Archive

Tourism Northern Territory has appointed AIGO as its new representative in Italy and Spain with the aim of reinforcing its presence within the distribution channel, media and consumers.

“AIGO is proud to include in its portfolio such an important client. This means a return to Australia, a wonderful country with which we successfully worked in the past. We are extremely happy to start this new collaboration with Tourism Northern Territory for the promotion of the destination in the Italian and Spanish markets”, said Massimo Tocchetti, Chairman of AIGO.
“ We have been conquered not only by the destination but also by the promotion strategy of Tourism Northern Territory through the claim Share our Stories. The project for the year 2012 will be developed both on the trade, a crucial element for the distribution of Northern Territory, and consumer side with digital activities which are  becoming the direct way to reach the consumer” said Alessandra Bitetti, Director of Operations of AIGO. “We have built an ad hoc team leaded by Annalisa Costantino as Account Director who has developed a strong experience with Australia.

 Spoke Public Relations, a leading Brazilian agency has just become a member of the Pangaea Network, the international organisation that includes independent agencies specialising in consultancy and communication for the tourism and travel industry, co-founded by AIGO. Spoke Public Relations was set up by Flavia Pacheco Giuliano, after a career in Public Relation in some leading international companies.

“We are pleased to welcome Spoke Public Relations in the Pangaea Network” said Massimo Tocchetti, Chairman of AIGO and the Pangaea Network. “Brazil is one of the most dynamic and growing markets in the tourism industry both for the outgoing and for the incoming segment”.

AIGO launches “BVI Gold Summer”, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board winter adv campaign available online and on mobile devices of the Espresso Group until the end of December 2011. The creativity has been realised by AIGO. The aim of the BVI Gold Summer is to promote an unforgettable holiday experience at the BVI and boost sales during the winter season through the publication of the Italian tour operators travel offers on www.bvitourism.it/.

The media plan aims at achieving online visibility on the Espresso Group websites. In a few weeks it has already generated 3.620.211 impressions and 2.243.363 unique users.

AIGO, in partnership with The Sultanate of Oman Tourism Authority, closes 2011 with the realization of Oman Academy: the online training course for travel agents  www.omanacademy.it.

Oman Academy  is a fundamental and interactive tool: 10 lessons with useful links, pictures and videos for travel agents aiming at deepening their knowledge about this unique destination of the Arabic peninsula and all its peculiarities. The contents of the academy goes from desert to city from culture to sport activities. The program is completely free and it enables to get the qualification of Specialized Agent becoming an essential support both as an online manual and as a sales tool.

The community extends special several advantages to all its members, including  special offline initiatives dedicated to Italian professionals and the educational 2012: the most performing travel agents who will stand out their abilities on the online platform and on sales results, could discover the Sultanate of Oman.

Starts today the new campaign created by NYC & Company with Viaggidea.
The partnership also plans an outdoor campaign, the participation of NYC & Company at the two stages of the Viaggidea Convention, a detailed communication program for travel agencies aimed at supporting selling during the winter period and at inviting them to participate to the NYC Travel Training Academy, the online training program for Italian travel agents.
The outdoor campaign, with 2,5 milion dollars investments, will promote the city for 10 weeks through more than 6.800 external posters in Parma, Bologna, and Genoa, inviting to book an holiday in particular from January to March 2011.

From Autumn 2011 AIGO will support NTV, Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, in the definition  of the trade marketing strategy and  in the implementation of the relationship with the distribution channel.

At the heart of NTV commercial strategy, in fact,  the partnership with the travel agencies which can benefit from special care and innovative tools specifically designed for them. It could not be different for a project that represents a revolution in the way people are used to travel.

AIGO launches the autumn flight of the “Stop and revive, you are in Polynesia” ADV campaign, realized for Tahiti Tourisme in partnership with the national carrier Air Tahiti Nui and the Sofitel Luxury Hotels French Polynesia Group, present with three resorts in Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora.

The aim is to promote the unforgettable travel experience to French Polynesia archipelagos and boost sales during low season months, providing Tour Operator travel offers on www.tahiti-tourisme.it as well as discount programs scheduled by local trade professionals.

