Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Advisors are Uniquely Positioned to Sell Luxury Travel to Italy

by Jessica Montevago / November 05, 2019
Advisors are Uniquely Positioned to Sell Luxury Travel to Italy

Bormida monastery and castle in regione Asti in Piemonte. Photo: leoks/Shutterstock.com


Year after year, Italy consistently ranks as one of the top places Americans want to visit. Even if they’ve gone before, there’s so much more to discover across the “Bel Palese.”

In 2018, the country welcomed 428 million visitors. American travelers, Italy’s second largest international market, are expected to increase by 20%, said Maria Elena Rossi, global marketing and promotion director, for the Italian National Tourist Board, during an event this week in New York City.

The tourist board has approved a new three-year plan, focusing on value growth in the luxury travel sector, “positioning our brand in tourism, like the Italy brand is already positioned in fashion, design, and automotives,” Rossi said.

To target high-end customers, the Italian National Tourist Board has partnered with Signature, Virtuoso, and Travel Leaders Network to build a program called “Italy with New Eyes.” It encourages new discoveries in well-known destinations and visits to hidden gems, for previous travelers.

“Clients are curious about other regions of Italy, like Piemonte or Calabria. They want to discover other parts. Maybe they have been to Rome, Florence, and Venice, and they want to go further,” said Ignacio Maza, executive vice president, Signature.

The new era of luxury
Luxury travel in the past decade has transformed the segment, once defined by amenities, and unique and personalized experiences that enrich the traveler.

“It’s becoming the softer aspects that are defining it,” said Ninan Chacko, CEO of Travel Leaders Network, during a panel discussion. He sees this categorized in four ways: local, personalization, immersion, and something they can share that is different.

This evolution has positioned travel advisors to become essential to their high-end clients, from the resources they have to the knowledge they share.

Access, for example, has become increasingly relevant for luxury clientele, said Maza. “This is very important during high season, when it’s very crowded. If you’re in Venice and you want to see the Uffiz, but you want to see it privately, or go into the Vatican when it’s closed to the public. Those are the things we have to deliver.” To deal with the logistics on the ground, advisors can reach out to a DMO and supplier partners to facilitate.

“It’s about being able to cater to the traveler’s expectations, for them to be able to do what they want, when they want, and how they want to do it, and really being able to deliver these experiences,” echoed Chacko.

There is also a growing desire for authenticity, Maza said: “People want to go to Naples and have not just any pizza, but go to where the Neapolitans go. And that takes a lot of homework for you to do a deep dive into each destination to find the essence and the heart and soul of where everything might be.”

This lends itself to the strength of advisors, who can pull from their personal knowledge from fam trips, and education from suppliers and tourist boards.

Angela Roditi, vice president of alliances, at Virtuoso, said that’s part of the reason why more and more Millennials are seeking the services of advisors: They’re inundated with information and need someone to cut through the clutter.

Ultimately, Chacko said: “The luxury is the sense of place, it’s where you are.”

  1
  0
Related Articles
U.S. State Department Adds Some European Travel Advisories
Travel to Italy Is Officially Back to Normal
Italy Is Dropping Its Test Requirement
MSC Group and Lufthansa Offer to Buy ITA Airways
Venice to Replace Glass on Grand Canal Bridge
Collette Tours Cancels Italian Itineraries Due to Coronavirus
Luxury Family Travel Vacations Trend Towards More Exotic Activities
How One Agent Developed the Ultimate Getaway Experience as a Niche
Luxury Gold Rolls Out Training Program
Sordevolo Prepares to Host Iconic Passion Play in 2020

MOST VIEWED

  1. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  2. Two of Germany’s Busiest Airports Will Be Closed on Monday
  3. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  4. Government of Canada Updates Its Mexico Travel Advisory
  5. Royal Caribbean Eliminates Sky Pad Experience
  6. A Massive Sargassum 'Blob' Could Heavily Impact Florida Beaches this Summer

MOST EMAILED

  1. U.S. State Department Warns of 4-Month Delays for Passport Renewal
  2. U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse
  3. Why Travel Advisors Need to Learn to Say No to New Business
  4. U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 to 11 Weeks
  5. European Union Delays Launch of ETIAS Until At Least 2024
  6. Travelers Believe That Working With Advisors Is Only Way to Get a True Luxury Experience
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by ALG Vacations®
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=dbb24e9c-8fcc-ed11-b00b-005056a8720b&Width=350&Height&250

9 Tips for Making Spring Break More Memorable

Spring Break has sprung and Americans are traveling in record-high numbers again

Read More...
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Explora Journeys Announces Destination Experiences for U.S. & Canada, East Coast Voyages
Explora Journeys Announces Destination Experiences for U.S. & Canada, East Coast Voyages

Experiences emphasize exclusive, off-the-beaten-path encounters and focus on a slower pace of travel. 

Read...
Crystal Will Honor Guest Payments Lost When Crystal Cruises Went Bust
Crystal Will Honor Guest Payments Lost When Crystal Cruises Went Bust

Eligible guests who lost money under the previous Crystal Cruises will be able to apply for credits toward future cruises. 

Read...
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Celebrates Keel Laying of Ilma
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Celebrates Keel Laying of Ilma

Scheduled to debut in 2024, Ilma will be the second vessel for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

Read...
Riverside Mozart Named in Surprise Ceremony at ASTA's River Cruise Expo
Riverside Mozart Named in Surprise Ceremony at ASTA's River Cruise Expo

Riverside Luxury Cruises, the brand-new river cruise line, surprised travel advisors with an unannounced ship naming. 

Read...
Silversea Cruises to Introduce New Suite Categories on Silver Endeavour
Silversea Cruises to Introduce New Suite Categories on Silver Endeavour

When Silver Endeavour emerges from its upcoming refurbishment it will boast 10 new guest suites in two new suite categories.

Read...
ASTA’s 2nd Annual River Cruise Expo Opens in Budapest
ASTA’s 2nd Annual River Cruise Expo Opens in Budapest

“It would take you a year-plus to get the knowledge that you’re going to get in four days here." 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/eeYJNcTKI9Q/0.jpg
Check-In Episode 32: We Are in Boom Time for Travel. How Long Will It Last?
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy