Italy is forecasting a strong winter sports season as it targets a return to pre-pandemic UK visitor numbers by 2023.
Maria Elena Rossi, marketing director of the Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT), said winter sports specialists were reporting positive business from the UK ahead of a planned early opening on December 4.
She also said moves to encourage shifts in travel patterns to the country were starting to bear fruit, with “short breaks increasingly becoming longer stays”.
Speaking at World Travel Market, Rossi said a focus on driving more “quality and sustainable travel” to the country introduced prior to the pandemic would continue as borders reopen.
This will include more promotion of authentic experiences and destinations outside established city favourites and tapping into growing demand for outdoor activities and sports including cycling and golf.
Rossi said: “The winter sports regions and resorts are very confident and this market has always been a strong one for the UK. We are hearing the demand is there and they are ready to go.”
She added: “Next year will be a year of transition and we are not projecting a full recovery on a global scale before 2024, but from the UK we are very confident that by 2023 the numbers will be back.”
ENIT has continued to engage in trade marketing and education throughout the pandemic, including webinars and the Italian Virtual Week, which took place in November in partnership with Travel Weekly’s parent company Jacobs Media Group.
Rossi said that commitment to trade partners would continue as the industry emerged from the pandemic and said more fam trips were being planned this year and next.
She added: “Developing more trade partnerships is central to our strategy and we are also working hard on training and education. Italy has never really been a low-cost destination so we are showcasing the authentic experiences you cannot get elsewhere.”