Tourism Team - Italy

​The team develops a set of activities aimed at the Italian trade and press, with a view to promoting Portugal as a destination and supporting the commercial action of Portuguese tourism companies. It also has a strong focus on the detection of commercial opportunities, as well as acting with a view to enhancing the destination’s visibility and reputation, either through brand activation or public relations campaigns with the press and market leaders.
Its performance is strongly based on knowledge, through the constant search for technical information and connection to knowledge networks.
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//​​ The market
In Italy, the business fabric linked to tourism encompasses around 10,000 companies, including travel agencies and tour operators, with the largest share going to travel agencies, which are mostly small and located predominantly in the centre and northwest of the country. 
In recent years, the travel agency business has become more concentrated, a phenomenon that was accentuated by the pandemic. In a first phase, there was the effective abandonment of the activity and later its integration into the so-called networks. 
Additionally, the process of digital transformation of companies continues, not only due to the growing use of online tools in the relationship with the customer, but also due to a growth in the number of OTAs (online travel agencies), as well as other forms of digital intermediation, such as Travel Consultants, who operate strictly online. 
 
// Tourist profile
This phenomenon has also been reflected in the behaviour of Italian travellers, with regard to their holiday bookings. Although the direct channel continues to be the preferred option, the use of online tools has been growing in recent years. In fact, in addition to going "digital", the latest booking trends being seen among Italian travellers are earlier booking, at around three months ahead of travel, and preference being given to customised trips to the detriment of standard packages. 

While Italian travellers are strongly inclined towards domestic tourism, they do also choose international destinations, especially in Europe.
Their main reason for travelling domestically is leisure, while for international trips they are looking for gastronomy and wines, culture, religion, and artistic, monumental and archaeological heritage. When researching their travel options they resort to search engines, advice from friends and family, and even TV programmes and films. Additionally there is a growing awareness of and sensitivity to environmental matters. Beach destinations are the top choice, followed by historic cities, mountainous locations and rural tourism.