April 18th - April 24th

Rome, April 22 (Adnkronos) - The ‘’liberation’’ long weekend is at the door, the first big holiday occasion for Italians. According to the findings of Telefono Blu, 30% of people who intend to travel will be on the move from April 22 to 26, while 20% will allow themselves a holiday lasting a total of nine days, from April 23 to May 1. Instead, 30 % will aim only at three days, from April 23 to 25, without sacrificing leave. 20% will be on the move for just one day.

Rome, April 22 (Adnkronos) - More than two hundred thousand Italians will be guests in holiday farms over the April 25 long-weekend, allowing themselves to be tempted by the attractions of the country, that offers for the first time also the possibility to combine the Oasi Lipu visit with the tasting of typical products. This is what was stated by Coldiretti that has promoted, together with Lipu, the initiative entitled ‘’Ali sulla campagna: la natura ha buon gusto’’ (Wings on the country: nature has good taste) to valorise with ‘’ecological tourism’’ the national supremacies in natural, environmental and alimentary terms. An alliance, symbolized by the swallow traditionally fond of old stables, that will be sanctioned in Rome in the “Castel di Guido” Oasis, 20 km from Via Aurelia, where on the morning of Saturday April 23 a bird of prey treated at the Lipu Wild Fauna Rehabilitation Centre, will be freed in the presence of school students with stands bursting with specialties.

Rome, April 22 - (Adnkronos) - ‘’Even culture will celebrate on occasion of the historical anniversary of April 25. All Roman civic museums will cancel the habitual Monday closing and will remain open exceptionally to the public for the whole day, to enable Romans and tourists to admire the immense civic cultural heritage’’. This was announced in a statement by Rome City Culture Councillor Gianni Borgna.

Rome, April 22-(Adnkronos) - ‘’The average length of stay of tourists in bathing establishments has significantly dropped in the last three years. We ask all the managers of bathing establishments directly or indirectly to keep the prices of the previous year’’. This is the invitation directed by Telefono Blu, the association for the protection of the rights of consumers, to all bathing establishments.

Elba Island, April 22 - (Adnkronos) - The first international patchwork fair will take place from May19 to 22 on the island of Elba. For four days the streets of Marina di Campo, Portoferraio, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Rio nell’Elba and San Piero, already marvellous by themselves, will enrich themselves with the varied colours of quilts. In fact, for the enthusiasts of the most original of the textile arts, the event will be the most important appointment of the year, the first and only in Italy. For all the others, the Fair could be an ‘excuse’ to discover with different eyes the natural beauties of Elba Island.

Rome, April 21 (Adnkronos) - ‘’The more than 1000 discotheques will receive not less than 1.5 million young people, at least 200 thousand this weekend. While, more than 2 million people between children and families will go to amusement parks like Gardaland, Mirabilandia and Oltremare, concentrated most of all on Lake Garda, in Romagna and in Tuscany’’. This was stated by Telefono Blu Sos Consumatori, in reference to the boom of discotheques and amusement parks for April 25 and May 1.

Trieste, April 21 (Adnkronos) - The Trieste-Moscow summer charter flights will be operational on the day of Saturday, from June 11 to September 24, 2005. This was communicated by the society that manages the “Ronchi dei Legionari” regional airport. Two companies will operate from the Friuli Venezia Giulia airport: Vimavia, which will use a Boeing 757 with a passenger capacity of 186 and Transaero with a 200-seater Boeing 767.

Gorizia, April 21 (Adnkronos) - From May 3 to 8 in Grado (Go), tourist operators, international buyers, journalists from Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Asian Countries will meet the producers of Friuli Venezia Giulia for the 2005 edition of ‘Vino e Territorio’ (Wine and Territory), the by now consolidated international convention that associates wine with tourism. An event that, according to Friuli Venezia Giulia Productive Activities Councillor, Enrico Bertossi, ‘’is fundamental most of all because it is an occasion to link wine to the territory from which it originates, making known in this way the land, the history and the fruit of a work and skill matured for years, for centuries, in our region’’.

