NEW YORK -- Italian tourism representatives here announced a series
of evening trade workshops to take place in Illinois and California
next month.
The Italian Government Tourist Board invited more than 100
Italy-based suppliers -- including regional tourist offices,
leading hoteliers, incoming operators, consortia and destination
management companies -- to meet with qualified U.S. tour operators
and travel agents in Chicago on Sept. 18, in the Los Angeles area
on Sept. 22 and in San Francisco on Sept. 23.
Designed to offer a productive environment for the U.S. trade to
discuss business opportunities and create contacts with Italian
suppliers, "these Italy workshops will enable agents to become
familiar with Italian travel products and sell the destination
effectively," according to the Italian Government Tourist
Board.
Not that the workshops will be all work and no play: Educational
sessions will be followed by an evening of Italian cuisine, wine
and entertainment.
Official venues for the events will be the Chicago Hilton and
Towers Hotel in Chicago; the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills,
Calif.; and the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco.
Retailers and operators interested in attending can register
online at www.italiantourism.com/wsch.htm for the Chicago event,
www.italiantourism.com/wsla.htm for Los Angeles or www.italiantourism.com/wssf.htm for San Francisco.
Applicants approved to attend the workshops will be notified by
the Italian Government Tourist Board by Aug. 29.
To contact reporter Kenneth Kiesnoski, send e-mail to [email protected].