres
Regional
+5,13%
+6,43%
+5,41%
National
-12,17%
+16,54%
-5,10%
International
+3,08%
+35,87%
+10,95%
The dynamics of meetings in 2008 was positively affected by corporate demand which grew
by 8.58% and negatively affected by non corporate demand which suffered a general drop.
As to the origin of participants, regional and
international have grown considerably; instead,
Total Piemonte and Tourism
”
Segment positioning:
growth of corporate and international
111
Presence and overnight stays: the
impact of meetings in Piemonte
112
In 2008 Piedmontese congress enterprises
hosted nearly 2 million participants, reaching a
total of 4.3 million of congress presence.
Congress centres are the main protagonists
of Piemonte’ s congress activity: their market
share amounts to 78.6%; hotels produce 16% of
congress presence (besides providing accommodation to congressmen attending meetings
in other types of centres) and 5.6% regards
other conference rooms (companies, bodies,
universities, movie houses and theatres).
Congress centres generally host bigger events
than those organized in congress hotels; the
average stay of the first type is around 3 days,
while the events organized in hotels last on
average little more than one day (the average
length is 2.86 days in congress centres and 1.15
days in hotels).
Congress centres, thanks to the higher number
of organized meetings and length, produce interesting results in terms of hotel stays.
The events organized in hotels usually gene-
rate 1 night stay every 3 days of presence, while
those organized in congress buildings produce
around 2 night stays every 3 days of overnight
styay.
Piemonte’ s meeting industry is mainly concentrated in Turin, with a considerable business
volume. In the Lake District, where tourism
represents an important resource, the relative weight of congress activity is more limited. These are very different destinations, with
different seasonal features, therefore it is very
difficult to make a comparison.
Consider that the Subalpine capital is favoured
compared to other region’s locations by: overall
size of the city centre and therefore of the
accommodation and congress supply, proximity
to the airport, great impact of communication
developed before and after the Winter Olympic
Games in 2006, promotional activity carried out
in the last nine years by the Convention Bureau
at international level, presence of a strong local
demand with national and international value
(University, research centres, industries, public
administration).
The congress activity
in Piemonte
Congress
centres
Congress
hotels
Other congress
facilities
Total
Number of participants 600.905 1.190.458 192.361 1.983.723
Days of congress presence 688.452 3.405.727 241.632 4.335.811
Hotel overnight stay
235.918 2.215.270 90.169 2.541.356
The information on the real availability of event
facilities in the analyzed geographical areas can
help better understand and assess the obtained
results. The comparison is made between available “congressman seats”, i.e. the sum of the
existing conference room capacities (every type
of room) in the single analyzed territories and
the presence generated by the participation in
conventions, congresses and meetings.
Total seat capacity
In Piemonte the availability of seats for attending
events is mainly concentrated in the province of
Turin (45%), with 49% of presence; the Lake
District has 24% of seats and 10% of overnight
stay, while the rest of the region covers 31% of
seats and 41% of presence. These territories
cannot really be compared, as stated above, but
the availability of congress facilities is an essential resource for the development of the meeting
industry.
Lakes 24%
Remainder
of the Piemonte 31%
Conference room availability and
production in regional areas
Turin 45%
Lakes 10%
Remainder
of the Piemonte 41%
Turin 49%
Presence per territory
113
Turin congress activity in 2008
The congress system in Turin is still excellent
despite the current economic crisis: congress
presence has increased by 3.75% thanks to a
considerable growth in the number of hosted
participants (+13.44%).
Turin congress
activity
Therefore, in 2008 there was a change in the
market positioning of congress facilities: hotels
shifted to longer events, while non-hotel companies counterbalanced the general reduction
in the length of meetings (accentuated by the
crisis) by raising the number of hosted events.
Size and length of hosted events
Hotels
Centres
Total
-2,26%
+25,87%
+5,60%
Participants
+10,24%
+22,24%
+13,44%
Presence
+4,78%
+1,06%
+3,75%
Meetings
Size and length of hosted events
The most dynamic size segment of congress
activity in Turin regards events with 100-300
participants, which recorded a considerable
growth; the only drop was in meetings with
Dynamics of hosted events according to size and location
300-500 participants.
The positive dynamics of the 100-300 segment
involves both congress hotels and centres, with
an exceptional growth especially of the latter
(+28.37%).
Hotels
Centres
Total 50-100
+8,87%
+21,58%
+12,43%
100-300
+10,25%
+28,37%
+15,32%
300-500
-1,87%
-1,13%
-1,66%
500-1000
+2,45%
-2,12%
+1,17%
>1000
+3,28%
-2,87%
+1,56%
Size
114
Corporate demand is the most dynamic of the
overall Turin’s congress activity. The association segment is negative in all sectors, while
the demand of the political system (bodies,
TU, parties) is higher in congress centres, but
it is lower in congress hotels; anyway the final
balance is positive despite the globally negative
trend of the segment (lower also in the region).
