GREATER emphasis has been placed on the regions in Cresta’s new Italy brochure after reporting a dramatic surge in demand for longer holidays in rural areas.
Capacity has been increased in Tuscany while coverage in the regions around Milan, Turin, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore has also risen.
Marketing manager Jane Williams said the move followed a growing trend for customers to explore away from the major cities.
“Although Italian cities have remained the major attraction, there has been a definite shift towards longer-stay holidays, with a dramatic rise in the bed-nights around rural areas,” she said.
Agents are beginning to view Cresta as a short-break specialist rather than merely a city-break operator, Williams said.
“It has taken some time to alter the image, as our presence in the city-break market has been so strong for many years.”
New for ’99 are Amalfi, Positano, Praiano and Revello on the Neopolitan Riviera in Sorrento. Available in Tuscany is the Vigne la Corte – a private estate in the Florentine hills. Prices for a seven-night stay in April lead in at ú483 per person inclusive of flights, car hire and accommodation.