Macerata, April 21 (Adnkronos) - The Italian Tourism Exchange in Campagna (TCI) has organized in Sarnano, in the province of Macerata, a fair that will put forward the best enogastronomical products of the Towns, that over the course of the last 12 months, have earned themselves the ‘bandiere arancioni a tavola’, the special environmental tourist brand of quality conferred by the association. The tasting trail, that will take place on May 7 and 8 in the medieval buildings of the historical centre of the small town of the Marches, will be open for free to the public from 10am to 10pm. Visitors will be able to taste specialties from the Marches, Liguria, Tuscany, Latium and Basilicata. The forum entitled “Viaggio nell’entroterra di qualita’’ (Voyage to the hinterland of quality) will open the enogastronomical gathering.

Treviso, April 21 (Adnkronos) - The new Treviso Province front office was inaugurated today at Treviso airport. Province President Luca Zaia, Provincial Tourism Councillor Marzio Favero, Strategic Plan Councillor Fabio Gazzabin, Aer 3 President Paolo Camolei and many guests were present and spoke at the opening of the new provincial tourist office. The new IAT is situated in front of the arrivals exit.

Milan, April 21 (Adnkronos) - To promote Umbria tourism in Lombardy. The Perugia Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the main associations of tourism, handcrafts and agriculture, has set up a stand in the concourse of the Milan central station in order to make the wealth of Umbrian heritage known to Lombardy citizens and to all passengers in transit. The stand, inaugurated this morning, is part of the ‘’Progetto Grandi Stazioni 2005’’ (Large Stations Project 2005) and will be operational until May 1, 2005.

Montesilvano, April 21 (Adnkronos) - Holidays tinged green. The 15th edition of Ecotur, the International Nature Tourism Exchange promoted by the ‘’In Fiera’’ Society in collaboration with Enit, the Abruzzo and Molise Regions, “Abruzzo Promozione Turismo” and Federparchi, will open its doors tomorrow at the Montesilvano Conference Building. An appointment that has renewed itself for 15 years now and that will serve to fine-tune the final details of the programming before the official start of the new tourist season. The inauguration will include, in addition to Ecotur President Enzo Giammarino, the participation of Abruzzo Region Governor Ottaviano Del Turco, the President of the Italian State Tourist Board (ENIT) Amedeo Ottaviani, Pescara Province President and the President of the Union of the Abruzzo Provinces Giuseppe De Dominicis, and Montesilvano Mayor Enzo Cantagallo.

Rome, April 21 (Adnkronos) - More than 15 million Italians will allow themselves a holiday during the ‘liberation’ long weekend. Even the weather looks promising. It is a long weekend that can be organized in two flows, the first from the 22nd to 26th, with 2 days of holiday, that arrives to the quota of 5 days.

Rome, April 21 (Adnkronos) - Italians, a population of savers. Foreigners on holiday in Italy spend much more than Italians on holiday overseas. This was revealed by a survey presented by the Italian Foreign Exchange Office (UIC) and the International Centre of Studies on the Tourist Economy (CISET), relating to 2004 and reported today by the ‘Italia Oggi’ newspaper.

Grosseto, April 21 - (Adnkronos) - Two days in the atmosphere of boating, sport, fashion, culture and photography. These are the main ingredients that will characterize the inauguration of the Port of Maremma, scheduled for Saturday May 21 and Sunday 22 in Marina di Grosseto.

Turin, April 20 (Adnkronos)- Magic weekend next weekend under the Mole. More than 200 magicians and conjurers originating from Italy and overseas will meet on Saturday and Sunday to participate in the convention of the Bartolomeo Bosco magic club, dedicated to the most famous Italian conjurer of all time born in the Piedmont capital in 1793 and who was awarded the special ‘Uomo di genio’ (Man of Genius) diploma by Tsar Alexander.

Pesaro, April 20 - (Adnkronos) - The 41st edition of the ‘Palio della Rana’, the frog wheelbarrow race organized by the Local Tourist Office and the City Council, will take place from April 22 to 24 in Fermignano (Pu). The historical tournament, recognized by the Italian Federation of Historical Games and the Historical Re-Enactment Federation, is contended along the streets of the little town usually the Sunday after Easter, but this year, due to the concurrence of regional elections, was moved to the following weekend.

Bologna, April 20 (Adnkronos) – Ornamental and officinal plants, flowers, trees, but also prototypes of hanging garden spaces and urban and garden furnishings. This is the third edition of the ‘’Giardini e terrazzi’’ (Gardens and Terraces) fair, that will take place from April 22 to 25 on the 35 hectares of ‘’Parco delle emozioni’’ of Bologna and, for the first time, also in Modena from April 24 to May 1, with a special edition dedicated to the Estensi. 123 exhibitors will participate in the gathering, during the course of which 25 diverse types of gardens will be presented to the public.

