April 4th - April 10th

Naples, April 9 - (Adnkronos) - An Extraordinary Plan of EUR 20 million to negotiate with the Regions and categories that will focus on the strengthening of the promotion of the ‘’Italy brand’’, to implement also through partnership with other public and private parties. This was announced by Enit at the BMT (Mediterranean Tourism Exchange) in progress in Naples. The Plan should serve to support the revival and relaunching of tourism and the effects should already be felt at the start of the next winter season.

Naples, April 9 (Adnkronos) - The effect of September 11 seems to be over. Following that date the tourism sector also started to weaken and tick over. But according to what has emerged from the figures diffused by Enit at the BMT (International Tourism Exchange) in progress in Naples, foreign tourism in Italy has definitively inverted the trend produced by September 11, by registering a volume of proceeds valued at EUR 28.4 billion with an increase of 3%.

Naples, April 9 (Adnkronos) - A Country essentially returned to normality that anxiously awaits the return of Italians, among the few in the world that still find it hard to return to Sri Lanka following the tsunami that struck its coasts. Judging by the figures diffused at the Mediterranean Tourism Exchange in Naples by the Tourism Authority of Sri Lanka in Italy, the industry of the Country has recovered its effectiveness together with transport, telecommunications and infrastructure. In any case, large sector operators confirm that charter flights of Italians to Sri Lanka, interrupted in December by the tragedy, will resume from May 2, and for this reason the flow should gradually start again also from Italy.

Rome, April 9 (Adnkronos) - Chinese tourists “buy” Italy but they want to do so for very little. For his stay in Italy, the long-awaited Chinese tourist prefers to set his money aside for shopping. Despite the increase in tourist flows from China that signals an upward trend of 41 percent with respect to 2003 and the fact that 89 percent of operators have Italian destinations in their catalogue, the landing of the Chinese tourist is heralded as less considerable than predicted for the true inbound market, that will find itself managing a client who mostly favors guided coach tours in the large art cities, but with a budget of little more than EUR 30 a day and a limit of EUR 2,000 for an all inclusive 15-day tour.

Naples, April 9 (Adnkronos) - The objective is to relaunch tourism in the towns of the Vesuvian coastal strip through visits, exhibitions and events. The actions have been put forward by “Educational Tour” promoted by the “Costa del Vesuvio” Convention and Visitors Bureau, that already tomorrow will bring 60 of the most important national operators in the tourism, congress and event organization sectors, to San Giorgio a Cremano. The tour will stop off at Villa Vannucchi and Villa Bruno in San Giorgio a Cremano. The guests will travel along the entire ancient 18th century promenade that goes from Corso Roma to via Cavalli di Bronzo.

Naples, April 9 - (Adnkronos) – An Extraordinary Plan of EUR 20 million to negotiate with the Regions and categories that will focus on the strengthening of the promotion of the ‘’Italy brand’’, to implement also through partnership with other public and private parties. This was announced by Enit at the BMT (Mediterranean Tourism Exchange) in progress in Naples. The Plan should serve to support the revival and relaunching of tourism and the effects should already be felt at the start of the next winter season.

Naples, April 9 (Adnkronos) – The effect of September 11 seems to be over. Following that date the tourism sector also started to weaken and tick over. But according to what has emerged from the figures diffused by Enit at the BMT (International Tourism Exchange) in progress in Naples, foreign tourism in Italy has definitively inverted the trend produced by September 11, by registering a volume of proceeds valued at EUR 28.4 billion with an increase of 3%.

Naples, April 9 (Adnkronos) – A Country essentially returned to normality that anxiously awaits the return of Italians, among the few in the world that still find it hard to return to Sri Lanka following the tsunami that struck its coasts. Judging by the figures diffused at the Mediterranean Tourism Exchange in Naples by the Tourism Authority of Sri Lanka in Italy, the industry of the Country has recovered its effectiveness together with transport, telecommunications and infrastructure. In any case, large sector operators confirm that charter flights of Italians to Sri Lanka, interrupted in December by the tragedy, will resume from May 2, and for this reason the flow should gradually start again also from Italy.

