Junuary 31st - February 6th

Rome, 4 February (Adnkronos) - The B.I.T. - International Tourism Exchange of Milan (the largest exhibition of the Italian tourism market and show complete with the best international offer) this year reaches its 25th edition: the Lazio Region - Department of Culture, Entertainment, Sport and Tourism will participate, from February 12 until 15, by presenting a balance of the work that has been performed by the administration in these years, as well as the previsions for the immediate future.

Florence, 4 February - (Adnkronos) - ‘’Montecatini Hot Springs: decision time’’. This is the title of the meeting, organized by the Vice President in regional council of Forza Italia Anna Maria Celesti, that will take place at 4pm next February 11, at Montecatini Hot Springs. The title itself, explains the Italian councilor, signifies the serious situation facing Montecatini, Valdinievole and others, linked to the matter of the Hot Springs. According to a memo, the meeting will include the participation of the proprietorship of the Hot Springs: Tourism Councilor Susanna Cenni for the Region and Montecatini Mayor Ettore Severi for the Town Council. In addition, there will also be the participation of the president of the property company, Vito Vacchi, CGIL general secretary Daniele Quiriconi, CISL Pistoia general secretary Mario Tuci and provincial UIL coordinator Giuseppe Macri’.

Perugia, 4 February- (Adnkronos) - To promote Umbria in the Italian context, to contrast the devaluation of the dollar with respect to the euro, to propose tailored packages for a market in great expansion: are just some of the themes dealt with today in Perugia during the official presentation of ‘’Italy Symposium’’, the annual meeting of American tourism operators specialized in the management of tourism flows to Italy, in progress from February 3 until 8.

Genoa, 4 February (Adnkronos) - Preview of Euroflora 2006, Miss Muretto di Alassio 2005, Camogli’s Fish Festival, typical products, Ligurian villages with the ‘’bandiere arancioni’’ (orange flags), art, culture and typical eno-gastronomical products. All in the showcase of the Liguria Region, guest of the BIT- International Tourism Exchange scheduled in Milan from Saturday February 12 until Tuesday 15. The stand- 500 square meters- will be that of the Regional Tourism Promotion Agency ‘’In Liguria’’ at pavilion 19, managed by the Riviera delle Palme APT.

Pesaro, 4 February (Adnkronos) - Following the exhibition ‘’Nanni Valentini and his travel companions’’, that saw the works of the Pesaro master exhibited alongside those of artists close to him, the G+G Gallery of graphic art in via Vanzolini in Pesaro continues the exhibition of the works of Nanni Valentini, on occasion of the twentieth anniversary of his death. It will also be possible to admire some designs of the Marches Region artist from February, every afternoon except on Sunday.

Lamezia Terme, 4 February - (Adnkronos) - Two new appointments programmed by the Cosenza City Council have been added to Carnival 2005. Two exciting Carnival festivals are planned from 3pm on Monday February 7, at the town children’s recreation centers ‘’the World of Oz’’ in Via Popilia and Serra Spiga, for the protagonists who are once again the girls and boys of Cosenza. Following three weeks of carnival initiatives and workshops carried out within the recreation centers, two masked festivals will enliven the afternoon of the young participants, in a happy and cheerful atmosphere. Costume and make-up workshops will open the event in both structures. Games will follow and then a rich buffet with the typical sweets of this festival.

Bologna, 4 February - (Adnkronos) - Even the archbishop of Bologna, Carlo Caffarra, will be present, together with city authorities, at the float parade for the 53rd children’s carnival that will take place on Sunday in Bologna. The parade will be preceded by the flag-wavers. It will start at 2:30 from piazza VIII Agosto and will trace the route of piazza Nettuno, Maggiore and Re Enzo. The course will be repeated on Tuesday February 8.

Rome, 4 February (Adnkronos) - ‘’The Cities of Culture’’, Third National Conference of Culture and Tourism Councilors is set to start at the Music Park Auditorium in Rome. The appointment predicts an opening plenary session and the first three sessions of work on Thursday February 10. Another six sessions are predicted for the day of the 11th and the closing plenary session is scheduled for February 12.

Certaldo, 4 February - (Adnkronos) - The town of San Gimignano has joined the tourism promotion Consortium “Terre d’Elsa”. The Siena town is added to the four of the Florentine Valdelsa (Certaldo, Montaione, Castelfiorentino and Gambassi Terme) and to private individuals who work in the ambit of tourism or agro-alimentary production. San Gimignano Councilor Sabrina Benenati, Gambassi Terme Mayor Federico Campatelli and Certaldo Mayor Andrea Campinoti, who hosted the press conference of the Consortium in the town hall, were present together with the director of Terre d’Elsa, Alessio Falorni, at this morning’s presentation.

