Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Packaged Travel
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Air
  • Training & Resources
  • Who We Are
    • Brian Israel
    • Briana Bonfiglio
    • Candace Protzman
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Jennifer Arango
    • Kelly Fontenelle
    • Louis Intreglia
    • Tom McCarthy

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
algv
Related Articles
Venice Launches New Tourist Tax Targeting Day-Trippers
Rental Escapes Offering Up to $5,000 Bonus Commission in September
New Boutique Hotel Opens in Mexico City Cultural District
Kempinski Redefines Cancun Luxury as New Owners of Former Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Hyatt Breaks Ground on Andaz Turks & Caicos
Mandarin Oriental to Build New Luxury Resort in Sardinia
Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island to Get a Multimillion Dollar Makeover
Ruins of Nero’s Theater Found at Four Seasons Hotel Site Near Vatican
Wildfires Temporarily Close Airport in Sicily
An Inside Look at JW Marriott Essex House’s Newly Renovated Luxury Hotel Suites

MOST VIEWED

  1. Maui Fires Update: Which Hotels and Resorts Are Open and Closed After Lahaina Fires
  2. FAA Issues Nationwide Ground Stop for United Airlines Flights
  3. Southwest Airlines Strike Seems Imminent
  4. Hurricane Lee's Uncertain Path Raises Some Travel Concerns
  5. Celebrity Cruises Removes Gratuities from "All Included" Pricing
  6. Hurricane Lee Intensifies to Category 5: Caribbean and U.S. Impact Uncertain


  1. Two Florida Ports Remain Closed After Hurricane Idalia
  2. Updated Cruise Line COVID-19 Vaccination, Booster, & Testing Requirements
  3. Idalia Expected to Hit Florida as ‘Extremely Dangerous Major Hurricane’ on Wednesday
  4. Hurricane Lee Update: Storm Poses Threat to New England and Atlantic Canada
  5. Royal Caribbean Monitoring Haiti Violence
  6. Cruise Ships Reroute to Avoid Hurricane Idalia
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by Carnival Cruise Line
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=8eb8c379-4b59-ee11-92d0-005056a8720b&Width=350&Height&250

Why Every Travel Advisor Needs a Business Plan…And How to Start One

A business plan is not just a document; it's your compass. 

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
Hurtigruten Expeditions Appoints General Manger for the Americas
Hurtigruten Expeditions Appoints General Manger for the Americas

HX has a new general manager to oversee sales in the U.S. and Canada. 

Read...
10 Common Questions Travel Advisors Have About Booking and Planning Safaris
10 Common Questions Travel Advisors Have About Booking and Planning Safaris

TMR passes your safari planning questions on to operators for their expert answers. 

Read...
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Unveils New Travel Advisor Program
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Unveils New Travel Advisor Program

Regent Elevate provides marketing insights and education, sales support, and advisor-only promotions and incentives. 

Read...
Oceania’s Frank Del Rio Jr. Says Fleet Will Have Starlink by End of 2024
Oceania’s Frank Del Rio Jr. Says Fleet Will Have Starlink by End of 2024

Starlink has quickly taken over the cruise industry. 

Read...
Quark Expeditions: What Travel Advisors Should Know Before Booking
Quark Expeditions: What Travel Advisors Should Know Before Booking

For advisors who have never sailed with Quark Expeditions, here are a few things to know. 

Read...
Hurtigruten Expeditions Rebrands as HX
Hurtigruten Expeditions Rebrands as HX

Starting in December, Hurtigruten Expeditions will henceforth be known as HX. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
European Travel Trends 2023 Outlook
CP White Paper 1
Cruise Trend Outlook 2023
View All
industry insider
industry-insider.jpg
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=f22339b7-9c5b-ee11-92d0-005056a8720b
What Does Social Media Really Mean?
Advertiser's Voice
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=19a07eaa-b65e-ee11-92d0-005056a8720b
MasterAdvisor 77: Tips for Making the Move to the Luxury Travel Segment
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 |Packaged Travel |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Air |Training & Resources |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