The positive dynamics of Turin’s congress activity is mainly due to the regional demand. Also
international events contribute positively to
the activity, but only in congress centres which
substantially improve their performance on the
global market.
Congress hotels instead have a negative result
in this segment.
Trends of
demands segment
Hotels
Centres
Bodies TU parties
+11,29%
+2,94%
+8,78%
Bodies. TU. parties
-10,42%
+31,69%
+2,21%
-12,01%
-10,42%
-11,22%
Cultural associations
-13,60%
-8,04%
-9,09%
Therefore specialized facilities (congress buildings, congress centres, historical residences
and other conference rooms) give a significant
contribution to Turin’s congress dynamics with
Segment positioning
Total a good positioning of national and international
meetings, while considerable drops were recorded in congress hotels.
In the specialized sector (congress buildings,
smaller congress centres and other conference rooms) there were significant increases
in smaller events (up to 100 participants) and
slight increases in mega events.
These changes have led to a considerable
growth in the average size of the events hosted
in congress hotels (+5.53%) and a substantial steadiness of the average size of the
events hosted in non-hotel congress facilities
(-0.14%).
The reduction of the event length, recently
stressed at global level, is quite limited in Turin,
below the regional average.
This theme mainly regards congress centres
(-0.95% against -0.53 of hotels), probably due
to the lower weight of association meetings,
typically longer compared to the corporate
segment.
115
The origin of participants
Hotels
+13,97%
+0,87%
+10,82%
National
-11,46%
+17,37%
-3,41%
International
-19,37%
+35,87%
-6,11%
The trend of the Lake District is generally
negative and variable: the average stay has
increased, but the size of hosted events has
fallen, above all in congress hotels, whose
weight is considerably higher than that of
congress centres.The overall balance is mainly
determined by the hotel sector and therefore is
globally negative.
Congress centres have slightly increased their
market share (still very limited) also through a
Congress activity in the Lake district
Total Regional
Congress activity in the Lake District
in 2008
116
Centres
price policy which has accentuated the internal
competition with congress hotels.
The reduction in the size of hosted events
is evident in both sectors, but above all in
congress hotels; also the average stay is positively influenced by the activity of non-hotel
congress facilities with longer events.
Hotels
Centres
Total Meetings
-6,77%
+11,47%
-4,22%
Participants
-15,56%
-3,79%
-13,92%
Presence
-7,30%
+5,43%
-5,52%
The greatest effect of the recession in the Lake
District is represented by a drop in the size of
events: in fact, there was an increase only of
meetings from 50 to 300 participants, while
bigger segments have all decreased. In each
segment the performance of congress hotels
and centres are different: hotels have bigger
market shares in the 50-100 and 300-500
segments; centres instead have a better positioning in the 100-300 segment and in that of
mega events.
Therefore, the assumption of a great internal
competition is confirmed, especially in this
territory where some hotels are equipped with
big conference rooms, in one case even bigger
than that of the congress centre both for size
and capacity.
Dynamics of hosted events
according to size and location
Hotels
Centres
Total 50-100
+4,56%
+1,27%
+3,64%
100-300
-2,14%
+8,62%
+0,87%
300-500
+2,87%
-13,32%
-1,66%
500-1000
-6,03%
+11,27%
-1,19%
>1000
-3,36%
-2,07%
-3,00%
Segment positioning
The regional demand which is very strong in
Turin, instead is negative in the Lake District.
In the other demand segments (national and
international), this area shows a good competitive positioning, but the current economic crisis
The origin of participants
Hotels Centres Total
Size trends
is preventing its full improvement. In particular, this area performs better than Turin and
the rest of the region in the segment of national
meetings.
In the Lake District recession has influenced
above all the association demand which has
Hotels
Centres
Total Regional
-25,80%
+40,87%
-9,80%
National
-0,28%
-4,13%
-1,20%
International
-6,13%
+0,26%
-4,60%
Meetings
117
dropped considerably, while the corporate and
political meeting demands (bodies, parties, TU)
have raised mainly in non-hotel congress facilities.
