Journey within a journey with Ischia on board Milan’s Metro 5 trains
PRESS RELEASE
ITALY UNITED IN THE NAME OF TOURISM
JOURNEY WITHIN A JOURNEY WITH ISCHIA ON BOARD MILAN’S METRO 5 TRAINS
FOR THE METRO’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY, A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISM
From the South to the North by metro in an instant: a journey within a journey made possible by the #ThisisIschia campaign, which 'climbs on board' Milan's No. 5 line. For its 10th anniversary and on the occasion of the BIT (International Tourism Exchange) Metro 5 welcomes the South by featuring the most evocative images of one of the Pearls of the Mediterranean. In addition to spaces inside the San Siro station, a Lilla train is also decked out entirely in the colours of Ischia, thanks to a new immersive communication. The initiative promoted by ENIT and Metro 5 with the Ministry of Tourism is a tribute and an example of a unifying strategic vision of the Peninsula.
Presenting the #ThisisIschia campaign in one of the busiest hubs is a way of celebrating one of the most beautiful expressions of the Peninsula and an example of solidarity and unity of the Bel Paese to promote tourism in an area put to the test by the natural phenomena of last November.
Milan metro’s Line 5 is highly technological and environmentally friendly. A driverless public transport service that reduces street traffic and redevelops the urban environment through nineteen stations accessing a sustainable, agile and interconnected public transport system.
The campaign promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and ENIT, which will run until April 2023 in the main Italian and international hubs with a focus on the countries from which the largest number of tourists interested in Italy come, including Germany, the UK, the USA, France, Spain and the Benelux countries, is therefore also continuing at an international level, with the involvement of local heroes, citizens, rescuers and operators hard hit by last November's landslide.
The Green Island also acts as a forerunner to broader campaigns that will later spread to various regions of Italy to create a common thread of unified promotion of Italy, involving admirers of Ischia and Italy.
Italians and visitors alike will be able to share their own signature shots of the island, which will be relaunched with a special hashtag and the tools made available by the campaign and created by ENIT for the Ministry of Tourism. There will also be a dedicated landing page allowing visitors to choose their own virtual tour of Ischia in real time and share it with online users.
‘We will never forget the tragedy that befell Ischia last November, and this campaign was designed precisely to prevent additional tragedy, namely the loss of tourist arrivals,’ said Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè. ‘The international press had in fact written about how Ischia had been buried by mud, and this had caused many – too many – cancellations. Certainly, we could not allow a destination like Ischia – with tourism as its main source of income – to risk missing the Easter and summer tourist seasons. This is why we are here today, but also in Rome, at Piazzale Flaminio, and then again at the BIT: to promote this campaign which, although obviously focused on Ischia, should be put under the umbrella of 'Italy' which – let us remember – is the third brand in the world,’ the minister continued, concluding with a prediction, ‘Based on the data we have collected, 2023 will be the year of overtaking the numbers that the tourism sector recorded in 2019. There is a lot of work to be done, but I am confident that we have everything in order to succeed.’
‘Ischia is taking the lead in a project to promote even the lesser-known territories told through the eyes of the people who live there. Sharing models and actions on a national scale creates the right synergy for the harmonious growth of tourism,’ says ENIT CEO Ivana Jelinic.
‘The Green Island will not be left on its own and today's event is another step in the national and international promotion, boosting the desire for a holiday on an island rich in outstanding features,’ says Sandro Pappalardo, ENIT Board Member.
‘After the initiatives devoted to sports, Metro 5 is taking the lead in communicating the beauty of Italy. This time, thanks to innovative immersive communication, we want to help Ischia and we will support other destinations in the future to support tourism in our country,’ comments Serafino Lo Piano, CEO of Metro 5.
Francesca Cicatelli
ENIT Press Office
Phone: (+39) 392.9225216
e-mail: francesca.cicatelli@enit.it