The claim “Stop and revive, you are in Polynesia” invites traveler to leave stress and cold behind and discover the regenerating Tahiti and her Islands experience. The coupons, easily downloadable from the website, allow excursion, diving and catering special terms, to promote the various French Polynesia facets and award winter season departures.

AIGO provides online media planning on RCS websites, as well as keyword advertising action on google, e-mailing activities with e-circle and Facebook Adverts.

Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority returns with the second flight of “Ask me why I am happy”, the communications campaign realized by AIGO in partnership with the national carrier Air Mauritius.
The key-message addresses to couples and families fond of sea, nature and hospitality to highlight the unique feeling of a  trip to Mauritius. The campaign also includes a direct link on the tourism board website www.mauritius-turismo.com, where travelers can find dedicated TOs package offers.

The first phase of the online campaign, with optimized access from mobile and I-pad, has been launched during July 2011 to support summer travels and honeymoons and has involved main webportals i.e. corriere.it, keyword advertising on Google and social media advertising on Facebook and Tripadvisor.

The second flight, dedicated to couples and families, has been planned to support winter sales with banners on e-dreams website as well as email marketing actions with e-circle and dynamic advertising on 2 jumbotrams in Milan.

Leonardo Da Vinci Airport celebrated its 50° anniversary with Emirates A380 landing on the 6th June 2011.

Afer the landing, the press conference was held by Mr.  Salem Obaidalla, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Mr. Giulio Maleci, AdR managing director, Mr. Alessio Quaranta, ENAC Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Massimo Massini, Emirates Chief Executive Officer for the Italian market and Mr. Nicola Coviello, First Officer Emirates just landed from the DUB-FCO route.

AIGO, Emirates Italian press office, consistently contributed to the realization of the event granting 60 journalists attendees during the event who had the occasion to make a static tour onboard.
Moreover, AIGO organized a press trip for a group of journalists who experienced as passengers the first Emirates A380 landing to Rome. Journalists feedback on the Dubai-Rome travel was enthusiastic: totally relax and high-end services.
So far, Press Office activities generated coverage equal to € 358,514 – with more than 4 million circulation, whereof € 93,714 further to the press trip.

[Show as slideshow]

“Stop and revive, you are in Polynesia” is the new Tahiti Tourisme campaign launched in partnership with the national carrier Air Tahiti Nui, the main French Polynesian hotel chains (Intercontinental French Polynesia, Le Meridien Tahiti & Bora Bora, Hilton French Polynesia) and the deluxe single properties (Kia Ora Rangiroa, Legends Resort Moorea, Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti).
The whole campaign was conceived by AIGO, marketing and communications agency specialized in tourism and hospitality.

The new online and outdoor campaign will start during  this week to promote the unforgettable French Polynesia travel experience through dedicated Tour Operator packages published on Tahiti Tourisme website.

The “Stop and revive…you are in Polynesia” claim invites the traveler to discover the Tahiti and her Island unique atmosphere and its regenerating travel experience. Aloof from stressful conditions and frantic rhythms, travelers can rediscover and regenerate themselves through the sea and the ukulele sound, the tiare perfume, the inhabitants smile with their ancestral culture and legends as well as the flourishing nature harmony and the sea troves.

AIGO media planning scheduled online visibility on Gruppo L’Espresso media, together with Google keyword advertising campaign, e-circle direct e-mailing initiatives and Facebook adverts launch, with a dynamic advertising flight on 300 Milan and Rome taxis decoration.

AIGO, in partnership with Barbados Tourism Authority, has realized the online training course Barbados Pro, presented in Milan, the 25th May 2011 in occasion of the CTO-Caribbean Tourism Organisation workshop.

Barbados Pro is a fundamental device for travel agents aiming at deepening their knowledge about the very Caribbean destination. It enables to get Barbados Pro Specialized Agent qualification, becoming an essential support both as an online manual and as a sales tool.

The community extends special advantages to all its members, including Barbados Tourism Authority special initiatives dedicated to Italian professionals: the most performing travel agents who will stand out their abilities on the online platform and on sales results, could win a Barbados Educational to truly discover the coolest Caribbean Island.