The new composition of demand, characterized
and length of the meetings organized in the lake
area (associations, whose overnight stay dropped in 2008, usually organize longer meetings).
by a stronger weight of corporate and political
segments, has caused a reduction both in size
Trends in demand segments
Hotels
Centres
Total Enterprises
-1,35%
+16,47%
+2,40%
Bodies TU parties
-9,60%
+23,13%
+0,22%
-12,28%
+6,47%
-9,21%
Cultural -16,26%
-10,20%
-15,39%
Meetings
More light than shade in the storm
In this time of recession, Piemonte’ s congress
system has shown a remarkable competitiveness. It is affected by the general trend which
has brought a reduction of length, but it seems
to be against the tide as to the size of events,
thanks to a better international positioning,
unlike the rest of Italy.
This survey points out that the adopted strategies are confirmed, but also the urgent need to
118
take measures for a systemic organization of
the regional congress supply, with the resulting
growth of productivity through collaboration
strategies finalized to enhance the respective
competitive advantages and the search for
the ideal positioning of enterprises and local
systems.
“
Piemonte’ s meeting industry is mainly concentrated
in turin, with a considerable business volume, thanks to
the accomodation and congress supply, the proximity to
the airport, the great impact of communication before and
after 2006 Olympic Games, the promotional activity carried
out by the Convention Bureau at international level,
the presence of a considerable local demand
with national and internationaL importance.
”
12/ MICE TOURISM:
III. THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF
CONGRESS TOURISTS IN PIEMONTE
by
Filippo Monge
In a general climate of pessimism and recession for the whole national MICE market,
Piemonte is slightly against the trend affecting
the rest of Italy. In fact for our region, compared to the national situation, 2008 data confirm
and even increase the positive results already
recorded in 2007. The outcome of the research
is to be considered further encouraging as it
considered a wider and more stratified sample.
The congressman identikit reveals: average age
around 40, highly educated, academic, manager
or Professional, 41% coming from abroad and
59% from Italy.
Shortly, the main results have pointed out:
• the increase (+8%) in the number of
congressmen staying for over 3 nights;
• the increase of the absolute expense per
capita value of congressmen excluding board
and lodging (around 61 € a day, but with a
tendency to consumption in some cases
exceeding 150 € a day);
• the maintenance of high qualitative standards, stressed by the Customer Satisfaction Index1, around 0.80/1.00, ranging from a
minimum of 0.78 to max 0.82.
Congressmen expense
Other expense 5%
Transport 6%
Leisure activities 7%
Shopping 8%
Congress fee 49%
Restaurant 9%
120
Hotel 16%
1
The C.S.I. (Customer Satisfaction Index) was developed considering the 30 most significant events in Turin’s and Piemonte’ s territory
in 2008. The essential indicators have been identified by analyzing the frequency distribution of the priority criteria indicated by each
congressman in the questionnaire, considered according to the corresponding assessments, with the assignment each of a maximum
score of 0.25. The indicator, ranging between 0 and 1, consists of 4 variable indexes (each expressing a value between 0 and 0.25).
Market globalization has had an essential role
in the process of customer satisfaction. Meeting
the customer/user expectations has become
the first objective of contemporary enterprises/bodies. Mainly, it was multinational global
players to make the greatest and quickest
progress in this field, benefiting from measuring methods2.
Indeed, the goals which can be reached are
several. Measuring customer satisfaction
means: a) involving customers/users in the
measuring process; b) making a comparison
with competitors; c) strengthening in the collaborators of an enterprise (offering products and
services) the awareness that quality is a strategic asset; d) “reckoning” progress in relation
to an established benchmark; e) checking the
2
3
4
In the 1990’s tourism represented a fertile field
of application for satisfaction concepts and
models originally conceived in other sectors.
Therefore, the study of satisfaction (customertourist) implies the acceptance of a definition of
tourism as a form of human behaviour, but not
as a manipulation of space-time parameters.
Despite the existence of several theories on this
topic, the most applied is the so-called expectancy – disconfirmation, according to which
individuals make purchases (i.e. choose a destination or go to a congress/meeting) on the basis
of result expectations. The comparison between
performance and expectations produces a positive, negative or no disconfirmation, therefore
respectively a positive, negative or no satisfaction3. Researchers define disconfirmation
Measuring Customer Satisfaction:
goals and method
homogeneity of customer satisfaction when (as
it often happens) the enterprise/body offers the
same service or product through different channels, outlets/users/assistance; f) identifying the
strong and weak points of the enterprise/body;
g) measuring progress and results.
as a subjective comparison by the consumer
between performance and expectations4.
As a result, these two elements must be carefully measured.
Pellicelli G. Economia e direzione delle Imprese Giappichelli Torino 1993.
Casarin F. Sinergie No. 66 January-April 2005 Cueim Verona 2005
Oh H. e Parks S.C. (1997). Customer satisfaction and service quality: a critical review of the literature and research implications for
the hospitality industry. Hospitality Research Journal, n. 3, pp. 35-64.