Rome, April 9 (Adnkronos) – Chinese tourists “buy” Italy but they want to do so for very little. For his stay in Italy, the long-awaited Chinese tourist prefers to set his money aside for shopping. Despite the increase in tourist flows from China that signals an upward trend of 41 percent with respect to 2003 and the fact that 89 percent of operators have Italian destinations in their catalogue, the landing of the Chinese tourist is heralded as less considerable than predicted for the true inbound market, that will find itself managing a client who mostly favors guided coach tours in the large art cities, but with a budget of little more than EUR 30 a day and a limit of EUR 2,000 for an all inclusive 15-day tour.

Naples, April 9 (Adnkronos) – The objective is to relaunch tourism in the towns of the Vesuvian coastal strip through visits, exhibitions and events. The actions have been put forward by “Educational Tour” promoted by the “Costa del Vesuvio” Convention and Visitors Bureau, that already tomorrow will bring 60 of the most important national operators in the tourism, congress and event organization sectors, to San Giorgio a Cremano. The tour will stop off at Villa Vannucchi and Villa Bruno in San Giorgio a Cremano. The guests will travel along the entire ancient 18th century promenade that goes from Corso Roma to via Cavalli di Bronzo.

Naples, April 8 - (Adnkronos) - In 2004, Italy registered an increase in the total number of cruise ship passengers superior to 11% with respect to 2003, exceeding the quota of 10.5 million units, a figure never before registered in the history of the sector, and confirming a decidedly positive trend that has continued now for 15 years. The figures were communicated by CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), in the ambit of the BMT (Mediterranean Tourism Exchange) of Naples. CLIA predicts that the total passengers of the cruise market should rise to around 11 million in 2005.

Trieste, April 8 - (Adnkronos) - ‘’At a distance of two years, in tourism, as in commerce, Illy and his Council must admit that it was well operated, and if a Large-Scale Retail Plan is approved for the latter that reaches all the objectives fixed by the centre-right in past legislation. For the former, after having lost the summer flights from Moscow to Ronchi by not giving adequate support to flight organizers, a change occurred, to which we should be accustomed, and the necessary help to promote the flight in the Russian Federation is finally being conceded’’. This was written in a statement by Regional Councillor and ex-Productive Activities Councillor of Friuli Venezia Giulia for National Alliance, Sergio Dressi, concerning the reopening of the Trieste-Moscow flight.

Genoa, April 8 (Adnkronos) - The city of Genoa and Palazzo Ducale present the triennial project ‘’Giappone. L’arte del mutamento’’ (Japan. The Art of Change): events, meetings and art exhibitions to propose an elaboration and reflection on the processes of transformation in society, culture and cities in the comparison between Italy and Japan. The event will take place from April 16 to August 21 at Genoa’s Palazzo Ducale.

Verona, April 8 (Adnkronos) - The first ‘’Caccia al tesoro sulle Strade del Vino’’ (Treasure-hunt amid the Wine Routes) of Veneto will take place on Sunday June 5, with journeys on foot, by bicycle and by car. Scores of entries have already been announced: at the moment 130, between wine-growers, holiday farms, historical residences, specialized shops, restaurants and hotels, just to give some indication. The initiative is organized by the “Strade del Vino” of Bardolino, Bianco di Custoza, Colli Euganei, Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Lison - Pramaggiore, by the “Stradon del Vin Friulano” and the “Strada del Recioto e dei vini di Gambellara Doc”, in collaboration with the Wine Tourism Movement (MTV).

Venice, April 8 -(Adnkronos) - Again this year, with the arrival of spring, WWF opens for free its protected areas to offer to all a Sunday to spend together with friends, family, in contact with nature and the ‘’custodians’’ always involved in defending it. It will be possible to immerge oneself in the protected and still uncontaminated nature of the 124 Oases preserved in every region of Italy, by visiting 6 of the oases present in the Veneto region on Sunday April 10.