AIGO has organized the first Italian road show dedicated to the Sultanate of Oman. The workshop has been scheduled on two dates:  18th may in Rome at Grand Hotel Parco dei Principi and 19th may in Milan at Palazzo Bovara.
Omani delegation, composed by 26 partners among airlines, hotel chains, DMCs and projects development companies, had the occasion to meet main Italian trade representatives to catch business opportunities and start creating commercial relationships.
General Director Tourism Promotion at Sultanate of Oman Minister of Tourism Mr. Salim Al Mamari together with Ms. Rania Khodr, Sultanate of Oman Tourism Board Director – Italy, France and Swiss Romansh, expressed their satisfaction on final results thanks to trade substantial attendance, as well as the activated contacts quality and the positive feedback received on the destination.

[Show as slideshow]

In the framework of the British Virgin Island tourism promotion campaign dedicated to target sailing launched at the beginning of 2011, AIGO has realized a visibility project in partnership with RCS Mediagroup involving the guest star Nina Senicar and the fashion photographer Settimio Benedusi.
From the 3rd to the 17th April the serb model, the photographer and the staff moved to British Virgin Islands to realize the photo session to whom Sport Week Dreams dedicated its cover and related reportage, at the newsstand starting 14th may 2011.
To strengthen the special publication dedicated to BVI, the fashion Invillà hosted the launch event dedicated to consumer and press, who took place on 9th may 2011. For this occasion the location has been staged to convey the typical Yacht Club atmosphere, between perfumes, flavours and  Caribbean suggestive sensations. More than 460 consumers and 40 journalists attended the event.

[Show as slideshow]

AIGO announces the arrival of Choice Hotels Europe™ in its 2011 hospitality portfolio.

The company is part of Choice Hotels International®, the leading global hotel franchisor present in Europe through Comfort™, Quality™, Clarion Collection® and Clarion® brands. The group currently holds 6,000 member hotels with over 490,000 rooms worldwide in more than 35 countries and is present in Europe with about 500 structures, including 19 in Italy.

AIGO  has been appointed to handle press office and media relations activities, with the aim of increasing Choice Hotels Europe visibility among main national and trade media as well as promoting the affiliated Italian and European structures.

On the 7th April NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership authority, has presented its 2011 new tourism trends with a road show at Dolce & Gabbana Gold, Milan.
The event – conceived and organized by AIGO, was attended by main representatives of the NYC tourism industry: the national carrier American Airlines together with The Broadway Collection, Circle Line Sightseeing, Empire State Building Observatory, Hampton Luxury Liner, Hotel Beacon, The London NYC, Macy’s, Marriott International, Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The New York Pass, On Location Tours.
The initiative involved main Italian tourist industry representatives, journalists, media and institutions.

[Show as slideshow]

The official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, NYC & Company, has appointed AIGO as its new representative on the Italian market. AIGO will manage PR, representation, consumer marketing, trade development, events and partnership campaigns for New York City.

“With more than 450.000 visitors annually, Italy is an important market and the 6th largest for international inbound travel to New York City,” said Fred Dixon  Senior Vice President of Tourism Development for NYC & Company. “After a comprehensive bidding process, we’re pleased to announce our partnership with AIGO. The agency has the right mix of trade and communication expertise along with an innovative approach and passionate team who will help us reach our goal of 50 million visitors for 2012.”

Kimberly Spell, Chief Communications Officer for NYC & Company in New York commented “The Italian market is of great importance to us with New York City being the home of one of the largest Italian communities in the United States. We are very pleased to have found in AIGO a new partner that can work as an extension of NYC & Company headquarters, communicating the energy of New York City to the local market while advocating the importance of NYC’s brand image. There is always a good reason to visit New York City, a destination attracting more and more Italians for its shopping opportunities, food diversity, great art and culture, new trends and events all-year-round.”

“New York has always been a must see destination for Italian travelers and definitively the n. 1 for the United States. We are proud to represent such a destination and honored of having been chosen among Italian agencies to be the market extension of a leading tourism organization such as NYC & Company.” Said Massimo Tocchetti, founder and President of AIGO.