Milan, February 3 (Adnkronos) - The institution of a secondary school of tourism has been proposed during the course of the conference ‘Culture in education for quality tourism’, that is currently taking place at Palazzo delle Stelline in Milan. The conference was promoted by the Varalli Technical College with the patronage of the Lombardy Region and with the collaboration of the Tourism Department and the Province of Milan.

Rome, February 3 (Adnkronos) - At two years on from its creation, the “Città dei Sapori” [City of Flavours] non-profit association involving MiBAC and “Comuni Tipici d’Italia”, today presented itself officially renewed and strengthened following a period of reorganization. More than 100 towns are today involved in this cultural project that has the aim of spreading cultural tourism in their places of origin, through the knowledge of the universally appreciated eno-gastronomical products of our country’’. With these words, Cultural Heritage Undersecretary Nicola Bono today presented, in the MiBAC National Council room, the ‘’Città dei Sapori’’ association along with its new national president, Nicola Alemanno, elected this morning.

Milan, February 3 (Adnkronos) - The lack of a tourism policy in our country has been one of the most discussed themes over the course of the conference ‘Culture in education for quality tourism’ that is currently taking place at Palazzo delle Stelline in Milan.

’’The cause of the decrease in competitiveness of Italian tourism -explained Giuseppe Loi-Puddo, professor at the Bocconi University of Milan- is the lack of a tourism policy. The Italian tourism industry is not suited to the changes of the international market. With political support, human resources suited to restoring competitiveness to national tourism could be developed’’.

Rome, February 3 (Adnkronos) - Nicola Piovani’s performance entitled ‘The songs of Concha Bonita’ will close the celebrations of the Venice Carnival. The work, which should have been staged at Ateneo Veneto, will instead take place at ‘la Fenice’ theatre, recently reopened following reconstruction.

For the occasion, Nicola Piovani and director Maurizio Scaparro will bring to Venice Gennaro Cannavacciuolo, Catherine Ringer and the other actors of ‘The songs of Concha Bonita’, the musical by Alfredo Arias and René De Ceccatty with sound tracks by Nicola Piovani who, following triumphs in Paris, has recently debuted with great success in Rome.

Palermo, February 3 (Adnkronos) - ‘’The Eurofly initiative of a direct Palermo-New York flight has a remarkable symbolic value: it presents us with an autonomy absurdly unthinkable just a few years ago and it makes us hope that, in a short time, the heart of the Mediterranean that is Sicily could soon have direct links with the rest of the world’’. In this way, Sicilian Region President Salvatore Cuffaro, commented on the launch of a direct weekly link between Palermo and New York, presented today at the City Council headquarters of Villa Niscemi.

Palermo, February 3 (Adnkronos) - A direct weekly flight between the ‘’Falcone-Borsellino’’ airport of Palermo and the ‘’John Fitzgerald Kennedy’’ airport of New York. The link, that will be operational from June 18 until September 18, 2005, and that will recommence in May 2006, was presented today in Palermo by, among others, Augusto Angioletti, Managing Director of Eurofly, the company that launched the initiative, the Mayor of the Sicilian capital city, Diego Cammarata, and by Regional Work and Tourism Councilors, Francesco Scoma and Fabio Granata.

Milan, February 3 (Adnkronos) - A new tour operator, Easy Israel, has been established with technical headquarters in Turin. In collaboration with the Israeli Tourism Office and the El Al airline, the new tour operator is placed on the individual tourism market as well as the group market with flight and hotel packages. The itineraries are varied: from the classic ones, to pilgrimages, treatment stays at the Dead Sea and weeks at Eliat.

Rome, February 3 - (Adnkronos) - On Sunday, more than 300 masked characters will animate, on board 6 allegorical floats, the ‘’Sea Carnival’’ of Fiumicino, traditional and festive appointment of the Roman coast now in its 17th edition. The six allegorical floats, accompanied by a band and masked groups with film inspired figures, television imitations and cartoons with a hint of satire, will be the attractions of the parade, amid ‘’cannon-shots’’ of confetti and music fired from speakers, for dancing in the street like a full-scale street parade.

Lucca, February 3 - (Adnkronos) - Until February 8, Lucca will celebrate carnival with a series of initiatives promoted by the Province of Lucca - Department of Cultural Heritage entitled ‘’Signs of Light, Signs of Festivities. Elisa, the Palazzo and the transparent’’, dedicated to the bicentenary of the swearing in at Palazzo Ducale of Elisa Baciocchi, sister of Napoleon, Princess of Lucca from 1805 to 1814.

Prato, February 3 (Adnkronos) - There is time only until Sunday February 6 to visit the exhibition dedicated to Bertrand Lavier at the Luigi Pecci Contemporary Art Center of Prato.