Florence, April 20 (Adnkronos) - ‘’Toscana terra di memoria’’ (Tuscany land of memory) is the exhibition that will be set up from tomorrow until Saturday April 23 within the Florentine high school ‘Galileo’. The exhibition will be preceded at 10am on Thursday 21, by an opening conference that will include the participation of Riccardo Nencini and Enrico Cecchetti, respectively President and Vice President of the Tuscan Regional Council. The exhibition was organized and will be set up by the Regional Students’ Assembly on occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Liberation. On show, a portrayal, province by province, of Tuscany in the 1943-1945 biennial: photos, dvd’s, research, documents on the nazi-fascist massacres, the Resistance and the arrival of the Allies, all material elaborated or rediscovered by the students of the diverse Tuscan schools that have adhered to the initiative.

Latina, April 20 (Adnkronos) - Iris, peonies and narcissi are the flowers imprinted on the canvas by Maria Rita Stirpe that will give life to ‘’Florilegio’’, the nature exhibition that will take place at Ninfa Garden in Cisterna di Latina from May 22 to 29 and on the days of June 4 and 5. The exhibition avails itself of the patronage of the Latina province Cultural Promotion Department that also promotes the catalogue publication, the Roffredo Castani Foundation and Grandi Giardini Italiani.

Matera, April 20 - (Adnkronos) – Following the Easter weekend full house, the Matera City Council prepares the welcome for tourists and visitors in view of the Liberation and May 1 holidays. The welcome plan for the periods that go from April 23 to 25 and from April 30 to May 1, was elaborated in a service conference. The presence of local police will be strengthened in the Sassi and historical center that will be closed to cars. A garrison of municipal police is predicted for negotiability in the proximity of the San Giuliano dam, where WWF manages a faunal oasis. Instead, controls to combat the phenomenon of unauthorized guides and illegal stalls will be strengthened in the Sassi.

Milan, April 19 (Adnkronos) - ‘’Italia... a tutto vapore!’’ (Italy... full steam ahead!) is set to start, the initiative organized by Touring Club Italiano (TCI) and Trenitalia that predicts 10 itineraries on vintage trains throughout Italy between May and October 2005. This morning from Milan to Monza the inaugural trip on the 4 impeccable 1920’s carriages drawn by the ‘signorina’, the steam locomotive 625 of the early 19th century, named for the way in which it ‘wiggles’ when picking up speed.

Rome, April 19 (Adnkronos) - A call for the ‘’social responsibility’’ of the company that directly reflects on the territory in which it operates. This was launched today by the Managing Director of Eur Spa, Mauro Miccio, speaking at the convention finale of the Management and Innovation in the South project, for the training of Southern managers, financed by Fondirigenti and promoted by Federturismo and Sistemi Formativi Confindustria.

Rome, April 19 (Adnkronos) - ‘’A ruling class prepared and ready to risk, that knows how to plan united strategies and to create a truly integrated system between tourism and services in the South is necessary’’ in order to relaunch Southern tourism. This in summary is the idea of Ettore Artioli, Vice President of Confindustria for Southern Italy speaking today at the convention finale of the project on Management and Innovation in the South. The gap between the South and the rest of Italy, evident also in the tourism sector, according to Mr Artioli, must however be bridged with a series of interventions like the ‘’promotion of public/private partnerships, production chain integration and the valorisation of environmental and cultural heritage, as well as infrastructure and services.

Venice, April 19 - (Adnkronos) - Foreign travellers in Italy award hotel structures: 7.8 is the average grade expressed in a survey illustrated today by Antonello Biagioli of the Italian Foreign Exchange Office (UIC), in the ambit of the 6th CISET-UIC Conference on Italy and International Tourism in 2004. ‘’A satisfaction for us in the sector, that confirms the high quality of our services- comments Federalberghi Veneto President Alessandro Peruch - Therefore an encouraging figure for those working in the accommodation sector, most of all in Veneto, where, on the basis of another survey on tourism (this time concerning ‘out of season’) - promoted by the Veneto Region, PadovaFiere and Confturismo - the tourists of the Central South propose Veneto at the top of the list of the Northern regions for their holidays’’.

