PRESS RELEASE

ITALY “BRANDED” WITH EXCELLENT BUSINESSES

ALL 2023 TOURISM ACTIONS AND PLANS WILL BE PRESENTED AT BIT

MARKETS OF THE FUTURE AND VALUABLE PARTNERSHIPS

JELINIC: “MORE THAN 8% INCREASE IN INTERNATIONAL VISITORS FROM EUROPE AND THE USA IN 2023”

RIBBON CUTTING AT THE ENIT STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF TOURISM MINISTER DANIELA SANTANCHÈ - SUNDAY, 12 FEBRUARY, 12.15

A new vision for Italian tourism presented at Bit in Milan by ENIT in the presence of Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè, who will cut the ribbon at the ENIT stand on Sunday, 12 February at 12.15. Many new developments that signal a change and important projects with international partners.

After having accompanied the Italian tourism industry through a period of uncertainty, ENIT is now committed to looking ahead, intensifying its efforts for a more competitive Italy capable of fulfilling its ambitions of global tourism leadership.

Among the events, press conferences are expected with institutional partnerships such as Unioncamere and Isnart for the presentation of a study on the outdoors and forecasts of trends for 2023; Maeci for root tourism; the Navy and Difesa Servizi for the Pink Ribbon Tour; with Trenitalia and the Medieval Cities Project Association (Associazione Progetto Città Medievali). A busy three days that on the last day will also feature celebrations for the European EU Eco Tandem Project award ceremony.

Again this year ENIT will take part in the third edition of the 2023 Navy Pink Ribbon Tour, a sailing tour of Italy organized by Difesa Servizi S.p.A with SSi Sports & Events, and the support of ENIT and the Italian Sailing Federation to promote Italy and the Navy with the support of the Army. The competition is part of the “Italy Country Value” project that the Italian National Tourist Board co-founded to promote the peninsula's seaside beauties and active tourism. The event takes place in eight stages along the Italian coast. ENIT will also present its special campaigns, including #ThisisIschia, on board Trenitalia trains, and all the studies conducted on international tourists, also in partnership with Unioncamere and Isnart, to provide stakeholders with useful tools to analyse and address markets and direct flows, adapting supply to new trends. Within the framework of the activities with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, all the actions for the development of root tourism are being outlined and, with local authorities, the projects for the promotion of lesser-known cities to create special experiences that spotlight the unique traits of Italy, such as with medieval towns. More than 80 valuable small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups that have demonstrated innovative and sustainable tourism projects will be rewarded and financed by Europe. The initiatives of the Eco Tandem Academy will be presented, showing how it assists companies in the sector through the ecological transition.

“Italy enjoys the strength of a common identity, and this comes out loud and clear at Bit. The peninsula has recovered internationally. In 2023 it will gain more market share. It promises to be the year of a return to pre-pandemic levels. Arrivals of global tourists will increase in 2023, following a 60% increase in 2022. According to an ENIT survey, 37.7% of international travellers say they plan to come to Italy in 2023. If this were the case, there would be an increase of about 8% compared to the figure for the last five years from Europe and the US. According to forecasts, 14.6% of tourists are expected to be Spanish, 12.7% American and 12.3% and 12.2% Swiss and Austrians. ENIT has major projects in the pipeline to make the tourism industry a well-established, synergistic and competitive supply chain. In fact we are opening up to new frontiers such as India, the Emirates and Kazakhstan, and we are launching national and international campaigns to keep interest in Italy alive. A sign that Italy travels united and in solidarity”, commented Ivana Jelinic, ENIT’s CEO.

“The Italian System is a great team and family that is working in synergy, and ENIT acts as a conductor to promote uniform, coordinated growth in the sector. We work closely with every region, even the smallest, and we ask all the representatives of the places that have not yet found a voice to come forward so that we can progress together”, says Sandro Pappalardo, board member and representative of the Italian regions in ENIT.

"The national and international promotion of the Italy brand continues, with campaigns in the main hubs around the world to keep awareness and interest in the magnificence of our country alive, engaging in valuable partnerships, for a tourism that is itself of value", explained ENIT marketing director Maria Elena Rossi.

See the full calendar below.

Francesca Cicatelli

ENIT Press Office

Via Marghera 2 - ROME

Phone: (+39) 392.9225216

e-mail: francesca.cicatelli@enit.it

Find out more: Programma attività e iniziative ENIT alla Bit 2023

BIT 12-14 February 2023

SUNDAY, 12 February 2023

ENIT STAND

12.15 pm Ribbon cutting at the ENIT stand in the presence of Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè

Hall 4, CORAL Room 4

3.30 pm ENIT Italian National Tourist Board - Unioncamere/Isnart, conference to present data and joint initiatives

SPEAKERS: Introduction by Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Director of Marketing and Promotion, together with Roberto di Vincenzo, President of ISNART, Elena Di Raco, Head of the ENIT Studies and Statistics Office

