Connect2Italy
The Connect2Italy project comes to life
After two years of the pandemic that slowed down trade flows, crystallized social dynamics, and radically changed people’s lifestyles globally, where the only essential “window” on the world was the one on our computers. Two long and dreary years, filled with doubts even for Alessandro Mancini and Vincenzo Pizzolante, who have called upon all their energies and passion – that always belonged to them, considering their love for travels and experiences they were able to acquire and develop working on the prestigious Expo Milan 2015 and Dubai 2020 – to invest on their project, Connect2Italy. Through a platform, an app, and a social media channel, this project can transform the concept of future tourism and celebrate the innate desire for knowledge and comfort, always considering the chance to improve the offer on the market, growing professionally and enriching it with original and unique ideas.
Connect2Italy wants to tell a story about new discoveries, entrepreneurship, enhancing all the phases that come after the research, offering a 360-degrees service to show the Italian excellences, planning all sort of ways to enjoy them thanks to several professional offers: becoming part of an exclusive club where you can learn, broaden your choices and your horizons while creating an exceptional value exchange.
Because of the pandemic, most international trade fairs had to be cancelled. That’s why now more than ever, tour operators must invest on their resources, updating the offer and restructuring business and tourist locations, with the urge to overcome the geographical distances between large cities and technological inadequacies.
Through a platform, an app and a social media channel, Connect2Italy allows both international and Italian operators to become a member of this online club where they can exchange ideas daily and plan meetings.
While sitting comfortably at your desk, thanks to the platform the members will be able to create real commercial relationships in a breeze: Italian operators/sellers have an introduction page they can update and modify autonomously, while foreign operators/buyers can contact them to request information or book an experience.
The team, professional and available to any inquiries both parties might have, will be there to assist them through every step of the way, to create a virtuous circle where operators speak the “same language”.
Italian sellers can take advantage of a skilled business direction without having to pay a percentage on the turnover generated.
The Grand Tour Renaissance
If on the one hand the Italian cultural and artistic heritage is still incredibly captivating to tourists all over the world, despite of all the difficulties encountered throughout these arduous days, on the other hand, the stillness generated by the pandemic increased the demand of experiences and the need to create new ways to promote them.
The Grand Tour desire – that for over two centuries has been connected to travels in Italy, not only to improve one’s knowledge, but also to get acquainted to the cosy Italian way of life and enjoy its scenic, artistic, cultural heritage – is still a wish that all those who travel for tourism, work, study want to make.
Furthermore, it is still associated to not only well-being and entertainment, but also the pursuit knowledge and professional opportunities, creating a continuous circle of connections and exchanges, organised and supported by Connect2Italy. The process is simple: by enhancing the relationships within a carefully-selected network of international operators – a sort of club made of professionals and fine connoisseurs of different sectors, working together to develop training, improve their know-how and turn original and unique ideas into reality – where the public has access though a platform, an app and a social media channel.
The players of Connect2Italy
Creative and resourceful entrepreneurs, open to international development, professional and passionate, who bet on Italy and its extraordinary range of offers for international tourism, with a new mindset, where the network made of experts – from the tour operator, passing through the host and to the traveller – create a flow of communication exchanging ideas on research, offers and business proposals.
The human connection is put at the centre thanks to the innovative digital tools such as the platform and social media channels, that target a wide audience by selecting the experts and the proposals they want to offer, following top quality and innovative criteria, for an active commitment that is meant to last.
Each operator becomes a partner, mapped for the kind of service, experiences, location they offer – keeping in mind that the more a proposal is considered a niche, the more interest it gains on the network – and through the platform and social media, the operator can get directly in touch and bridge the gaps getting assistance from the Connect2Italy team and create events, post contents, request meetings, send and receive notifications: the world is just a click away!
The platform brings the members together even if they are physically apart, allowing them to relax while working thanks to the human contact, a fundamental value of the whole project, in order to create a pleasant and friendly community, where people can share their experiences in a network with trustworthy professionals.
Connect2Italy International Network
Thanks to the heterogeneous network of entrepreneurial contacts and the creation of commercial bridges between Italian excellence and foreign markets, Connect2Italy aims at creating international opportunities for its operators: examples are the Hala Italia panel dedicated to presenting Italian excellences to touristic operators from Kuwait and GCC Countries, or the panel held with ACTUAL, where Italian excellences and realities were presented to more than 1200 South American operators.
All members have now the opportunity to enjoy the Familiarization trips, and the utmost realization of the activity on the platform around Italy: points are awarded for each activity, which can lead up to experiencing first-hand some of the proposals in Italy together with a Connect2Italy team member.
As the French writer, Marcel Proust wrote: “The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
Connect2Italy stories
On the platform and the social channel, professionals share their stories, experiences, ideas, and aims that represent a sort of choral fresque of the extraordinary natural, artistic and cultural Italian heritage. A freeze-frame that represents both the country and the ideals of Connect2Italy through the words and pictures of its actors.
Among the new offers proposed by the platform, it is now possible to visit some of the most desired international attractions with unique and sensorial itineraries, like Val d’Orcia in Tuscany, famous for its luxurious residences and precious vineyards, and less known locations like the Grossetano archipelago islands, perfect to explore with small cruises and sailing tours, among wild coastlines, pristine beaches, a rich seabed, natural parks, all followed by typical local products tastings.
In Sicily, apart from the selected luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Palermo, connected to the famous Mondello beach, travelers are offered a new way to get to know the wonders of the island: splendid aristocratic mansions, prestigious villas, situated in unique locations and characterized by peculiar architectural structures and gardens are open to those who want to relive the glories of the past.
And it’s not over: discovering the beauties of the underwater world with sport fishing charters and excursions from Porto di Villanova to Marina di Ostuni in Apulia. From fishing in the open sea in the Adriatic to sailing the Po River estuary or visiting the hidden gems of Venice and its lagoon till Pellestrina and Chioggia, all this is accompanied by wine and seafood tastings, riding a horse or a bike in the natural Italian routes. There are many original ideas regarding holidays in Cortina, with snowshoeing or walking tours, routes with sportbikes, helicopter rides, or snowmobiles always with food and wine stops in wild places, while film projections are played in the background. The perfect setting for a sweet Italian holiday.