Cagliari, April 8 (Adnkronos) - The Sardinia Region Department of Tourism, Handcrafts and Commerce together with Touring Club Italiano have commenced in Cagliari, for the towns of the provinces of Cagliari and Oristano, the initiative ‘Bandiere Arancioni in Sardegna’ (Orange Flags in Sardinia), that predicts that development throughout the territory of the process of attributing the environmental tourist brand of quality to the hinterland. At 4pm today at the Sassari “Promocamera”, Regional Tourism Councillor Luisa Anna Depau, with the representatives of Touring Club Italiano, will meet with the towns of Sassari and Nuoro to present the initiative.

Palermo, April 7 (Adnkronos) - The study entitled ‘’Quality products and tourism in Sicily’’ will be presented in Palazzo dei Normanni’s “Sala Gialla” on Thursday April 14. The research, carried out by the Regional Consortium for Applied Research and Experimentation (CORERAS), and financed by the Sicilian Agricultural Development Agency (ESA), was born with the intention of investigating meeting opportunities and methods between the two sectors of the market up to now distant: agriculture and tourism.

Ronchi dei Legionari (Go), April 7 (Adnkronos) - Charter flights from Moscow to the Friuli Venezia Giulia airport will resume from next June 11. Following prolonged negotiations, the scheduling of two weekly flights that every Saturday, from June 11 to September 24, will link Moscow with Trieste, has been confirmed by leading Russian tour operators. The links will be operated by Russian airlines with Boeing 767s and 757s holding around 200 seats. The transport of more than 10,000 passengers is predicted.

Modena, April 6 (Adnkronos) - The symposium that will take place in Pavullo (Modena) from Wednesday 13 to Sunday April 17 is dedicated to chocolate. The appointment, organized by the town of Pavullo in collaboration with the Frignano Gourmet association and the Province of Modena, predicts five days of tasting in the company of master chocolatiers and experts of quality confectionary.

Naples, April 7 (Adnkronos) - The tourism market is recovering. This is shown by the results of the analyses carried out on occasion of the BMT, the Mediterranean Tourism Exchange that opens its doors tomorrow in Naples and that for three days (until Sunday April 10) will welcome the main international buyers, tour operators and companies. The figures show an increase of 5% in the bookings of Italians for the holidays, especially for far away destinations.

Milan, April 7 (Adnkronos) - Figuration interpreted from the most varied points of view and analyzed from diverse perspectives. This is what is proposed by the exhibition entitled ‘’Altre figurazioni’’ (Other Figurations) that will be set up in Milan from May 19 to July 2. Protagonists of the exhibition journey of the collective will be the 40 works by 13 Italian artists, whose characteristic is that of giving an extremely subjective meaning to their creations.

Udine, April 7 (Adnkronos) - The 2005 Friuli Venezia Giulia tourism promotion campaign will be in the form of the integrated tourist offer that has already shown good results in the past months and that has confirmed some positive trends. It will furthermore be distinguished from essentiality, by contrasting large images realized by Palmarin photographer Gianluca Baronchelli in words/values in Italian and local dialects. A selection presented in Udine by the Regional Councilor for Productive Activities, Enrico Bertossi, and by the Director of Communication for the Region, Fabio de Visintini.

Rome, April 7 (Adnkronos) - The appointment with the WWF oases is scheduled for Sunday April 10 and this year this day inaugurates a long journey that will accompany the Decade of the United Nations for sustainable development education, from 2005 to 2014. WWF has dedicated, to Italian schools, a valorization project on the educational role of the Oases, active areas for more that 30 years in the field of environmental education. The slogan selected for this season is “la natura e’ la migliore delle scuole” (Nature is the best school) and intends to underline the role that nature has as a source of inspiration and knowledge, to celebrate its creative and evocative value.

Terni, April 7 (Adnkronos) - Positive signs for Terni tourism from the figures relating to the presences and arrivals during the Easter week. This is what has emerged, with respect to the previous year, from a sample survey carried out by the tourism service of the Terni City Council, on the accommodating facilities of the Terni region. The survey has shown in total a tendential increase of 9% in arrivals and a 17% increase in presences (overnight stays).

