The miracle of Italy is that all its treasures come packaged in a gorgeous country of majestic mountains, placid lakes, idyllic islands, splendid cities and wonderful walled villages. An ideal climate plus warm and gracious people make Italy a perfect destination for an active vacation, the art lover, the gourmand, the hedonist combined, why not, with business. Old castles and modern hotels, magnificent villas and beautiful holiday resorts—Italy offers a wide choice of prestigious localities and venues, all fully equipped, for a perfect combination of work and pleasure.

General information -ITALY

AREA 301,230 km²

POPULATION 58,133,509

CAPITAL CITY Rome

CURRENCY Euro

LANGUAGES Italian

TIME ZONES +01:00 (GMT/UTC)

COUNTRY PHONE CODE +39

ELECTRICITY 220 V (EU)

TIPPING Tips are customary in Italy, but not compulsory.

BANKS OPENING HOURS Monday to Friday: 8:35 am to 1:35 pm and 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Closed on Saturday and Sunday and on national holidays.

HEALTH No vaccinations are required to enter Italy.

NATIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS New Year's Day: 01.01.2012, Epiphany: 06.01.2012, Easter Sunday: 08.04.2012, Easter Monday: 09.04.2012, Liberation Day: 25.04.2012, Labour Day: 01.05.2012, Assumption of the Virgin: 15.08.2012, All Saints Day: 01.11.2012, Day of Immaculate Conception: 08.12.2012, Christmas Day: 25.12.2012, Santo Stefano (Boxing Day): 26.12.2012

CONTACT Kuoni Destination Management Italy, Via della Ferratella in Laterano, 33, I-00184 Rome

Anders Jensen

Office Manager DMC Milan, who manages all operations, sales & supplier contacts as well as staff.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION?

Milan is a great and fantastic city. It hosts many congresses, meetings and events throughout the year. Milan offers all kinds of services and these on a high level.

 

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE AN M&I PLANNER WHO IS PLANNING A MEETING IN YOUR DESTINATION?

Milan has two airports and a wide range of hotels (from 1 to 7 stars). It is known for its good food, variety of culture and a great night life. Having three underground lines, it is an easy city to get around in. Lake Como as well as lake Maggiore are in the vicinity and lake Garda and Verona are only an hour’s drive away.

 

 

YOUR DESTINATION IS RELATIVELY NEW TO THE MEETINGS & INCENTIVES BUSINESS. HOW DOES THIS REFLECT IN THE LOCAL SERVICES?

Actually our office is also new. Last year we were able to renew our contracts with our suppliers. For instance we completely revamped all of our proposals for restaurants and established new city tours.

 

WHAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN YOUR COUNTRY?

Milan, Venice, Verona, Florence and Rome.

 

DID THE FINANCIAL CRISIS HAVE ANY EFFECT ON YOUR DESTINATION YET? HOW?

Yes a little. Groups are still coming to Milan for meetings & incentives, as we have many congresses and big events during the year. Maybe clients will no longer stay in a five-star hotel, but rather downgrade to a four-star and limit their length of stay. Clients are also asking for more details and information before confirming, but they are still coming to Milan.

 

WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND YOUR DESTINATION FOR MICE?

Milan is not only a city for meetings & incentives but also for fashion, culture, food and sports: football games with AC Milan and Inter at San Siro and the Grand Prix in Monza.

 

WHAT ARE THE LARGEST GROUPS YOU CAN HANDLE?

We can handle all groups large and small. The biggest group we have handled to date was 380 people. For a football game we previously handled 1,200 persons within 36 hours.

 

IS ONLY ONE PERSON WORKING ON A GROUP?

No, absolutely not. I think it is very important to work in a team. One team member can arrange hotels and transfers and another, dinners and special events. I really do not like a “one-man-show”. It is however important for the client to only work with one Product Manager. But it is essential for everyone in the office to know what is going on.