Venice, April 19 (Adnkronos) - 2004 was an essentially positive year for international tourism in Italy, following the ups and downs of 2003, with an increase in revenue for tourism equal to +3.8% with respect to 2003 (from EUR 27,605 to 28,665 million). On the decline, instead, the spending of Italian tourists overseas, who have shown a marked tendency to delay the decision to travel and to purchase at the last moment, in the attempt to take advantage of the favorable proposals of tourist operators.

Rome, April 19 (Adnkronos) - The managers of the South must cooperate in the tourism development of territorial marketing and integrated logistics passing ‘’from the old logic of local competition among operators to competition on a global level’’. This is what is proposed by project M.I.S.S. Italia (Management, Innovation, Services, South), financed by Fondirigenti and promoted by Federturismo and Sistemi Formativi Confindustria, that today reunited in Rome, in the convention finale, around a hundred company leaders from the Objective 1 regions, managers of public and private authorities, tourism promotion agencies and territorial or regional industrial associations.

Rome, April 19 (Adnkronos) - ‘’The necessity to spread a new managerial culture, most of all in those areas of the country that need profound changes to affront the foreseeable future’’ has pushed Confindustria to face the “challenge” launched by Fondirigenti of the M.I.S.S. Italia project, according to that which was explained by Director General Maurizio Beretta speaking at the convention finale in Rome. But ‘’In addition to the more tourist oriented enterprises -stated Beretta- we believe that the development of the territory passes obligatorily through a broad qualification of services to the companies and people and that the involvement of the companies of the integrated production chain of tourism is the winning instrument for a Southern relaunch policy’’.

Ancona, April 19 - (Adnkronos) - Last days to admire the magnificent manuscripts of Federico da Montefeltro, among the most precious masterpieces of the 370 works exhibited in the exhibition ‘’Collectio Thesauri. From the Marches: hidden treasures of an illustrious collection’’, accessible until April 30 in the two exhibition sites of Ancona (Mole Vanvitelliana) and Jesi (Palazzo Pianetti Vecchio).

Milan, April 19 (Adnkronos) - For the development of tourism ‘’a united state/regional policy is needed’’. This was stated to ADNKRONOS by Touring Club Italiano President, Roberto Ruozi, during the inaugural voyage this morning of ‘Italia... a tutto vapore!’ (Italy... full steam ahead!), initiative promoted by Touring Club in collaboration with Trenitalia that promotes 10 itineraries throughout Italy on vintage trains. ‘’Tourism -comments Mr Ruozi- is the strongest sector of the Italian economy both for the number of workers as well as for the turnover and for this reason should be protected in a discerning way. More government attention is necessary for its promotion’’.

Florence, April 18 (Adnkronos) - Florence will coordinate the big Italian art cities in the promotion of tourism in China. This is what has been decided, according to a statement by the Province of Florence, in agreement with Enit, by the cities of Rome, Venice and, precisely, Florence. The first action of this coordination, continues the statement, is the organization of the visit by a Chinese press delegation, commenced on April 16 and that will conclude on Wednesday April 27. Twelve journalists, assisted by a guide from the Enit of Beijing, will visit Rome, Florence and Venice. This is the first time, concludes the statement, that an ‘Educational Tour’ aimed at China is exclusively dedicated to just Italian cities.

Rome, April 18 - (Adnkronos) - The city of Rome confirms its focus on tourism and from next Thursday April 21 until April 25, will welcome the opening at the Tor di Valle Raceway of the third edition of the ‘Roma en Plein Air’ event dedicated to open air tourism. The Vice Mayor with proxy to Tourism, Mariapia Garavaglia, presented the event today on Capitol Hill. The theme of the event for 2005 will be ‘Piu’ camper, piu’ viaggi’ (More campers, more tours) and will all take place thanks to the collaboration of the City Council and the Province of Rome, “Ippodromi e Citta’ Spa”, the ‘Plein Air’ magazine, Arsial and Assocampi. It will be an unmissable occasion for all enthusiasts to be able to view the changes in the sector from campervans, caravans, tents, boats, rubber dinghies, and canoes, to everything that enables maximum freedom of travel.