Oman Tourism Board has entrusted AIGO to represent the destination on the Italian market. The main goal is to develop the tourism product and the existent distribution channels, enhancing at the same time a proper destination positioning among trade and consumers.“Europe is one of the most interesting international markets and Italy, above all,  has been acquiring  the most prominent position in the Oman promotion scale. After many years in France, Oman Tourism Board has started to look at the Italian market with a growing interest: suffice it to say that every year about 7.000 Italian travellers visit our wonderful Sultanate, expressing their great appreciation towards our Country – declares Ms Rania Khodr, Oman Tourism Board Director for Italy – “We are sure that the «Indian Ocean Oriental Coast magnetic charm», how we love to call Oman, will win Italian travellers hearts looking for unusual places plunged into a thousand-year fascination”.

AIGO is proud to include the Sultanate of Oman in its current portfolio: “AIGO will support Oman Tourism Board while enhancing its positioning among the trade. – declares Massimo Tocchetti, AIGO President – Great attention will be paid on tourism industry relationship development, in order to strengthen the destination awareness on the Italian field”.

The 27th of September 2010 AIGO, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) representative, took part into the organisation of the black-tie gala event organised by  amfAR, no-profit foundation,  to raise funds for AIDS research.
The event, held during Milan fashion week,  has involved more the 1000 VIP guests during cocktail reception & entertainment and 300 accredited VIP guests for gala dinner, live auction and afterparty.

Challenge

• To strengthen Mauritius positioning as haut de gamme destination on the Italian market through ‘Mauritius Essentia’ brand positioning
• To convey  Mauritius tourism hospitality heart by its involvement, as Grand Benefactor, to amfAR charity event

Activities

AIGO has organized Press Office and digital PR activities before, during and after the event; AIGO has also handled the creativity project for vouchers, gift box and amfAR catalogue images.

• The auction: MTPA,  in partnership with Air Mauritius, Royal Palm Hotel & Spa and  Le Touessrok, participated at the charity auction with a  priceless holiday to Mauritius from Mauritius Essentia collection, 2-weeks luxury travel experiences for 2 in Mauritius.

• Co-branding: AIGO coordinated MTPA relations with Air Mauritius, Beachcomber and Sun Resorts hotel chains for the definition of the price auction activities and managed themain co-branding activities with the partners.

• VIP: AIGO has managed the invitations of national and international accredited VIPs (Mauritius Essentia was pleasantly composed by: Camila Raznovich, Vip Italian anchorwoman, Dr. A. Karl Mootoosamy, General Director MTPA, Mrs Chaya Boodha, Minister of Tourism wife, Renato Catalfamo, Consul Republic of Mauritius, Ferdinando Parello, General Manager Sun Resorts for Le Touessrok, Luca Librenti, Vanity Fair, Sheila Filippi, General Manager Beachcomber Hotels for Royal Palm e Massimo Tocchetti, Director MTPA Italy)Mauritius Essentia travel experience has been introduced, during the auction, with a video on the destination.

• Gift Box: AIGO has created a gift box with a rare selection of Mauritius teas, together with dépliants and brochures.

[Show as slideshow]

In partnership with adidas and Ac Milan Press Offices, AIGO has consistently contributed to the organisation of the event celebrating the A380 first operative landing on the Italian runways the 29^th of July 2010. This occasion coincided with the official presentation the new shirt created by adidas for Ac Milan and sponsored by the Dubai national carrier for the next five seasons.

The event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Airlines, Ac Milan Vice-President and MD Adriano Galliani, adidas Italia MD Jean Michel Granier and SEA Airports Milan CEO and President Giuseppe Bonomi. The full-crew Ac Milan team was led by its coach Massimiliano Allegri and its captain Massimo Ambrosini.

For further info please surf the Best Practices area.

AIGO took part into the organisation of the event celebrating the Emirates A380 first operative flight in Milan Malpensa on 29^th July. The landing coincided with the presentation of the new black-red AcMilan 2010-2011 shirt, realised in partnership with adidas and sponsored by Emirates for the next five seasons.

Challenge

Exploiting the event to create a huge visibility for Emirates and its management:

• Maximize the media coverage leveraging on AcMilan sponsorship, one of the most famous international football teams
• Capitalise on the landing of Emirates A380 Airbus, for the first time with onboard passengers in Italy

Activity

AIGO has organised corporate and tactical  PR activities before, during and after the event; AIGO staff has also handled media relations on the spot and assisted the tourism and aviation industry hosted partners.