Bologna, April 7 (Adnkronos) - An informative guide on the naturalistic oasis ‘La Rizza’ of Bentivoglio, created thanks to the collaboration between the Province of Bologna, Departments of Tourism and Agriculture, the Bentivoglio City Council, the Bentivoglio school teachers and WWF, was presented today at Palazzo Malvezzi in Bologna. Created for a young public, but adapted also for adults, the publication was realized from the numerous environmental education teaching projects created in these years in Bentivoglio city schools and offers a guide to the variety of natural landscapes, animal and spontaneous flora species present in this area.

Parma, April 7 (Adnkronos) - Now in its 5th edition, the cycle and enogastronomical event entitled ‘’Porcolonga’’, will get underway next April 17 in Parma. It is an excursion for groups of 25 people who, by bicycle and with the assistance of professional guides from the UISP, cross the zone of the Route of “Culatello di Zibello”, a DOP product of Parma gastronomy. There are 9 ‘’classic’’ itineraries to chose from, to which a tenth route has been added this year, that ideally unites the Farnese to Giuseppe Verdi and Giovannino Guareschi on a route of 80 kilometers (partly by bike and partly by boat on the River Po).

Orvieto (Tr), April 7 (Adnkronos) - The unmistakable signs and colors of Juan Miro’, the ‘’enfant terrible’’ of the pictorial avant-gardes, take form in the exhibition dedicated by Orvieto to the Catalan artist until June 12. The exhibition entitled ‘’Miro’ - Le meraviglie’’ (Miro - The Wonders), set up at the Greek Museum of Palazzo Soliano, celebrates the extraordinary creative strength of a man who was a painter, sculptor and engraver. The 80 works present along the exhibition journey document the artistic path of one of the great protagonists of the 20th century.

Naples, April 7 (Adnkronos) - The Boubon “Reggia di Portici” at the gates of Naples once again hosts the Antique Fair that for two years has brought enthusiasts and Italian and foreign exhibitors together. Renaissance epoch works will be exhibited until April 17, with a transition to the 18th and 19th centuries, arriving up to the first periods of the 20th century with Art Deco. Around 45 exhibitors will also present the ‘’gems’’ and original pieces that in addition to representing the art of a period, relate the history and the customs of it. It will also be possible to admire canvases, precious small boxes, sitting-room furniture and dressing tables in the setting of the historical site. The event is organized by ‘’Sviluppo Arte e Cultura’’.

Bologna, April 7 (Adnkronos) - Three more days to visit the exhibition ‘’Elisabetta Sirani, pittrice eroina’’ (Elisabetta Sirani, heroine painter), set up at the Civic Archeological Museum situated in Via dell’Archiginnasio in Bologna. In fact, from next week, the works of Sirani will return to the homes of the private individuals who have exhibited them for the first time to the public, while many others will return to European and American museums. A total of 70 works have attracted almost 27,000 visitors in 18 weeks of exhibition.

Lucca, April 7 - (Adnkronos) - Television features, broadcasts and advertisements, in addition to participating in fairs and workshops throughout Europe, the realization of educational tours with journalists and tourist operators, the updating of the APT Versilia website. These are the fronts on which the APT of Lucca and Versilia, in collaboration with the Province of Lucca, has stirred to capture the attention of Italian and foreign tourists. A rich program of already realized interventions to which the initiatives scheduled between April and May are added, illustrated during the course of a press conference in Lucca.

Naples, April 7 - (Adnkronos) - Telefono Blu Sos Consumatori has convened a national press conference for the South, at 4pm on Saturday at the new site of Parco S. Paolo Isolato 30, in Naples. The themes that will be dealt with during the course of the meeting will be the defiscalization of Southern tourism as in other countries of the European Union, a National Tourism Authority and a quality brand for the tourist villages.

