Corso di geografia turistica

Unit E1

p.157

• Cultural tourism, that above all involves national visitors, is experiencing continued success and has not been affected by the economic crisis as it involves a section of the population with high purchasing power.
• Festivals of high culture (involving various disciplines from literature to philosophy, from economics to science) have been an opportunity to re-launch many minor towns that have been excluded from traditional tours but which have a wealth of history, art and food traditions of the highest quality.
• Small towns like Mantova, Bergamo, Modena, Ferrara, Perugia and Trento, with an important historic centre, are the perfect settings for these types of event, which offer the audience the opportunity to exchange ideas and to meet up with men of letters and science outside of the institutional setting.
• It must however be noted that cultural festivals have been able to launch tourism in those locations where certain conditions already existed (such as: a wealth of monuments and artistic attractions, adequate hotel accommodation capacity, a good road and rail network, the presence of restaurants and an established typical cuisine) that have “reinforced” the appeal, while at the same time benefiting the surrounding areas.

Unit E2

p.163

• Exhibitions have always had appeal not only locally but also across national borders. Since they are aimed primarily at professional visitors they generate the particular form of tourism called business travel.
• Milan, a business city par excellence, is the Italian capital of industry and the service sector, and has the necessary attributes to attract visitors from every part the world: easy accessibility, wide range of accommodation and food industries, and adequate infrastructure for all forms of tourism (museums and art galleries, congress halls, exhibition pavilions, stadiums for sporting events, concert venues and theatres).
• From the beginning of the twentieth century, since the time of the historic general trade fair (Fiera Campionaria) and later on, together with the many specialised trade fairs, the city has been transformed step by step into the capital city of fashion, design, furniture, etc., and Milan has earned such a solid reputation for organising events that it was chosen as the site for Expo 2015.
• This extraordinary event, for which around 29 million visitors and the participation of exhibitors from 120 countries are expected, represents an international showcase of great economic importance; the ideal opportunity for (re)launching the tourist image of Milan and every country in the international tourism market.

Unit E3

p.169

• Until the late 1990s the city of Turin was perceived, in the imagination of potential tourists, as a cold industrial metropolis, cut off from the main tourist circuits, and poorly connected to other Italian cities.
• The opportunity to reverse the stigma came in June 1999 when Turin was awarded the organisation of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
• From that point on, public and private institutions acted in synergy to plan the revitalisation of the city, launching a strategic promotional plan which included infrastructure work to renew large urban areas and revitalise its considerable historic and architectural heritage.
• To summarise the lines of action: accommodation capacity was developed, the museum system was enhanced, cultural events of international appeal were held, the promotion of differentiated holiday packages increased, interventions for the growth of new businesses were implemented, and sports activities and access to sports facilities were improved.
• Today, Turin is an international tourist destination, recognised for its excellent history, architecture and culture, with a rightful place amongst the great European capitals.