Abstract: Presentation of 2023 studies and final 2022 data

4.00 pm ENIT Italian National Tourist Board - Nastro Rosa Tour, conference to present 2023 initiatives

SPEAKERS: Introduction by Ivana Jelinic, ENIT CEO and President, discussion by Sandro Pappalardo, ENIT Director representing the Italian regions, Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Director of Marketing and Promotion, Antonello De Renzis Sonino, Head of the Navy Communications Office, Luca Andreoli, General Manager of Difesa Servizi SpA, Riccardo Simoneschi, President of SSi international, Fabio Colella, Board Member of the Italian Sailing Federation

Abstract: Presentation of 2023 joint promotional initiatives

4.30 pm ENIT Italian National Tourist Board – MAECI, root tourism

SPEAKERS: Introduction by Ivana Jelinic, ENIT CEO and President, discussion by Sandro Pappalardo, ENIT Director representing the Italian regions, Embassy Director Giovanni Maria De Vita, Coordinator for Root Tourism, DGIT MAECI multi-annual cultural initiatives and communications, Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Director of Marketing and Promotion, Elena Di Raco, Head of the ENIT Studies and Statistics Office

Abstract: Presentation of 2023 data and joint promotional initiatives

5.00 pm ENIT Italian National Tourist Board - Medieval Cities Project Association

SPEAKERS: Introduction by Ivana Jelinic, ENIT CEO and President, discussion by Sandro Pappalardo, ENIT Director representing the Italian regions, Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Director of Marketing and Promotion, Elena Di Raco, Head of the ENIT Studies and Statistics Office, Renato Chiti, Medieval Italy Director

Abstract: Presentation of 2023 initiatives

Hall 4, CORAL Room 5

10.00-10.45 am ENIT Italian National Tourist Board - "Markets of the (increasingly) near future"

SPEAKERS: Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Director of Marketing and Promotion, Elena Di Raco Head of the ENIT Studies Office

Abstract: Studying the markets of the near future, the potential of our tourism of tomorrow, means looking at those areas of demand accounting for growing shares of international travellers and offering an attractive source of income for sustainable year-round tourism in Italian tourist destinations

10.45/11.30 am ENIT Italian National Tourist Board – Trenitalia, conference to present joint initiatives

SPEAKERS: Introduction by Ivana Jelinic, ENIT CEO and President, discussion by Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Director of Marketing and Promotion, Chiara Maccagni, Business Management AV Sales, International Sales Management Leisure Initiatives, International Tourism and Online Agencies at Trenitalia S.p.A., Luigi Corradi, Managing Director and General Manager at Trenitalia S.p.A.

Abstract: Presentation of 2023 joint promotional initiatives

Hall 4, CORAL Room 3

10.00 am/2.30 pm "EU ECO-TANDEM Awarding Ceremony"

SPEAKERS: Maria Elena Rossi, ENIT Director of Marketing, Angela Gerekou, President of the Greek National Tourism organisation and Activist for Regenerative Tourism&Cultural/Heritage, Francesca Martignoni, Travel Consultant and Marketing Specialist with focus on the tourism sector, Vanda Maráková, Professor and Head of the Department of Tourism, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, X23 srl (Coordinator), SocialFare (Italy), ENIT Italian National Tourist Board (Italy), Itkam (Germany), Leipzig Graduate School of Management (Germany), The University of Graz - RCE (Austria), The Slovak Business Agency (SBA) (Slovakia), Green Evolution SA (GE) (Greece).

Abstract: (ITA)

Evento di celebrazione e premiazione dei “TANDEM”: abbinamenti di piccole medie imprese del settore turistico e start up provenienti da tutta Europa che hanno predisposto, insieme, dei progetti dedicati alla sostenibilità. L’awarding ceremony è parte del progetto europeo EU ECO-TANDEM nato a luglio 2020 e co-finanziato dall’Unione Europea che punta a promuovere lo sviluppo eco-sostenibile nel settore turistico attraverso la cooperazione transnazionale e il trasferimento di conoscenze.

Abstract (ENG)

Celebrate the three-year results of the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme with tourism professionals and sustainable travellers at the awards ceremony!

Launched in July 2020, EU ECO-TANDEM, a EU co-funded project, has worked on building green capacity and cross-sectoral cooperation in the tourism sector, focusing specifically on tourism SMEs and innovators of sustainability. Over the years the project has built a precious network composed of tourism SMEs, start-ups, journalists, tourism lawyers, students and so on from three continents.

During the ceremony, the winning "TANDEMs" of the BIZ Programme will be awarded and their innovative solutions for green transition in the tourism sector will be introduced! Furthermore, EU ECO-TANDEM invited Angela Gerekou, president of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, Francesca Martignoni, Tourism specialist, and Vanda Maráková, Head of the tourism department at Matej Bel University, to discuss the current dynamic between the tourism sector and sustainability.

Join us on the 14th of February! Sign up now to see the green achievements of EU ECO-TANDEM!