Italy at Hand (Rome, 7-9 November 2019), the project organised by CBItalia with the precious collaboration of Roma e Lazio Convention Bureau, the Strategic Sponsorship of ENIT and ITA, Italian Trade Agency – and realised thanks to the support and collaboration of numerous Partners, has just ended but the impression is that it will be much talked about for some time to come. CBItalia presents the figures for the event: it comes two years after the launch of the Italy at Hand project in 2017 as a communication campaign. It was enhanced the following year with a movie and a second edition of the event which just took place in the capital.
Italy at Hand, The Event 2019 was attended by 45 international buyers and 35 exhibitors, as well as special guests and institutional representatives. The purpose of the gathering was business aimed at bringing buyers to Italy and introducing them to the best of Italian MICE offers but with an added touch of fun: 4 interactive activities for the participants with which to discover just as many core values of Italianness.
Counting the success
The 2019 edition registered outstanding results, starting with the number of business appointments during the gathering: a total of 1165 business meetings which enabled 45 international buyers and 35 Italian exhibitors to enter into contact with each other, paving the way for future collaborations.
At Italy at Hand the whole of Italy was represented from the north to the south and including the islands: the 35 Italian companies present were therefore able to offer the Buyers a comprehensive overview of the offers available in the ‘bel paese’ rich in art and culture and above all facilities of a very high calibre suitable to meet every kind of requirement of the international MICE industry.
Over 180 participants were recorded at Italy at Hand 2019 and included the public sector as well as special guests such as Ray Bloom, president and founder of IMEX Group and Patrick Delaney, Managing Partner of Sool Nua who are leading figures in international MICE.
The venues of the event were also exclusive. 4 places full of charm in which the ancient and the modern blended perfectly: Palazzo Colonna, Galleria del Cardinale, Auditorium Parco della Musica and La Nuvola – Rome Convention Center.
4 was also the number of interactive activities, each inspired by a key word from Italy at Hand and representing one of the core values of Italianness in the world, characters that only hands can express: art, love, rituality and innovation. Art brought the guests to become writers for a day; love led them to the discovery of handmade puppets; rituality allowed them to savour a coffee in front of the ruins of ancient Rome and innovation guided them in the creative planning of an event through Design Thinking.
25 were the Partners & Press who collaborated with CBItalia for the realisation of the second edition of Italy at Hand: special thanks go to everyone who made Italy at Hand, The Event 2019, possible through their commitment and support. CBItalia is proud to have had at its side exceptional Partners such as Rome and Lazio Convention Bureau (Host Destination), GVST Group (Creative Partner) and ENIT (Strategic Sponsor).
5 were the extraordinary performances that had the guests enchanted with the music, the technology and the creativity. CBItalia staff also participated with a Tableau Vivant representing Botticelli’s famous painting Spring.
At the close of the event on 9th November, the next Host destination of Italy at Hand 2020: Matera was announced.
Italy at Hand has proven yet again to be the festival of Italian quality and know-how, always capable of amazing and fascinating its many participants.
Here are the words of Carlotta Ferrari, President of CBItalia, at the fringes of the event-
“Project quality, love of one’s country and a strong innovative drive in the international MICE sector: these are the ingredients that gave birth to Italy at Hand, The Event, the second edition of which has just ended with resounding public success. We take pride in the enthusiasm of the participants and the satisfaction of the Buyers and Exhibitors. They are a clear demonstration of the validity of our idea: to show the best of Italian know-how to the whole world, without neglecting creativity and enjoyment. I would like to thank the whole CBItalia team as well as our Partners, who together have allowed Italy at Hand – The Event 2019 to achieve such excellent results “
Onorio Rebecchini, President of Convention Bureau Roma and Lazio declares –
“We are proud to welcome the guests of Italy at Hand to Rome, a destination that any meeting organiser would wish to visit. We therefore present our territory with its art, innovations and hospitality and are ready to assist all those who participate to discover our unique, particular, modern, ancient and extraordinary locations. The great synergy with our CBI friends has allowed us to showcase as well as with a small tour the original merits of our territory and give a first-hand experience of what Rome and Lazio may offer, following the event’s own aims for the Meeting Industry. Finally, we cannot forget to thank ITA, Convention Bureau Rome and Lazio’s strategic partner, for its essential support, that has allowed us to build excellent services in welcoming event’s guests.” concludes Rebecchini.
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