The exhibition of the artist’s works, a critical reassessment of the tradition of ready-made, or rather, the common object presented as a work of art because of it being painted with rich strokes of acrylic colours, exhibits works like ‘’Lothar’’, a large electricity pylon destroyed by a storm on the eve of the end of the millennium, that rediscovers life thanks to acrylic colours and a real Ferrari 308 GTB, refashioned by the artist as a ‘’painted object’’.

Luxembourg, February 2 - (Adnkronos) - The show entitled ‘’G. Morandi and still life in Italy’’, an exhibition on 20th century Italian still life set up in the rooms of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Musée National d’Histoire et d’Art, will be inaugurated on Friday February 4 by Civil Service Minister Mario Baccini, and by the Grand Duchy Minister of Culture. The exhibition, that will remain open to the public until March 13, was organized by Foedus, Foundation created and chaired by Mario Baccini to spread Italian cultural heritage, in collaboration with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and with the support of the Italian Embassy and the Italian Institute of Culture of Luxembourg.

Prato, February 2 (Adnkronos) - ‘’Robert Morris’’ is the title of the great retrospective, set up from February 27 until May 29 at the “Luigi Pecci” Contemporary Art Center, that intends to celebrate one of the greatest exponents of Minimal Art: the artist, among other things, has left significant works in the Prato and Pistoia territory like the ‘’Labyrinth’’ of Fattoria di Celle, as well as the altar, the bronze ambo in the form of a mantle and the candelabrum in Prato Cathedral, and the ‘’Quattro per Donatello’’ sculpture in the cloisters of the Cathedral’s “Museo dell’Opera”.

Catania, February 2 - (Adnkronos) - The low cost airline Myair.com will link Milan airport “Orio al Serio” with Lampedusa from July 16 until September 17, 2005. According to a statement, this link will amplify the network of links towards Southern Regions and is added to the flights already operational from December 17, 2004 that link Milan with Bari, Brindisi, Naples and Catania. The Milan-Lampedusa flight, continues the statement, will be operational on Saturdays: Orio al Serio 8I 1018 will leave at 6.45; from Lampedusa flight 8I 1019 will take off at 9.25.

Rome, February 2 (Adnkronos) - ‘’The new multimedia tourist itineraries are available on the website www.turislazio.it ‘’. This was announced by Lazio Region Councillor for Culture, Entertainment, Sport and Tourism, Luigi Ciaramelletti. ‘’The new multimedia section of TurisLazio, coordinated by the Region’s Department of Tourism -explained the councillor- provides very detailed information on the places to visit, culture, natural beauties and local cuisine for every main city of the province. Every page, written in both Italian and English, is accompanied by a video clip with clear and evocative images’’.

Mogliano Veneto (TV), February 2 (Adnkronos) - The Brolo Center of Art and Culture presents, from February 6 until May 8, the exhibition entitled ‘’Camille Pissarro. Engraved Impressions’’, promoted by the City of Mogliano Veneto and curated by Center Director Casimiro Crescenzo, with the patronage of the National Library of France, the Pissarro Museum of Pontoise and the French Embassy. The exhibition presents more than 90 of the most representative works of Pissarro’s production, famous masterpieces of the graphic impressionist that earned him the title of ‘’peintre-graveur’’ [”painter-printmaker”].

Naples, February 2 (Adnkronos) - ‘’Allusions of Form’’, the one-man exhibition by Valeria Corvino will open its doors on February 4. Set up at Sala Carlo V of Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angioino), the exhibition, that will remain open until February 26, constitutes the occasion to admire the latest production of the artist. Around thirty recently produced large canvases will be visible along the exhibition journey. These works witness the umpteenth step towards the consolidation of a style expressed with a very personal language.

Turin, February 2 (Adnkronos) - The GAM (Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art) of Turin continues the exhibition calendar reserved to new generation artists with the one-man exhibition by Massimo Bartolini, curated by Laura Cherubini, that can be visited from February 4 until April 3, everyday (except Monday) from 9am until 7pm.

Teramo, February 1 (Adnkronos) - The conference promoted by Assoturismo on the theme ‘’A new season for Teramano tourism’’, will take place at 3pm on Thursday February 3 in Pineto (Teramo). Provincial Tourism Councillor Orazio Di Marcello and Walter Mazzitti, the president of the Gran Sasso-Monti della Laga National Park, will speak at the event. According to the organizers, the conference is the first in a series of four appointments promoted by Assoturismo in each Abruzzo province, to take bearings on the state of the Abruzzo sector with the operators and institutions and most of all to analyze the aspects that have determined a consistent drop in the presences of the region. The Regional Secretary of Confesercenti, Enzo Giammarino, and representatives of Assoturismo, Assoviaggi and Fiba will also speak at the Pineto conference.