Bolzano, April 6 - (Adnkronos) - The arrival of spring has seen the reopening to the public of the Mount Corno and Tessa Group Natural Parks in Alto Adige, that will welcome visitors with two interesting exhibitions on the world of animals: an exhibition on the predators of the night, owls and little owls will be open in the Naturno Visitor Center (Tessa Group) until May 21; an exhibition dedicated to bees and honey will be accessible until May 28 in the Trodena Center (Mount Corno). In addition, the Visitor Centers propose permanent exhibitions, dedicated to water (Tessa Group) and to the woods (Mount Corno).

Catania, April 6 - (Adnkronos) - Hobby Show Network, the Creativity and Handcraft Show arrives for the first time in Sicily. The ‘’Le Ciminiere’’ Fair/Cultural Center of Catania, with the support of the City Council, will host from May 6 to 8 in an exhibition area of 1000 sqm, all the main shops of the sector offering to the public the broadest exhibition of products relating creative manual arts.

Naples, April 6 (Adnkronos) - To bring the ‘’Neapolitan pizza’’ product directly to the places of tourism promotion in Italy and overseas, stimulating through the symbol of the city, recognized worldwide, the curiosity and desire of potential national and foreign tourists to travel to the province of Naples. This is the sense of the ‘’Pizza napoletana in tour’’ project promoted by the Naples Province Tourism Department, in collaboration with the “Verace Pizza Napoletana” Association, and presented this morning in Naples, in the Palazzo Matteotti council room.

Rome, April 6 (Adnkronos) - Decidedly positive progress has been registered by Rome province hotels relating to the tourism demand, both Italian and foreign, in the month of February. Total arrivals in Rome province hotels in February numbered 525,895 units, +6.84%. Instead, presences were equal to 1,209,154, +5.47%. The Italian demand registered a good increase both in arrivals, +6.99%, with 263,537 units, as well as in presences, +3.80%, with 513,702 units. But the figure to underline once again, with great satisfaction, is the one relating to the foreign demand. Foreign arrivals were equal to 262,358 units, +6.69%, and presences were equal to 695,452, +6.74%.

Milan, April 5 (Adnkronos) – In March, the Ryanair airline registered an increase in passengers of 20% with respect to the same month of the previous year. In a press release, the airline underlines that the seats sold (including seats not effectively used as Ryanair does not refund) numbered 2,565,706, compared with 2,137,187 in March 2004. Out the seats sold, the percentage of those purchased online is 98%, an additional one percentage point with respect to the previous year.

Bologna, April 5 - (Adnkronos) – The province of Bologna, Department of Tourism and Department of Agriculture, together with the city of Bentivoglio, with the collaboration of the school teachers of Bentivoglio and the WWF, have created an informative guide on the naturalistic oasis ‘La Rizza’ of Bentivoglio.

Perugia, April 5 - (Adnkronos) – The Councilor for Economic Development and Tourism of the Perugia City Council will receive at 4pm tomorrow, in the “Sala dei Notari” of Palazzo dei Priori, 98 tour operators originating from the United States. The American tour operators will remain in Umbria for 4 days, during which they will visit diverse cities, including of course Perugia, in an educational tour in the ambit of which the most characteristic aspects of Umbria will be shown. ‘’The tourism promotion activity of Perugia in the world continues – comments Councilor Liberati – and the undertaking of the Administration to favor tourist flows’’. Perugia is a strongly attractive city, capable of offering its visitors a range of opportunities (cultural, artistic, architectonic, enogastronomical, etc.)’’.

Paris, April 5 (Adnkronos) – Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, undisputed star of the Louvre museum in Paris, finally finds her definitive position. From tomorrow, the millions of visitors that every year crowd the rooms of the museum, will no longer find her in the Pink Room (where she remained for four years during the works) but in the great Room of States, restored and transformed to give Leonardo’s masterpiece all the necessary space and to avoid queues and hold-ups. Architect Lorenzo Piqueras, winner of the international competition, has created a great wall on which Mona Lisa stands out alone, while the Veneto painters (from Tiziano to Tintoretto) are aligned along the sidewalls.