The reasons why this data are so positive
mainly depend on two essential aspects.
• The fact that Piemonte’ s Congress Tourism
is already a system (even if perfectible), based
on a core of great meetings and special events
concentrated in Turin, but also in other areas
such as Lakes, Langhe and Roero, Monferrato, integrating the offer through the possibility of hosting conventions, workshops, road
shows, press tours.
• Torino World Design Capital which, through
the main event of the XXIII World Congress of
Architecture and fringe events, for the whole
year considerably increased the city cultural
dynamism, attracting new tourists and motivating congressmen to extend their stay by at
least one day.
121
“
In a general CLIMATE
OF
PESSIMISM AND RECESSION
for the whole national MICE market
Piemonte is slightly
against the trend affecting
the rest of Italy
”
The collaborative panel at distance: the
importance of feedback after the event
As to the collection of data, for example, it is
advisable to deliver questionnaires also at a
later stage, when the interviewee has returned to his/her country of origin (this operating
choice has been made also in our survey). This
way, it is possible to detect the tourist’s judgement where satisfaction is completed, but it
starts producing other effects, even if (when)
it is very expensive. The double measurement
(of expectations before arrival and performance
after departure) has been made is some academic studies5, but it is seldom part of corporate
studies.
The tourist initial expectations can be changed
or confirmed: detecting them after his/her arrival in the destination means altering the data
resulting from the first service encounters6,
therefore losing the element of comparison
required to assess performance.
Another operating problem deriving from the
perceived limitation of the trip time, is the fact
that often the interviewee is in a hurry because
he/she is leaving, therefore answers might be
less reliable.
122
The congress tourist product has, in fact, a
varied nature as it includes services offered
by single PCOs7, other operators, public administration, and other resources. It is absolutely evident that disaggregation is a limit, as
congress tourists can have significantly diffe5
rent expectations in relation to the whole trip,
destination, scientific-professional expectations
concerning the event, accommodation, hospitality status, complementary services/opportunities. It is the level of competition to lead the
choice first of all. However, the comparison and
the correlation between the detected results at
different market levels provide useful information also to the management.
Then, the choice of the attributes to be inserted
in the survey is another problem. The variety of
tourism business makes it difficult to adopt a
homogeneous scale. Instead, it is likely for each
tourist sector to use a multi-attribute scale
(where each attribute has a different specificity
level) reflecting the characteristics of its offer.
This means that the different components, for
which a specific level of satisfaction has been
identified by the congressman (e.g. speakers’
scientific appeal, transport, accommodation,
restaurants, excursions) during the same trip
(congress), are not potentially comparable
(intra). However, the fault of just one component
(e.g. transport) can compromise the satisfaction
of the whole trip.
“
The most applied theory is the one
according to which individuals
choose a destination or go to a
congress/meeting on the basis
”
of result expectations
Pizam A. e Milman A. (1993). Predicting satisfaction among first time visitors to a destination by using the Expectancy Disconfirmation theory. International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 12, pp. 197-209.
Danaher P.J. e Mattsson J. (1994). Cumulative encounter satisfaction in the hotel conference process. International Journal of
Service Industry Management, n. 4, pp. 69-80.
7
Professional Congress Organizers.
6
• integration of qualitative research
methods8, completing or replacing customersheets with the use of techniques;
• use of different techniques according to
the considered tourist sectors. For example,
direct observation based on the ethnographic
approach can be particularly suitable;
• use of techniques for managing expectations;
• revaluation of survey continuity to exploit
all the potentials of longitudinal studies;
• study of satisfaction which must be more
and more accurate to produce credible data,
functional to the integration of results in
marketing planning.
Considering the complexity of the structural
constraints characterizing the study of satisfaction in tourism, one of the essential research problems is the effectiveness of “théories
experientielles”9 for a deeper understanding of
the tourist’s behaviour.
The survey has been based on the identification
of a satisfaction indicator suitably considered
during the congressman’s return home.
8
naire which, for technical reasons, cannot be
delivered to the whole sample on the same
day. Events subsequent to the interview,
imputable to positive causes and facts inside
and outside the event (help in a very difficult
moment, a particularly warm welcome, positive news learned during the trip) or negative
(pick-pocketing, lost hotel booking, difficulty
of communicating in one’s native language)
can have a strong impact on the perception
and memory of the experience (and, as a
result, on the level of satisfaction concerning
an event);
• creating a collaborative panel at distance
which makes it possible to rely on an effective focus group consisting of opinion leaders
capable of expressing their opinion on Turin’s
and Piemonte’ s congress system viewed
from outside (thus ensuring a technical and
impartial judgment preserving the system
from the risk of a self-referential analysis);
• carrying out the analysis according to a
model created considering quantitative data,
adjusted with some qualitative data, the
Customer Satisfaction Index (C.S.I), for the
assessment of variation in time and possible
evolutions.