• Landing – The accredited journalists and TV troupes have been welcomed at the Malpensa Airport Terminal 1 and took to the landing strip, where they experienced the striking arrival of the A380, directly from Dubai, showing a big-size AcMilan new shirt on its left flank. On board, the TG1 – Rai National TV troupe shot the relevant phases of the trip, broadcast during in prime time

• Press Conference – Afterwards guests attended the press conference and the official presentation of AcMilan new shirt, realised by adidas with a technologically advanced material and worn by the Milan captain Massimo Ambrosini. Speeches have been hold by the three partners high management: H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Airlines, Ac Milan Vice-President and MD Adriano Galliani, adidas Italia MD Jean Michel Granier and SEA Airports Milan CEO and President Giuseppe Bonomi.

• A380 visit – At the end AIGO staff accompanied journalists, authorities and guests on guided tour aboard of the luxurious Emirates A380, boasting 14 sumptuous first class private suites, an onboard lounge bar and two onboard showers.

Results

• 70 accredited journalists and 12 national – local TV
• Media coverage:
  • Over 76 articles published
  • 9 TV clips
  • ADV Value  € 1.815.857
  • Circulation – 22.503.331

Pangaea Network, our international network, has confirmed its involvement in the Global Sports Industry Congress in London on Monday 1 November 2010.

The Congress, now in its second year, will bring together key decision makers in the world of sport, with a special focus on the ‘Emerging Sport Nations’ who are helping to radically change the shape of the industry, as well as the role that specialists in established markets can play in helping to fulfil their vision for the future.  Confirmed speakers include:  Dmitry Chernyshenko, CEO, Sochi 2014; Faruk Nafız Özak, State Minister for Youth and Sport of Turkey; Sergei Fursenko, President, Russian Football Union; Heather Hancock, Managing Partner of Deloitte in the UK; Colin Grannell, Executive Vice President, Partnership Marketing, Visa

Paul Deighton, CEO of The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) will be speaking at the dinner that is set to follow the Congress, as he did in 2009, where he gave an inspiring address about his team’s work behind the scenes in the run-up to London 2012.  A wide range of issues facing the global sports industry will be addressed during the day including the changing role of sponsorship in the current financial climate, sport tourism and destination development, risk management in new markets and the enormous opportunities offered by innovations in media technology.   Football will also be a major theme, in the run-up to the announcement due this December on the World Cup bids for 2018 and 2020, and following this summer’s historic tournament in South Africa.

Pangaea Network will be sponsoring and moderating a session on sport tourism and leveraging the staging of sporting events for tourism benefit.  Confirmed participants for this session include Daniel Ritterband, Director of Marketing, Office of the Mayor of London; and Paul Gauger, Visit Britain’s Global Leader for 2012 Media.

AIGO welcomes in its client portfolio Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts and Angsana Hotels & Resorts, two enchanting luxury hospitality hotels chains. AIGO has been chosen as representative on the Italian market to reinforce the their positioning among  the distribution channels focusing on TOs and Travel agencies networking. Moreover AIGO will coordinate Public Relations and Press Office activities, to promote brand and properties through media relations.

Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts is an hotel chain founded in 1994 with the opening of the first boutique resort in Phuket. The brand owns 20 resorts and hotels, universally recognized for charme and quality, situated into breath-taking destinations such as Maldives, Seychelles, Thailand, Mexico and Indonesia.

Listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange since 2006, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts acquired Angsana Hotels & Resorts in 2000; the brand offers exclusive experiences with 10 resorts in Morocco, Maldives, Australia, Laos and China, just to name a few.

The partnership with AIGO started in 2009, by launching the brand-new Angsana Velavaru In Ocean Villas’, the first “floating resort” in Maldives. Choosing AIGO as its Italian representative confirms the client reliance in the agency and its twenty-year commitment on tourism.

