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The European Culture Weekend conference series ends June with the 4th event organised by ECR Party. From the 23rd to 25th of June, on the beautiful island of Ischia in Italy, a location that offers dream landscapes for anyone who wants to relax on a holiday, European conservationists are coming together to address and debate the influence, challenges and opportunities of the EU institutions’ regulation of the tourism industry on European tourism.
It is well known that in economic terms, the tourism industry in the European Union alone represents a source of income for millions of people and an extremely important percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP) of many European countries. If this tourism business were to be translated into figures, annual receipts in this economic segment in Europe alone officially amount to 280 million dollars.
After an extremely difficult period for the whole of humanity due to travel restrictions imposed by the governments of many countries, tourism, which is the strongest branch in terms of modality, is beginning to return to normal or in some countries even exceed pre-pandemic receipts.
The challenges facing the European tourism industry and the recovery of this extremely important sector of the economy will be discussed at the conference “Tourism: a development engine for Europe” organised by the ECR Party under the aegis of the European Culture Weekend events with key decision-makers from the European tourism industry.
On the first day, guests will enjoy a warm welcome in sweet Italian style on Friday evening at a Welcome Cocktail at the Hotel Continental Ischia.
The debate organised by the European Conservatives will take place on Saturday, the 24th of June at the same Hotel Continental Ischia, one of the most famous and luxurious hotels on the island. The conference has been divided into four panels which will address topics of major interest for European tourism from a conservative perspective.
The welcome speech will be given by Michele Schiano (MP, Italy) after which, Antonio Giordano (MP, Secretary General ECR Party, Italy) will officially open the conference. The introduction to the topics to be addressed will be given by
Nicola Procaccini (MEP, co-Chairman of ECR Group, European Parliament, Italy) and Alessandra Priante (Director for Europe, World Tourism Organization, Italy) will give the keynote speech.
The first topic of Saturday’s debate, moderated by Domenico Lombardi (Economist and Opinionist, Italy) will be “Tourism and culture: business perspective and conservative strategies”. This panel will feature Adela Mirza (President of Alternativa Dreapta, Romania), Barbara Kolm (VP Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Austria), Ilenya Lucaselli (MP, head of FDI Budget Committee Chamber of Deputy, Italy) and Barbara Arbitrio (CEO AMI ITALIA, Italy).
Gregory Alegi (Aviation journalist, Italy) will be the moderator of the second panel discussion of the day entitled: “Mobility in tourism: the aviation system as a strength”. Galeazzo Bignami (Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Italy) will introduce the topic of mobility in tourism. In the second panel of the day the aviation specialists invited to provide vital information on mobility in tourism will be: Pasqualino Monti (Chief Executive Officer, ENAV S.p.A, Italy), Fabio Lazzerini (Chief Executive Officer, ITA Airways, Italy), Veronica Pamio (Vice President External Relations & Sustainability, Aeroporti di Roma, Italy) and Eddie Wilson (Chief Executive Officer, Ryanair, Ireland).
Third topic of the day: “The European tourism system: how much influence can the European Commission have?” will be moderated by Giancarla Rondinelli (political reporter RAI 1, Italy). The speakers will try to answer how the Commission influences the European tourism industry: Daniela Santanché (Minister of Tourism, Italy), Valentina Superti (Director for Tourism at the European Commission (DG GROW), Italy), Tommaso Foti (MEP, President of FDI MEPs, Italy), Carlo Fidanza (MEP, Head of FDI Delegation, Italy), Marina Lalli (President of Federturismo, Italy) and Tommaso Tanzilli (Member of the Board of Directors of Ferrovie dello Stato, Italy).
“Religious tourism in Europe: itineraries to discover our identity” will be the theme of the last panel discussion on Saturday. It will be moderated by Donatella Di Nitto (Head of press office Fdi Camera, Italy) and Federico Mollicone (MEP, Chairman of the Culture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Italy) Gianluca Caramanna (MP, advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Italy), Fabio Roscani, MP, leader of the FDI Youth Movement, Italy) and Ladislav Ilcic (MP, Croatian Sovereignist Party, Croatia).
Saturday will end with a Networking Dinner in a surprise location carefully chosen by the organisers. On the last day of the European Culture Weekend Ischia 2023 participants will enjoy a guided tour of the island of Ischia and a visit to the “Giardini la Mortella”, the beautiful Mediterranean and subtropical garden developed since 1956 by Susana Waton, the Argentinean-born wife of British composer Sir William Walton. The composer’s wife asked the famous landscape architect Russell Page to help her create the garden. The garden’s design was exquisitely and skilfully conceived, taking advantage of the evocative natural landscape that includes dramatic volcanic rocks with openings to the Mediterranean Sea.
If we have piqued your interest don’t miss the opportunity to attend the fourth European Culture Weekend – Ischia 2023, an event organised by ECR Party and partially funded by the European Parliament.