The showcase of G7 for further tourism development of Puglia. At the conclusion of the meeting of the world’s powerful a Borgo Egnaziathe prime minister Giorgia Meloni he underlined the Apulian welcome, the absolute professionalism of the structures and employees highlighted during the three days and did not fail to underline how the Heel of Italy will certainly have an extraordinary return in tourist terms. An important prediction from the Prime Minister, which has led some Apulian tour operators to reflect.
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«What has taken place in recent days has been an extraordinary opportunity for our territory – underlines Giuseppe Pagliara, CEO of Nicolaus Tour of Ostuni – a unique and probably unrepeatable showcase. The G7 in Puglia will remain in the history of world politics and will be a unique opportunity to promote and publicize our natural, architectural and artistic beauties and the uniqueness of our traditions. If it had been an institutional promotion campaign – he continues – it would have cost millions of euros and probably would not have achieved the same results, the fact that everything was free is an even more exceptional event.” Pagliara adds with optimism: «The G7 will have the strength to produce positive and beneficial effects on Apulian tourism for the next decades and not just for the years to come. It is clear that we cannot see immediate positive effects on the sale of tourist packages – he specifies – but the impact on marketing and advertising activities will be notable and will have long-lasting effects, particularly with respect to positioning on the international tourism market. Our region continues its journey that began several years ago in order to establish itself as a destination of excellence and high level.” And Puglia will turn towards a high-spending clientele starting from the next few years: «They will then also arrive in medium-level tourists – concludes Giuseppe Pagliara – but first of all it will be an absolute level and high-end tourism which will also open up to Countries that until now have not considered Puglia and which will do so also and above all for prestigious events.”
Also interesting compared to the words of Prime Minister Meloni are the reflections of Stefania Mandurino, general partner of the Lecce-based Elios Tours and former commissioner of Apt Lecce. «From a communication, marketing and advertising point of view we are faced with an operation of very high value. The myriad of accredited journalists talked about our land for three days among marvelous landscapes, historic centers full of charm, typical food and wine. The area was presented as best it could not be and, at the same time – Mandurino points out – the Apulian people proved to be very welcoming, if it is true that no inconveniences of any kind occurred. Furthermore, even though Borgo Egnazia is not an original place, it has been able to present the identity elements of Puglia”. The tourist entrepreneur from Lecce goes on to say: «A communication campaign of this level will only increase the percentage of foreigners who choose the Heel of Italy. A number that has been constantly growing in recent years, also thanks to policies and promotional choices. An important result achieved also thanks to that entirely Apulian ability, as the Prime Minister herself recalled – continues Mandurino – to combine the local with the global and to create a “glocal” figure”.
The G7 as a driving force for Apulian tourism, therefore: «A very identifying vision of Puglia has emerged which will certainly be able to ignite the interest of many. Usually marketing and communication times are very long but in this specific case they are situations that are grafted onto an already very dynamic process. Therefore the positive effects can already be had in the near future – concludes Mandurino – starting from the next tourist season”.
«As a Brindisi and Apulian I can only be happy for the image of Puglia projected in the world – the words of Teo Titi, maritime agent, president of the Salento port operators and committed to the promotion of Puglia for the routes of luxury boats and yachts – and for the fact that the Apulian territory has demonstrated absolute capacity in the organization and management of an event of this magnitude”. Having made this introduction, the entrepreneur from Brindisi continues: «Not immediately, investments in promotion need time to receive results, but Puglia will certainly be able to have an extraordinary return. Traveling the world for fairs and similar events, it is not always the case that one knows our region. What happened with the G7 – Titi continues – will certainly be very useful in this sense, in presenting Puglia as a high-level tourist destination which is not subject to situations of overtourism but rather, as it has been presented, it is a land on a human scale”.
In closing, Teo Titi sets the next objectives for Apulian tourism: «It will be important to continue to cross high-end flows and then also medium-level ones and to interest foreign tourists in particular, opening up to countries that until now have not had the possibility to get to know Puglia. Tourism internationalization is a challenge that must continue to be overcome.”
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