Ragosta Hotels Collection has selected AIGO as media relations agency for the Italian market. This high-refined Italian hotel chain bases its philosophy on the innovative “Define your lifestyle” vision, focusing on customization and highest hospitality standards. Ragosta brand guarantees first-class guest experiences along with high-tech and creative design accommodations, five-star culinary options and luxurious spa.

Ragosta Hotels Collection is part of Ragosta Group, a well-established Italian company incorporating the iron and steel market, the real estate segment, the hotel trade and the food industry. The chain includes three prestigious five-stars structures: La Plage Resort, surrounded by the enchanting Isola Bella – Taormina scenery, Hotel Raito and Relais Paradiso, both situated in the breathtaking Costiera Amalfitana setting. The roman Palazzo Montemarini boutique hotel will be open soon.

AIGO will position Ragosta Hotels Collection brand on the Italian tourism market by managing its Public Relations and Press Office activities.

“Tahiti, sì lo voglio” (“Tahiti, yes I do!”) is the claim of the new Tahiti Tourisme adv campaign created by AIGO, who is representing French Polynesia on the Italian market from fifteen years on.
This campaign, launched in partnership with Air Tahiti Nui – the national carrier – is aimed at supporting next summer season by highlighting the excitement of a trip to the French Polynesia archipelagos through www.tahiti-tourisme.it proposals.

“Tahiti, sì lo voglio” (“Tahiti, yes I do!”) claim reminds couples of traditional engagement promises and emphasizes the Tahiti and her islands holiday as “the” perfect holiday-dream: an everlasting, unique and one-shot experience.

The initiative, addressed to end consumers, winks at newly-weds on honeymoon, fiancés looking for exclusive wedding legal-valued location and partners aimed at celebrating their anniversary in an original way. Couples, yes, but French Polynesia enchants every thrill-seeker traveller yearning for memorable holidays in which experiencing sea-diving in crystalline lagoons, rock-climbing through Raiatea forest or the enchanting thousand-year Polynesian culture. There are a million reasons for why to reply: “Yes, I do!” to a Tahiti and her islands trip.

The advertising plan includes online RCS Group media with Corriere.it homepage and its travel section, Google keyword advertising and direct e-mailing (through e-circle and Style.it/iosposa.it). It will be reinforced also by dynamic advertisement on public transport in Milan and Rome.

“Chiedimi perché sono felice” (“ask me why I am so happy”) is the claim of the new MTPA – Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority – campaign created by AIGO, who is representing Mauritius Island on the Italian market since 2000.
The on and offline campaign, on air until July, is aimed at supporting the next summer season and invites travellers to book immediately in one of the tiniest Indian Ocean islands surfing the proposals on www.mauritius-turismo.com.

“Chiedimi perché sono felice” is the leitmotif of the 4 different subjects that highlight the feeling of a  trip to Mauritius, theideal place for those who are searching for crystalline sea and relax without renouncing to sports and the dynamic Creole atmosphere. These are the ingredients that makes Mauritius the best location for Italian travellers also during summer, with their family, in couple or with friends.

The advertising plan includes some of the principal Conde Nast Media Group publications i.e. Traveller, Vanity Fair, AD, the portals www.style.it and www.iosposa.it . The campaign will be launched also on www.repubblica.it, www.seidimoda.it and l’Espresso Group network. It will be reinforced by keyword advertising, direct e-mailing and Facebook adverts.
This initiative has been realised in partnership with Air Mauritius – the national carrier –  and travel industry partners: hotel chains such as Beachcomber Hotels, Naïade Resorts, Constance Hotels Experience, Le Méridien and Le Grand Mauritian (Starwood hotels), One & Only Le Saint Géran resort and Italian tour operators: Alke Viaggi, Best Tours, Carreblu, Francorosso and Viaggidea.

Tourism industry is highly suffering the consequences of the international economical crisis. During the last two years we have been witnesses for the proliferation of advices aimed to let tour operators, airline companies, hotel chains and destinations face this crisis.

In particular, the advices focused on  the assists of high end demand as the best way to approach and consolidate the relationship with the high spender traveler élite, unanimously considered away from the recession.

Since two years from the arising slump  Pangaea, the consultancy tourism marketing network co-founded by AIGO, has decided to catch a picture of this phenomenon and analyze in details the trend of behavior and the referred discrepancy,  of  these high class – and much sought after – travelers.

