Tourism: no "Expo effect" in Tuscany

Two months after the official inauguration of Expo 2015, Agriturist Toscana fa un primo bilancio degli effetti riscontrati sugli agriturismi della regione: a budget that disappoints the expectations of managers who have not had any increase in bookings over the first two months, which they have recorded the same trend than the already disappointing 2014 also with regard to the summer months.

"After an initial survey in our accommodation - explains Laura Cresti, President of Agriturist Tuscany - the data we receive are far from comforting. Unfortunately, after two months we have not registered any increase tied to 'Expo and little change over last year, a clear sign that the foreign tourism who decided to visit our region did not taking any account of the event in Milan. We can not hide some disappointment, especially for those who, between us, He had decided to invest in promotion offering packages packed event or made specific advertising campaigns for some years back with the structure also promoting the 'Expo. Often - Cresti continues - our foreign guests say they are not even aware of Expo, like to emphasize that the external promotion at national borders did not work vice versa as was the case with similar events made abroad. We await the high season hoping a trend reversal but we mask a certain pessimism mainly linked to the level of prices charged ".

"At the end of the Expo there are still a few months - adds Francesco Miari Fulcis, President of Confagricoltura Tuscany - we try to use the time that remains to study some initiatives to raise interest outside Lombardy. We are faced with a tourism evidently 'hit and run'. And if on the one hand the presence of Tuscany with a structure in the center of Milan for the 'Out Expo' is a value that is not discussed, questa va sicuramente maggiormente valorizzata e riposizionata con investimenti accattivanti e contenuti di alta qualità. We must take this opportunity to convince the many Italian and foreign tourists from traveling to our territories. Territories which are in fact a concrete example and virtuoso of what Expo wants to tell ".

Michael Lattanzi
By the number 71 - Year II 2/07/2015