Ancona, February 1 - (Adnkronos) - The Marches Region will present its 2005 Tourism Promotion Plan at 4pm next Thursday at the ‘La Fonte di Portonovo’ Hotel of Ancona. Regional Tourism Councilor, Lidio Rocchi, will speak at the meeting that will serve to discuss the promotional initiatives planned by the Region during the course of the year. Interventions in favour of Local Authorities, Tourist Systems, associations and tour operators will be illustrated, for the development of accommodating and tourist information structures.

Rome, February 1 (Adnkronos) - Following the two ‘’Anteprima’’ shows at the Royal Palace of Naples and Turin’s “Promotrice delle Belle Arti”, the third conclusive exhibition of the 14th Quadrennial Art Exhibition will take place, from March 9 until May 31, in the prestigious premises of Rome’s National Gallery of Modern Art, as the historical site of the Quadrennials, “Palazzo delle Esposizioni”, is still closed.

Venice, February 1 - (Adnkronos) - The ex- French Minister of Culture, Jean-Jacques Aillagon, is in pole position to direct Palazzo Grassi, the famous exhibition centre of Venice that the Fiat Group ceded to the Venetian Casino, controlled by the local administration. The municipality of Venice intends ‘’to very soon close’’ an agreement with Aillagon, already the director of the prestigious Beaubourg of Paris, to assign him the responsibility of artistic director of Palazzo Grassi. This was announced by the Mayor of the lagoon city, Paolo Costa.

Perugia, February 1 - (Adnkronos) - To bring together in one single text the regional legislation on tourism, to facilitate the interpretation and application of the norms that regulate the activities of the sector, with particular attention to the qualification of the sector. This is what has been proposed by the Regional Council bill that has obtained the favourable opinion of the representatives of the Table ‘’Protection and valorisation of the Umbria resource’’, organized by the development Pact, during the course of the meeting that took place last Monday at Palazzo Donini, chaired by Regional Tourism Councillor, Maria Prodi.

Naples, February 1 (Adnkronos) - ‘’Food and flavours in Pompeii and the surrounding areas’’, is the title of the exhibition that from February 3 will be on show at the National Antiquarium of Boscoreale in the ambit of the initiative ‘’Foods and flavours of ancient Italy’’ of the Cultural Heritage Ministry General Directorate for Archeological Assets. The Boscoreale exhibition deals with five themes connected with nutrition in the ancient world. ‘’Ars’’ examines the peculiar aspects of Roman Art that determined the birth of the “still life” artistic genre, of which numerous examples are present on the painted walls of the Vesuvian city. Panels, still life and small paintings, some recently restored, will be exhibited.

Rome, February 1 - (Adnkronos) - The House of Goethe will host the exhibition entitled ‘’Pictorial etchings of Italian landscapes’’ that will see the etchings of Johann Christian Reinhart, Jacob Wilhelm Mechau and Christoph Albert Dies exhibited from February 3 until March 6. The exhibition is accessible everyday from 10am until 6pm, except on Monday.

Colle Val d’Elsa (Siena), February 1 (Adnkronos) - Around 22,600 pages visited in four months. These are the first positive figures relating to ‘’Terre di Arnolfo’’ [The Lands of Arnolfo], the new Internet site dedicated entirely to tourist information and to the services offered by the territory for all those who want to visit the city of Colle di Val d’Elsa, in the province of Siena.

Bologna, January 31 - (Adnkronos) - An exhibition project that bring together five of the most significant artists of contemporary pictorial research, four Italians already known overseas (Alessandro La Motta, Giovanni Manfredini, Simone Pellegrini and Nicola Samorì) and a Frenchman (Buell) who has been present on the national scene for years. A journey through images, thoughts and suggestions through the perception of oneself and others, experienced in different ways but always with vibrant intensity and profound auto-analysis. It is the exhibition entitled ‘Wild Hearts” that will be inaugurated at 4pm on Saturday February 5, at the “Ca’ la Ghironda” Foundation in Zola Predosa, in the province of Bologna.

Florence, January 31- (Adnkronos)- Is Tuscany ready to welcome Chinese tourists? This is the question from which arose the speech by Tuscan Region Tourism Councillor, Susanna Cenni, on occasion of the Chinese tourism market Seminar, held this morning in Florence at the Tuscan Tourism Promotion Agency headquarters. ‘’Tuscany is going places- continued the Councillor- but there is still a lot to do. Up until today we have been able to count on a splendid territory and an unequaled cultural heritage, but with Chinese tourism it’s another story. It is necessary to adjust our offer. Those that are normally our strong points do not guarantee us position returns”.

Rome, January 31 - (Adnkronos) - Strong revival for air transport in 2004. Last year, both passenger and freight traffic registered an increase with respect to 2003 of 15.3% and 13.4% respectively. ‘’The revival of traffic has been extraordinary -states Giovanni Bisignani, General Director of Iata- in all the regions that have registered a two-figure percentage increase’’. The increase in passenger traffic was equal to 24.8% and 20.5% in the Middle East and the Asian area of the Pacific respectively.