This analysis conducted in Italy, UK, France, Spain and Germany and presented by AIGO the last 21st April,  has brought to light such interesting results.

If you would like to receive a copy of the survey, please contact marketing@aigo.it.

Barbados Tourism Authority is the prestigious new entry  of the AIGO’s portfolio. The Authority, in fact, has assigned to AIGO  its PR and  Trade Marketing activities. Along with this new challenge, AIGO has launched the new online campaign “B Barbados”, supporting the forthcoming summer season. The campaign aims to involve people to book as soon as possible their holiday to the most British island of the Caribbean, choosing among the main Tour Operators’ offers. Campaign partners’ are Hotelplan Italy, Kuoni, Viaggidea and Condor.

The claim of the “B Barbados” campaign is focused on “be” as “B Sunny”, “B Happy”, “B Blue”, “B Sporty” in order to highlight all the peculiarities offered by an holiday on the island, for those who are searching for relax, sparkling atmosphere, clear waters and wide sport opportunities.

These are the components that made Barbados the ideal destination for Italian travelers who want to spend their holiday to Caribbean. Families, couples, singles and groups of friends are welcomed by the Barbadian inhabitants with their bright smile; the typical smile of people who realised the secret of enjoying their life.

The campaign is online through the main RCS’ websites, i.e. viaggi/corriere.it and Leiweb.it, starting from  March the 25th until the end of April 2010 and includes keyword advertising and direct e-mailing.

AIGO adds to its clients portfolio Costa Navarino, new and uncontaminated destination on the continental coast of Greece. The other main character of the acquisition is Pangaea Network, of which AIGO is co-founding member, through the involvement of Indigo Consulting, the French partner.AIGO will handle all the Public Relations and Press Office activities. The communication plan aims to position Costa Navarino as the most exclusive destination in the Mediterranean and to spread the big attention paid by the destination  to the environmental preservation of the surrounding area.
The first phase of the whole project, Navarino Dunes, will be launched in May 2010 and is about the development of two new Starwood hotels: The Romanos, A Luxury Collection Resort and The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino, inspired to the old residences in Messinia. That will be followed by the launch of a villa resort by Banyan Tree, the first ‘branded’ golf course in Greece, The Dunes Course, projected by Bernhard Langer and managed by Troon Golf.  Finally, the Spa Anazoe will offer a complete set of treatments inspired to the ancient Hellenic world, other than kinisioteraphy and floating pools.
Costa Navarino’s  care for the environmental issues  is confirmed by The Navarino Environmental Observatory (N.E.O.). The centre, developed in collaboration with the Stockholm University, the Centre of Environmental Health and Biophysics of the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Athens Academy and TEMES, is dedicated to the study of the climate changes and impact on the environment in the Mediterranean. Navarino Natura Hall will be also launched soon, an interactive exhibition center about the theme of nature, developed for enlarging the awareness for the environmental issues.

AIGO has been reappointed for the representation of MTPA, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, for the years 2010 – 2012.
“We are really gratified for the renewed trust of MTPA to AIGO, as representative in the next three years – declares Massimo Tocchetti, MTPA Italy Regional Manager and President of AIGO.
This will be the tenth year of work: a successful liaison that allowed the destination to improve its positioning on the Italian market, by transferring the values of a brand truly loved by Italian; from 2000 to 2009 Italians arrivals in Mauritius have increased of 45%.

The coming three-year period will  be really demanding. Other than keep being the ambassadors of the Island, we will be committed to implement new strategies, which enable us to make better the performance of the destination even further.  Nowadays, several factors link the traveler to the place of his journey: persuasion, information gathering, interactions with a number of distribution channels. Hence, we need to make Mauritius skilled to catch all the opportunities now and in the future. We will proceed with the promotion of MTPA offer and hospitality excellence, which endears any traveler, and becomes then the true soul of Indian Ocean.”

AIGO Destination Marketing division will keep the relationships with the Italian market, through marketing and communication projects conceived for the next three years. Big attention will be given to the development of Internet and social media initiatives. The ultimate goal is to optimize the performance of any single action and set an even stronger and more interactive relationship between Mauritius and the final consumer.