Andreani J.C. (1997). Les études marketing, in de Maricourt R. et al., Marketing européen. Paris: Publi-Union.
Andreani J.C. e Conchon F. (2001). Les études qualitatives en marketing. Paris: ESCP-EAP, Les Cahiers de Recherche, n.
01-150.
9
Holbrook M.B. et E.C. Hirschman (1982). The Experential Aspects of Consumption : Consumer Fantasies, Feelings and Fun,
Journal of Consumer Research, 9, 2, 132-140.
The survey has been organized
as follows:
The feedback phase involving the interviewee
collaborative panel (around 70%) has been
developed with the goal of:
• monitoring the congressman’s satisfaction also after the delivery of the question-
The simple transposition in the tourist sector
of methods conceived for the measurement
of satisfaction for convenience goods generates several problems deriving mainly from the
structural specificity of tourism.
Since 2007 the University Degree in Tourism
Sciences has been set for coordinating the study
and research project which aims at defining the
profile and satisfaction of the congress tourist
coming to Piedmont.
123
Of all the questions asked in this phase, it is
essential to establish whether the congressman
is still satisfied with the trip. This element is
at the basis of the customer retention10 index,
i.e. how much the trip experience is rooted in
the tourist’s memory and to what extent this
memory can generate the will to repeat such an
experience. As most of the interviewees (89%)
Figure 1: Still satisfied with the trip in Piemonte?
I expected more 8%
No 3%
Yes 89%
(Our processing of primary data)
10
Index assessing the power of a brand or a product in retaining customers.
For a wider explanation, see the first part of this study.
124
same variables which determined the first CSI
(amounting to 0.87) have been submitted again
to the panel in the second phase (feedback) to
assess the CSI evolution in time (Figure 2).
Figure 2: CSI (nine month after survey)
Organization 0,15%
Accommodation 0,18%
answered to have a positive memory of the
trip (Figure 1), it is evident that there is a link
between tourist and territory which increases
his/her propensity to return in the future.The
Location 0,21%
GAP 0,32%
Services 0,14%
125
The result, after nine month from the first
contact (in 2 semesters), established the CSI
value at 0.68, thus showing a slight reduction
(Figure 3).
This figure is to be interpreted considering the
several factors influencing the memory of an
experience. i.e.:
• The time factor: the elapsed time makes
people lose their global vision of the experience and store in their subconscious only
the most important parts;
• The emotional/irrational factor: the vision
of events tends to be distorted, only those
moments (positive or negative) which touched
the tourist are remembered and have a totalizing value (a congressman who, because of
a taxi-driver’s mistake, loses the return flight
and therefore an important business meeting
will keep a negative memory of the trip regardless of the accurate welcome, the quality of
accommodation and the excellent organization of the event). Vice versa, a congres-
“
126
sman who had an unexpected surprise (e.g.
a contact established during a social event
which could be the basis of an effective collaboration) will keep a positive memory of the
experience even if the scientific contents
were not suitable;
• The tendency to provide medium answers:
as time goes by, memories tend to fade out
and so the interviewee will provide answers
closer to the centre of the proposed scale of
values.
Considering all this, we can assert that the most
reliable customer satisfaction index (CSI) indicating the level of congressman’s appreciation
is the average between the index obtained from
interviews on the field and that obtained after
the event through scheduled feedback activities,
(CSI = 0.77).
(89%)
As most of the interviewees
answered to have a positive
memory of the trip (Figure 1). It is evident that there is a link
between tourist and territory which increases his/her
propensity to return in the future.
”
Surely, a positive figure which confirms the
tourist congress potential (MICE11) of the whole
PIEMONTE’S SYSTEM.
Figure 3: CSI variation (I Sem e II Sem)
1
0,68
0,6
0,4
0,2
0
I sem
II sem
“
0,87
0,8
Congressman in Piemonte
40
EDUCATION: high
ITALIAN 59%
FOREIGN 41%
AVERAGE AGE:
”
11
Meeting, Incentives, Conferences, Events
127
Tel. 011.4321504
Tel. 011.4321503
LIBERO
Tel. 011.4321505
Tel. 011.4326210
Fax 011.4326216
Concept:
Tel. 011.4321564
Fax 011.4322009
Piedmont.
There is no
substitute
for preparation

Piemonte and Tourism - on Sviluppo Piemonte Turismo

Transcription

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