Chiusi (Siena), April 18 - (Adnkronos) - A calendar of initiatives from Sunday April 24 until July 3 and then again from August 28 to October 30: two cultural-tourist and eno-gastronomical exhibitions that will animate the coming months in the city of Porsenna and that the Chiusi town council has officially presented. The first is entitled ‘’Primavera etrusca’’ (Etruscan Spring), the second ‘’Autunno Chiusino’’ (Chiusi Autumn). All for a total of around 20 very diverse events, from tastings to district celebrations, from the routes to visit Etruscan places to the fair or market stalls.

Naples, April 18 - (Adnkronos) - To safeguard and recuperate the best part of two districts often on the front pages of newspapers for reasons of degradation and criminality. Two districts, Sanita’ and Forcella, that instead bring together the most typical expressions of the most characteristic Neapolitan values and culture, but also precious evidence of the art, culture and architecture of centuries of history. This is the aim of the initiative ‘’Sanita’ Forcella 2005 - Alza gli occhi e guarda’’ (Sanita’ Forcella 2005 - Raise your eyes and look), a photographic exhibition that will take place in Naples in the coming months of May and June.

Genoa, April 18 (Adnkronos) - In the ambit of the exhibition ‘’Giappone. L’arte del mutamento’’ (Japan. The art of change), the ‘’E. Chiassone’’ Oriental Art Museum of Genoa hosts the exhibition ‘’Acqua Fuoco Luce Fiori. Bronzi cinesi e giapponesi dall’antichita’ al XIX secolo’’ (Water Fire Light Flowers. Chinese and Japanese Bronzes from antiquity to the 19th century), that will be open until August 21, everyday except Monday from 9am until 9pm.

Bologna, April 18 - (Adnkronos) - ‘’Le arti della salute’’ (The Arts of Health) is the title of an exhibition that will be inaugurated in Bologna on April 30 in the rooms of the Civic Archaeological Museum and the “Museo della Sanita’ e dell’Assistenza” (Museum of Health and Care). The exhibition will propose around 250 pieces belonging to the artistic, cultural and scientific heritage owned by the Health and Hospital Agencies of Emilia-Romagna and will even include works originating from university anatomical Museums. Paintings by Garofalo, Bastianino, Sebastiano Ricci, Silvestro Lega and Gaetano Gandolfi will be presented among others, along with contemporary works like the ceramics of Pietro Melandri and Carlo Zauli.

Rome, April 18 (Adnkronos) - ‘’Llull illustrato da Fenosa’’ (Llull illustrated by Fenosa) is the title of the exhibition scheduled until May 8 in the “Sala” of the Cervantes Institute in Rome. In collaboration with the Ramon Llull Institute of Barcelona, Cervantes presents 70 original drawings by sculptor Apel les Fenosa inspired by the verses of the French translation, by Max Jacob, of ‘Llibre d’Amic e Amat’ (The Book of the Lover and the Beloved) by medieval philosopher Ramon Llull.

Rome, April 18 (Adnkronos) - The new ‘’Corto Maltese’’ space, a true gallery ‘’to browse’’ that joins culture, art, books, illustrations and comic strips, is open in Rome. The structure, situated in Via Fabio Massimo, in the Prati district, proposes, as a first exhibition the Indian ink drawings of Ivo Milazzo dedicated to film noir and the divas of the 50’s, with the presentation of Vincenzo Mollica. It will therefore be possible to look back on the myths never faded by a time that now no longer exists, embodied by Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Marylin Monroe, Kim Novak, Mary Astor, Gloria Swanson, Marlen Dietrich, Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman, chosen and interpreted by Milazzo in splendid gouaches.

Naples, April 18 - (Adnkronos) - Neapolitans tourists in Naples. This is the initiative of Federconsumatori Campania that in the next month of May will invite 50 Neapolitan couples to spend a weekend as tourists in their city. The initiative, supported by the Naples Chamber of Commerce, has the aim of allowing an evaluation of the quality of the tourist offer of the city by Neapolitans themselves.

Rome, April 18 - (Adnkronos) - A continually expanding business. Educational trips, or rather the famous school trips, in particular of secondary school institutions, constitute the ever-growing sector of the “low season” holidays. Scholastic tourism is an economic and cultural phenomenon that over the years that has gained increasing relevance both from the point of view of size, since every year millions of students participate, as well as for the improvement of the educational offer, but not necessarily of the quality of the tourist offer.