From 7 to 11 November, the Tourism Exchange in Bagheria

From 7 to 11 November, the Stock Exchange for Tourism created by Confesercenti Sicilia returns and co-organized together with the Regional Department of Tourism, Sport and Entertainment and the Municipality of Bagheria will take place. It is going to deal with non-hotel tourism.
The city of Bagheria will host the event in its villas on 7 and 8 November hosting debates, b2b and the first ExpoBte

A 50 percent increase in arrivals and 30 percent in overnight stays in the last five years, mainly thanks to foreign tourists and an exponential growth in the types of reception from 20 to 80.

These are just some data from the Otie report on non-hotel accommodation that will be presented in full at the IV BTE, the non-hotel tourism exchange designed by Confesercenti to monitor and promote the vast panorama of the alternative hospitality offer in Sicily. An appointment scheduled from 7 to 11 November, co-organized for the second year together with the Regional Department of Tourism, Sport and Entertainment and, in this edition, also by the Municipality of Bagheria which will host the opening days of the event in its most beautiful villas. The participation of the Regional Department of the Territory and Environment which coordinated the presence of the Sicily Park Authorities is also planned.

The Exchange will deal with many topics, from farmhouses to campsites, to holiday homes, to historic villas, to rented rooms, to end with the latest proposals such as the “Boat & Breakfast” formula, on boats moored in marinas.

Many news this year. First of all, the location of the works that moves from Monreale to Bagheria. Then, the creation of the first ExpoBte: an exhibition space aimed at companies that provide services dedicated to the non-hotel world but also to administrations, institutions, associations and anyone who deals with the promotion of the territory and tourist offer to strengthen the Sicily brand. And finally, the creation of moments of study and comparison with a focus on the experience of the Cammini di Sicilia in the presence, among others, of the publishing house Terre di Mezzo, and on food and wine tourism with a focus on Sicilian fish thanks to the Baaria Fish project financed by the Feamp through the Regional Fisheries Department and which will have a space inside the Bte with four thematic tables, enriching the program of the Stock Exchange.

The process of selecting the buyers allowed us to carry out a study on the interests and preferences of tourists who prefer non-hotel accommodation, allowing them to trace their identikit: almost 77 percent of the 186 buyers who filled out the form to take part in the BTE, he declared his client’s interest above all in “art and culture”. In second place there is “the sea”, and to follow that for cultural tours (70.4%).

It starts on 7 November from the Sala Borremans of Palazzo Butera with the inaugural conference during which the complete study of the Otie (Observatory on the tourism of the islands’ economies) will be presented, commissioned by Confesercenti Sicilia to constantly monitor the sector’s performance and compare its development in Sicily with what happens in the other large islands not only in the Mediterranean area.

Also in Bagheria but at Villa Palagonia, on the 7th evening there will be a representative dinner organized by Chef Tony Lo Coco, in the presence of buyers and journalists from the specialized and international press, to show Sicilian food and wine excellences, starting from dishes that enhance the Sicilian catch, thanks to Baaria Fish. On 8 November, at Villa Cattolica, (in the photos) the thematic focuses and activities of the actual Exchange will take place with the b2b meetings between owners of non-hotel structures from all over the Island and the 21 selected Bayers, coming this year from 14 different Countries of the world: Denmark, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Canada. From 9 to 11 November, the Bte will instead expand to the whole island thanks to two educational tours reserved for buyers who will explore various areas of Eastern Sicily and Western Sicily, starting respectively from the medieval village of Cefalù and the historic center of Palermo .

“In these years – says the national president of Assoturismo Confesercenti, Vittorio Messina – non-hotel tourism has grown exponentially in Sicily as in other major European islands. The Bte serves to give visibility to the sector and to those who decide to invest in it and grow their business by focusing on the quality and on the offer of services and experiences that can make the tourist grasp the uniqueness and identity of the places “. “This is why – says Salvo Basile, coordinator of Assoturismo.

The inauguration of the fourth Bte will be held on 7 November at 17.30 from the Sala Borremans of Palazzo Butera, seat of the Municipality of Bagheria with the round table “Tourism in Sicily between identity and innovation. The alternative hospitality system “. An opportunity to think, figures in hand, of what it means from the economic point of view and the quantity and quality of tourist accommodation, non-hotel on the Island. After the greetings of the mayor of Bagheria Filippo Tripoli and the presentation of the Study of the Otie (the Observatory on the tourism of the economies of the Islands) by Giovanni Ruggieri. “An aspect that clearly emerges from the study – says Ruggieri – that hospitality outside the hotel is in great growth especially in the islands. Looking at the European islands there are 80 different types of offer ”. Speakers at the meeting: the Councilor for the Territory and Environment Salvatore Cordaro; the Director of the Unesco Foundation, Aurelio Angelini; the Bagheria Tourism Councilor, Brigida Alaimo. The day will end at Villa Palagonia where a gala dinner will be held by chef Tony Lo Coco. A room will be reserved for buyers and sellers who can thus get to know each other before the b2b of the following day. Industry and international journalists will also participate in the dinner to convey the promotion of tourism and Sicilian fish to the center of the Feamp-funded Baaria Fish project, also in terms of information.

On November 8th at Villa Cattolica from 9.30am to 7.00pm, the stock market will come alive with the thematic meetings, the b2b, and with the ExpoBte. The conference on “Ways and Hospitality” will open at 9.30 am and will allow to compare the data on the state of the nature walks in Italy in the European scenario and the non-hotel hospitality in Sicily along the Via Francigene through the presentation of two studies in the presence of the tourism councilor, Manlio Messina. Among the protagonists of the day, Miriam Giovanzana, director of Terre di Mezzo Editore. In the afternoon there will also be 4 thematic workshops to highlight good practices and development trends of outdoor activities: “Regulations and experiences of non-hotel hospitality on the Sicilian and Italian ways”; “Cycle tourism and hospitality along the Ways: opportunities and targets”; “Communication and promotion: networking”; “The relationship between tour operators, hiking guides and protagonists of non-hotel hospitality”.

From 9 to 11, buyers will visit some places on the island. The educational tour in western Sicily includes stops in Palermo to discover the historic center and street food, Segesta, Castelvetrano, Marsala, Erice. The tour in eastern Sicily includes a stop in Cefalù and Piazza Armerina, the center of Catania, Modica and Ragusa Ibla as well.