Riccardo Strano - ENIT Director for the German speaking countries, Benelux and Central Europe takes us down the road towards what is set to be an exceptional tourism event for Italy.

How important is hosting Expo 2015 to Italy's tourism industry?

Expo 2015 is an excellent opportunity to promote Italian tourism through the world and attract visitors throughout the whole country. More than 20 million visitors are expected to come to Milan: traditional travelers, lovers of art and good food, and people interested in the theme of the Universal Exposition "Feeding the planet - Energy for life". Expo 2015 will be a great opportunity for the promotion of the Italian regions and provinces, as well as for the overall tourism industry through the main assets of the Italian way of life: food, culture, art, history, territories, hospitality, tradition and modernity will be all linked and make travelling in Italy a unique and unforgettable experience.

How do you intend to build on the attention and visitors that will come for the Expo?

ENIT will be directly involved with its management in the promotion and communication activities. The markets under the Direction of ENIT Frankfurt (Germany speaking countries, Benelux and Central Europe) will be working in close cooperation with Expo 2015 and the other regional ENIT Directions in the world. We will address the public and the travel trade as well as the press representatives in the frame of international travel exhibitions in the forthcoming years. Also big cultural and sport events will be the ideal showcase to promote Expo 2015.  The aforesaid markets represent some of the most important sources of touristic demand for Italy: Especially German travelers keep on choosing our country as their holiday destination and in the latest years Italy almost reached the record number of 10 million of German tourists.

What other big events is Italy planning in the next years?

In 2013 Italy will be hosting the America's Cup in Naples from 16 to 21 of April; the World Sailing Championship in Ancona from 21 to 29 of June, but also big art and musical events and festivals such as the celebrations for the 200th Anniversary of Verdi, the 100th Anniversary of the Arena of Verona, as well as the Giro d'Italia and the Volleyball Women's World Cup in 2014 . ENIT will carry on several activities abroad aimed at increasing the number of international arrivals and at boosting the demand of Italy during the travel-off season: participation at the most important international trade fairs, B2B-workshops for tour operators, educational and fam trips both for trade and journalists, as well as roadshows and advertising campaigns.

It is important to stress the use of a digital agenda for promoting Italy: ENIT is investing resources in the new media sector such as social networks and mobile phones in order to ensure a large outreach for promotional activities targeted on one hand to the trade and press representatives, and on the other hand to the specific needs of the consumers.  A special role will be given to the official website www.italia.it as the central information and promotion tool of the touristic offer of all Italian regions, besides the national websites enit.de, enit.at, enit.ch.

Expo 2015 To Take Place in Italy's Capital of Fashion and Design

Expo, the international encounter where the nations of the world show their traditions, creativity and spirit of innovation, will take place in Milan in 2015. The event is making its return to Italy after almost 100 years, Milan having also been the seat for the Universal Expo of 1906. The choice of the Lombardy capital for this important event is down to the city's central position within Europe, and by the efficiency of its infrastructure and existing services, as well as the quality of the Italian committee's project proposals, and the fame of the city on a global scale.

The Expo will be located in the north-eastern part of Milan on an exhibition site occupying a surface area of 1.5 million sq. m.. The site is easily accessible from all the region's airports. Alongside the Expo, the area offers numerous attractions including the historic residences, monumental villas and palazzi that characterize the area, plus architectural gems including the Burba Villas. The local lakes such as Maggiore, Como, Lugano and Varese are recognized internationally for their cultural and natural attractions, and they will be integrated into the Expo campaign through a series of side events at locations like Villa Erba in Cernobbio.

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