Two tourist destinations and an airport to talk about, three stages in Sicily, over 100 operators, representatives of associations, Cral groups and journalists met. These and other numbers of the roadshow that the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourism Board and the Cuneo ATL organized from 22 to 24 April between Palermo, Trapani and Catania.
The initiative, promoted by the two local tourist companies, was conceived in conjunction with the restart of the air route that connects Cuneo Airport with the Palermo “Falcone e Borsellino” airport. Ryanair’s Cuneo-Palermo flight has been operational since 2021 and, to date, has transported over 71 thousand passengers. Starting from 16 March the connection with the Sicilian capital has resumed with two weekly frequencies and currently operates every Thursday and Sunday, ideal frequencies to facilitate the organization of long weekends (in addition to the connection with Palermo, Ryanair also operates the route from the Cuneo airport with Cagliari, on a three-weekly basis).
“The operation of the Ryanair Cuneo-Palermo flight – says Bruno Bertero, general director of the LMR Tourism Board – offered us an excellent promotional opportunity to support the numbers of tourist flows that reach our territory from Sicily. In 2023 there were 6,329 Sicilian tourists in Langhe, Monferrato and Roero, for a total of 13,162 presences throughout the year. In percentage we are talking about 1.78% of the total Italian arrivals and 2.17% of the total presences. Numbers that have excellent margins for growth and which we are certain will increase following this operation.”
“The roadshow – states the director of the Cuneo ATL, Daniela Salvestrin – represented an opportunity to strengthen communication and promotion of the Cuneo area and its tourist offers in Sicily. The Palermo-Cuneo flight operated by Ryanair allows you, in just over an hour, to depart from the island to reach the Alps and our splendid cities of art for a holiday dedicated to the outdoors, cultural visits and unique food and wine experiences. The meeting with the press and travel agents proved to be decidedly fruitful, so much so that in recent days we have already received the first concrete expressions of interest which will soon translate into in-depth visits to our territory to be able to tell and propose our destination.”
Accompanying the two ATLs on the promotional tour, to illustrate in detail to the operators the hospitality and offer of the two destinations and make contacts for future new collaborations, were also representatives of the area’s reference tourist consortia, Langhe Experience and Conitours.
Furthermore, on the occasion of the roadshow, Visit Piemonte, the Association of Hoteliers and Tourist Operators of Cuneo with the president Giorgio Chiesa and Alba Accademia Alberghiera of Apro Formazione with the director Mario Deltetto promoted two meetings – in Palermo and Catania – with the school directors of the main hotel institutes on the island. A further moment of discussion to continue the project “Piedmont lands in Sicily” started two years ago with the aim of offering training and work opportunities to Sicilian students and professionals in the Piedmontese tourism sector.
