Italy Reimagined by Avanti and Italian Tourist Board

The Italian National Tourist Board and Avanti Destinations have launched a joint educational and promotional campaign with an e-brochure focused on travel to four regions of Italy that do not instantly come to mine: Piedmont, Puglia, Sicily and Umbria.

Typically, first time travelers visit Rome, Florence and Venice so the joint promotion is aimed at agents to assist them in creating vacations for repeat visitors to Italy.

Avanti is featuring16 customizable itineraries seven of which are brand new enhanced by the inclusion of ten new hotels – some of them in towns and villages never before included in the company’s itineraries — as well as 20 new experiences, such as spa treatments, cooking classes, “farmer for a day” activity, a 4-hour e-biking escorted tour, sports car tour, truffle hunting, gastronomic walking tours, and tastings of artisanal chocolate, local cheese, wine and olive oil.  Each of the four regions has a new four-day/three-night “Taste of” package that can be linked for a grand tour of all four regions.

“Italy is our most popular destination and one that has great potential for frequent repeat visits by American travelers,” said Paul Barry, Avanti’s executive chairman. “Piedmont – in the northwest at the foot of the Alps – and Puglia – along the Adriatic at the heel of the boot in the southeast – are as different as night and day in terms of history, culture, food and wine – and very different from Rome, Venice and Florence. Similarly, Umbria and Sicily give travelers dramatically different and marvelous experiences.