Naples, April 5 (Adnkronos) – A concessional tax system for the tourism enterprises of the South, more favorable taxes to beat foreign competition. This is the proposal launched from Naples by the Telefono Blu Association on the eve of two sector events: ‘’Mediterranean Tourism Exchange’’ and ‘’Fare Turismo’’, in order to solicit reflection and concrete actions.

Rome, April 3 (Adnkronos) - Green tourism seems to enjoy good health in Italy. “In Campagna”, the Italian Eco-Tourism Exchange dedicated to this form of tourism, will take place from May 4 to 8, 2005, in San Severino Marche and Sarnano (MC). The event, now in its forth edition, will also be the occasion to analyze development prospects and realities concerning agricultural tourism, eco-tourism, country houses, rural tourism and bed breakfasts. Among the reasons for the success of green tourism is the combination between nature, sport, thermal health centres and small art cities that often characterize the offers of this form of tourism.

Rome, April 3 (Adnkronos) - In search of southern Sardinia and the many curious itineraries, including those less well-known to the general public. This is the ‘Sud Sardegna - Itinerari’ (’Southern Sardinia - Itineraries’) guide, realized by the Cagliari Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Tourism Department of the Region. With the guide the public will be able to get to know the places, traditions, environment and enogastronomical pleasures of Southern Sardinia. The guide is distributed through associations and tourist operators and in the fairs of the sector.

Rome, April 3 (Adnkronos) - The mountain both in summer and winter is the absolute protagonist of a stay in Aosta Valley. Many appointments with culture and traditions are added again this year, in addition to the traditional activities linked to the nature and sport combination that characterizes the region’s offer. There will be a folk-song exhibition at Aymavilles Castle in Aosta Valley at the end of March. April sees the return of the various appointments with the “Bataille de Reines” (Battle of the Queens), in which pairs of dairy cows challenge each other, and that concludes on October 23 with the final challenge in Aosta. 2005 will furthermore be the year in which the 40th edition of the International Festival of organ concerts is celebrated in the second half of August. For cinema enthusiasts, the Cervinio Film Festival will take place from July 20 to 24 between Breuil Cervinia, in the by now traditional site of “Cinema des Guides”, and Valtournenche.

Arezzo, April 4 (Adnkronos) - ‘’Toscana del ‘900. La Toscana dell’Arte’’ (Tuscany of the 20th Century. The Tuscany of Art) is the title of the interesting exhibition by Giovanni Faccenda, set up until June 26 at the Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art of Arezzo, through which the aim is to celebrate “Tuscan-ness”, of origin or choice, of numerous Italian and foreign artists. The exhibition journey develops through around sixty works, including well-known masterpieces, recently rediscovered and very important unpublished works, belonging to the chronological arc between 1900 and 1940. It is possible to appreciate paintings by Arnold Bocklin, Ardengo Soffici, Amedeo Modigliani, Giorgio de Chirico, Carlo Carra’, Gino Severini, Giorgio Morandi, Ottone Rosai and Lorenzo Viani.

Rome, April 4 (Adnkronos) - The Sicilian Region proposals concerning Noto Valley, the Baroque cradle of the island, are increasing. In fact, the “Distretto culturale del Sud-Est” (South-Eastern Cultural Zone), a veritable consortium created between the provinces of Syracuse, Ragusa and Catania, is always seeking new initiatives to promote the territory, declared Unesco heritage, in Italy and overseas. The latest in chronological order is the “Treno del Barocco” (Baroque Train), new development of the season that until September 17 will transport passengers/travellers from Syracuse to Ragusa, in the discovery of the Baroque style of Noto Valley.

Rome, April 4 (Adnkronos) - The new ‘Grimaldi Ferries Prestige’ Civitavecchia- Tunis route that substitutes the Livorno- Tunis route, will commence from April 6. The service will have weekly frequency, and will successively reach Palermo, Salerno and Malta. Departure from Civitavecchia will occur on Wednesday evening with arrival in Tunis on Thursday afternoon. The boat employed will be the pax/ferry ‘’Eurostar Salerno’’.