New York–Bari, ENIT promotes the launch of the new United Airlines flight

The direct connection has opened up new opportunities for Puglia and Basilicata. The launch campaign generated over 17 million views and more than 870,000 interactions.

The new New York–Bari direct connection operated by United Airlines has strengthened the international accessibility of Southern Italy and opened up new opportunities to promote Italy’s tourism offering in the U.S. market. Through its USA office, ENIT S.p.A. supported the launch of the route with a dedicated promotional initiative aimed at showcasing Bari, Puglia and destinations across Southern Italy to North American audiences.

The service, operating four times a week, represented a strategic step towards attracting new visitor flows from the United States and raising awareness of destinations offering a combination of culture, landscapes, food and wine, and high-quality experiences. As part of the project, ENIT involved the media on the occasion of the inaugural flight and began working with Regione Puglia and Regione Basilicata to develop further promotional activities and press trips.

The launch of the new service was celebrated at Newark Airport with an event dedicated to the first flight to Bari, attended by representatives of United Airlines, Italian institutions and ENIT. During the ceremony, ENIT Country Manager in the United States Caterina Orlando highlighted the importance of the new route for the U.S. tourism market and stressed how the direct connection had strengthened access to one of the most authentic and dynamic areas of Italy’s tourism offering. ENIT also announced its support for a press trip focused on discovering the cultural heritage, landscapes and premium experiences of Southern Italy.

The new connection also consolidated United Airlines’ presence in Italy: Bari became the airline’s sixth Italian destination, further strengthening ties between the United States and Italy and improving accessibility to the Adriatic and Mediterranean areas. The inaugural celebration also showcased the region’s gastronomic culture through Southern Italian specialties, turning the departure itself into a first destination experience.

The promotional impact of the initiative was also reflected in the results of the digital campaign accompanying the route launch. The Bari Inaugural Campaign Report recorded 63 pieces of content created by two creators, generating a total of 17.28 million views, 742,500 engaged views and 872,800 interactions, with an engagement rate of 4.41%. These results were complemented by more than 40,000 shares and nearly 35,000 saves, confirming the interest generated by the destination’s social media storytelling.

With this initiative, ENIT continued its efforts to develop connectivity and promote Italy in international markets, working in synergy with airlines, Regions and tourism operators and helping turn new air routes into concrete opportunities for visibility, discovery and growth in tourist flows to destinations across Italy.