Some of the aspects of the familiarization tour intended for a group of eight tourist operators from Italy, to whom Moldova’s tourist potential was presented, were discussed in a meeting with representatives of Moldovan travel agencies. The goal of the tour was to help the Moldovan business entities to establish new business partnerships so as to promote Moldova as a tourist destination for Italian tourists, IPN reports.
Natalia Țurcanu, executive director of the National Inbound Tourism Association, said the operators from Italy established contact with local ones to prepare tour packages that would be included in the offers of Italian travel agencies. This way the idea that Moldova is ready to welcome tourists from Italy will be promoted on the Italian market.
“The meeting was a first step towards signing long-term contracts between Italian and Moldovan operators. It is a result of the work done for over two years. In the period, we took part in large-scale tourism exhibitions in Milan and Rimini and brought and continue to bring groups of journalists who later write about Moldova’s tourism potential in the Italian press, arousing the local consumers’ interest,” she stated.
As to some of the elements of the tour packages of Italian operators that will decide to promote Moldova, Natalia Țurcanu said these could include wine tourism and gastronomic tourism. The tourists would be involved in such activities as the preparation of national dishes, including on the kiln.
Tetrabis company director Tatiana Lazăr said the Italian tourists should be offered what they like and the quality of the provided services should meet their expectations.
“Our company worked with them already and we know that the Italian tourists do not like when the agree tour program is changed or when the lunch hour is delayed. They don’t like when by a winery is included in the tour package each day. A winery or two is enough for them. It is not the case to insist on tasting or other kinds of events that apparently do not seem essential, but are important for them. The accommodation conditions are also important. For example, we have many retired tourists and they wonder why the hotel room does not include a bathtub, but only a shower,” she stated.
Elena Laura de Mattia, of the tourism firm Lombard Gate, said Moldova is an interesting tourist destination, but it is not very known on the Italian market.
“The interest in Moldova seems to have intensified as the accommodation and nutrition conditions for tourists improved. The infrastructure should also be enhanced. The bad roads make many Italian operators not to include your county as a tourist destination in tour packages,” she stated.
The meeting was organized by the National Inbound Tourism Association with the assistance of the Moldova Competitiveness Project and the Investment Agency.
In the first half of 2018, Moldova welcomed 3,100 Italian tourists. After Moldova took part in exhibitions in Milan and Rimini with tourist stands, ten Italian travel agencies and tour operators started to sell tour packages for Moldova.
