The new three-year tourism plan of ENIT 2019/2021 was presented in Rome with Minister Marco Centinaio. Italy is focusing on value growth and the sustainability of tourism, tailored for segments and markets: actions dedicated to luxury, leisure tourism both active and slow, and the Meeting Industry.
There are over 600 Enit events scheduled worldwide (+5% compared to 2018), including significant moments such as the Enit Centennial in November, celebrations related to Leonardo da Vinci, participation in the Giro d’Italia and other sports events and international fairs like Seatrade, World Routes, and the Week of Italian Cuisine. The Italia brand will undergo a profound transformation, and Enit has been entrusted with the role of acting as a catalyst between the public and private sector leaders of the industry.
“ENIT, the Home of Tourism, continues its mission of promoting the Italian tourism sector,” declares the Minister of Agricultural, Food, Forestry and Tourism Policies, Sen.Gian Marco Centinaio. “With the new three-year plan presented today by President Giorgio Palmucci, it will be able to better identify and analyze target markets, thus supporting private sector initiatives and contributing to the development of our country’s tourist destinations. This way, it will be capable of engaging potential visitors in discovering an extraordinary heritage that makes our country unique, and will regain a significant role by enhancing a heritage comprised not only of culture and nature, but also of excellence in entrepreneurial sectors that are the pride of our country: Made in Italy, hotels, quality agriculture, just to name a few. We will work in synergy to increase seasonality, which along with tourism is an inseparable pair, to identify new visitor needs, to enhance Italian territories and to relaunch them sustainably by encouraging innovative travel experiences. Investing in sustainable tourism means offering places, craftsmanship, and the memories of Italy in a new light. It will be essential to improve infrastructure to manage the growth of tourist flows and to focus on niche tourism with a specific target. Lastly, we must strengthen Enit’s presence and partnerships with Made in Italy excellences, consolidating advanced markets and targeting emerging ones, all with a national brand perspective. Tourism is a decisive sector for the growth of the Italian economy and is destined to remain one of the drivers for economic recovery and employment,” he concludes.
Summary
New vision and approach to tourism
“The vision and approach to the tourism industry have changed, and are now valued by the entire Italy System. Now,” comments Enit President Giorgio Palmucci “it finally receives the attention it deserves as a sector that moves 428.8 million overnight stays and 41.7 billion euros in spending by foreign tourists in Italy in 2018. At last, we can talk about real, structured planning that does not proceed by trial and error without coordination between the various territorial levels and public and private stakeholders, but instead develops synergy, quality of supply and efficiency throughout the tourism supply chain. Strengthening the sector by method: acting on issues such as demand seasonality, training, identifying market demands in a timely manner: social and ecological responsibility for the valorization of biodiversity and traditions, but with an eye on luxury, seeking out less-visited destinations but with the utmost comfort.”
Overnight stays in Italy
A pragmatic market approach is paying off: in terms of foreign overnights, Italy, with over 216.5 million overnight stays in 2018 (+2.8%) according to ENIT Research Office data based on ISTAT 2018 figures, exceeds France (140.7 million nights, +5.4%) and is growing, unlike Spain (301 million nights, -1.6%) which, although first in the European ranking, declined compared to 2017 (Source: ENIT Research Office on Eurostat Tourism Statistics, Main Tables – provisional 2018 data).
Total overnight stays in Italian accommodation facilities are close to 429 million, up +2.0% in 2018 compared to 2017. The international component grew more than the domestic one (+2.8% vs 1.1%) and represents 50.5% of total overnight stays. International spending in Italy, reaching 41.7 billion euros, increased by +6.5% in 2018 over 2017.
Key points of the 2019/2021 three-year tourism plan
The elements of the Plan are based on sustainability, accessibility, innovation, seasonal deconcentration, value growth, synergy with the Italy System e coordination with local bodies for consistent promotional strategies, centrality of Made in Italy, enhancement and competitive positioning of Italy as a tourist destination in the world, development of a network of public and private services and transport.
A fundamental role is played by food and wine, crucial to attract new travel experiences among cultural, sports, active and slow travel. Authenticity is assured by a wide range of seasonal offerings, which has led to growth in all months of the year, and by the ability to meet the needs of travelers seeking Italian Style experiences, with growth also in smaller towns.
In addition, there is the storytelling of major events: from the mountains (Cortina 2021 and Milan-Cortina 2026) to the culture of historical Italian figures, to international agri-food events like Vinitaly or design events like the Salone del Mobile, undisputed showcases for the high-end segment.
What is ENIT?
ENIT – the Italian National Tourism Agency has been promoting Italy as a travel and holiday destination since 1919 and will celebrate its first 100 years in November. Through its 29 offices worldwide, the Agency engages in B2B and B2C promotional activities, communication, and monitoring of the incoming tourism supply chain at the international level. Since 2016, thanks to a new company structure that enables resource optimization, it has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of its actions and promotional tools by adopting a rigorous marketing approach, on which short- and medium-term planning is based.
Pubblicato in TravelNews
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