The program for the 2023 edition of the Mediterranean Tourism Exchange is taking shape, preparing to open its doors for the 26th year at the Mostra d'Oltremare in Naples on March 16, 17, and 18. Everyone will be present at the Fuorigrotta exhibition center: from tour operators to airlines and shipping companies, from cruise giants to international tourism boards and Italian regions, from hotels to hotel chains.
"ITA Airways' second participation in the Mediterranean Tourism Exchange in Naples confirms - stated Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer of ITA Airways and CEO Volare - our interest in further developing the commercial collaboration with the Southern Italy Trade to which ITA Airways offers, in addition to the constant presence and support of a competent and dynamic commercial team, huge business opportunities thanks to the widespread and significant offer of direct connections and via Rome Fiumicino to Italy and the world. Our Network, which leads us for example to operate up to 22 daily flights from Naples to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate, is also a powerful enabler of hospitality activities and services for incoming tourism. To demonstrate and enhance our investment and our natural vocation as a reference carrier for this territory rich in extraordinary beauty, this year we have decided to start from Southern Italy, right from Naples, the ITA Airways road show to present joint growth opportunities, dedicated to Italian companies and travel agencies, which will continue with 5 further stops in Rome, Venice, Milan and the two main Italian islands”.
Among the highlights of the three-day event in Naples is the press conference organized by the Emilia-Romagna Region (Thursday, March 16 at 14:30 p.m. in the Sala Tirreno, pavilion 6) entitled “2023 in the saddle of Emilia-Romagna, waiting for the Tour de France”. For the first time in over a century of history, in fact, the Grande Boucle in 2024 will start from Italy, with three stages in Emilia-Romagna for a total of 600 km (the first, Florence-Rimini, then Cesenatico-Bologna and Piacenza-Turin). It is the consecration of the commitment that the Region has been instilling in cycling and cycle tourism for years, and the operators are already working to welcome the Tour caravan and the thousands of enthusiasts who will follow it live. While waiting for the Grand Départ Florence Émilie-Romagne 2024, there are many events and opportunities dedicated this year to lovers of two-wheeled pedals, from the numerous Granfondo to the Cycle Routes that cross the Region connecting its many landscape and artistic wonders. The conference will be attended by the Regional Councilor for Tourism of Emilia-Romagna, Andrea Corsini, and the director of Apt Servizi Emilia-Romagna, Emanuele Burioni.
ASTOI, the Confindustria association representing Italian tour operators, will be present at the event again this year. "We reconfirm our association's presence ," comments President Pier Ezhaya, " at this new edition of the Mediterranean Tourism Exchange, an important event for the tourism market, particularly in central and southern Italy. We do so with the ASTOI Village format, which brings together many associated tour operators and reaffirms the importance and value of unity. The B2B event will be a concrete opportunity to engage with local agencies and promote the ADV Overview project in a dedicated info point, where we can provide all the useful information regarding a project created to fill the gap in public data, aimed at the benefit of the industry and consumer protection. For operators, the BMT is the perfect opportunity to present all the news regarding the summer program. The signs are encouraging, and every player in the industry finally has the opportunity to play their cards. The future of organized tourism depends on the desire to work together, bringing together operators, travel agencies, and institutions: we have overcome the two-year pandemic, and now it's up to all of us to be credible and convincing in the face of the challenges ahead." of travellers and of those who observe us”.
On Friday, Confcommercio's Organized Tourism Federation will hold a conference. "We are truly delighted ," explains Gabriele Milani, national director of the FTO, " to return to the BMT, which represents an important international event and a key step in this phase of the sector's recovery. As an association, we represent the best in organized tourism, which, in the post-pandemic 'new normal,' aims to restore the joy of rediscovering the world and other cultures in a profound, engaging, and sustainable way. We have major challenges to face in revitalizing the sector: from internal relationships among the various stakeholders in the supply chain to taxation and credit for our companies, from contract renewals to training, particularly in digitalization, to attract young people back to our businesses. This is why events like the BMT allow us to continually improve through fruitful and constructive dialogue."
And again on Friday, there's focus on the future and innovation in tourism. Among other events, it kicks off with a refresher course on "E-commerce in tourism: in 2023, whoever reaches the customer first wins," which will discuss how and to what extent digitalization has changed the rules of tourism. This will be followed by the convention "The tourism of the future, communication and digital marketing: best practices," organized by Marketing Italia.
On Saturday we will also talk about “Territory narration, new formats for storytelling: brand journalism, digital PR and influencer marketing”.