AIGO was chosen from Darwin Airline, Swiss regional airline based in Lugano, to manage the Italian media relations.
The project, conceived by AIGO, aims  to strengthen the brand awareness of Darwin Airline on the Italian market, the visibility of offers and initiatives through the national media, and the promotion in the business and leisure segments of daily and charter connections, including the new flights from/to Foggia with Milan Malpensa, Palermo and Turin, four among the most important airports in the Peninsula.

The program provides for corporate and product public relations and press office activities.

Founded in 2003, with the goal of offering quick, timely and high quality flights, Darwin Airline is recently committed to expand its air routes in Italy, especially in the South. It is progressively emerging as the ideal carrier for both business and leisure travels, thanks to its competitive prices and the high standards of its services.

Pangaea Network, the international organisation that includes independent agencies specialising in consultancy and communication for the tourism and travel industry, and co-founded by AIGO, becomes worldwide even further and enlarges its borders. Eventica in Russia, Agency in Scandinavia and The Wren Partnership in Australia are the new entries.

Developed thanks to a common vision and a long-lasting cooperation among the founding members – AIGO, bgb communication and global communication experts – today Pangaea Network boasts ten partners and offers customised marketing solutions to twenty markets, from Europe to Russia, from Canada to USA and to Australia.

AIGO has coordinated the event Celebrating Rome, two workshops organized on 15^th December in New Delhi and on 17^th in Mumbay for 14 professionals in the travel and tourism industry and an opportunity for encountering several Indian tour operators. These two meetings have been promoted by the Council of Economic Development, Research, Innovation and Tourism of Lazio Region and the Regional Agency for the  Promotion of Tourism in Rome and Lazio. Activities have been carried out cooperating with the Indian agency Trac.
The goal of the event is presenting the City and its region as privileged gateway for Indian tourists travelling across Europe and now more accessible through the new no-stop air connections between Rome and New Dehli launched on 1^st December. New spaces for fun and entertainment will broaden the offering addressed to families with children: two large theme parks, Cinecittà World and Rainbow Magic Land, will be opened on the doorstep of Rome in 2011.

Celebrating Rome closes the program of tourism promotion started this year and aimed to strengthen Rome and Lazio positioning as top of mind destination for international tourists and least of all for the emerging outbound markets.

AIGO expands its customer portfolio with two new high-end hotels: Villa d’Amelia and Villa Pattono.
Villa d’Amelia is an antique residence of the nineteenth century, placed in the middle of Langhe, few kilometers from Alba and subject to a recent restructuring inspired to an elegant modern style. Still in the Langhe, in Castiglione d’Asti, Villa Pattono, a contemporary B&B owned by the Ratti’s family, will be opened in the spring 2010.

Press office and media relations activities have been committed to AIGO. The communication plan has as primary objectives the promotion of Villa d’Amelia as place of reference for a relaxing experience and a discovery of the area between the Alps and the hills of Barolo. Secondly, the strategic support to the launch of Villa Pattono in the Italian business and leisure market.

AIGO is to announce a new branch to be opened in Prague, Czech Republic. The location of the new office follows a scheme to address the needs arising in the dynamic and steadily-growing markets of Central and Eastern Europe, by transferring the experience gathered over twenty years in the destination marketing and tourism communication industries.
Prague is a key location for the entire Eastern Europe; hence it is the ideal location to address new markets and people. Thanks to its specific competences and qualified resources, AIGO is capable of guaranteeing business development opportunities to Eastern European players in the International Markets, while providing services and operative support to those accounts who may desire to broaden their range of action to Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

Besides providing added value to the Pangaea Network, the International network of independent agencies co-founded by AIGO, the new branch is undoubtedly a symptom of AIGO’s growth.
Ms. Kamila Pálová shall be in charge of AIGO’s operations in Prague, while all institutional relations shall be retained by the President, Mr. Massimo Tocchetti.

For further information:
AIGO – Milan
E-mail: marketing@aigo.it
Tel. +39 02 66 99 271

AIGO – Prague
E-mail: marketing@aigoprague.cz
Tel. +420 725 116 278

AIGO has created the restyling for Salsomaggiore and Tabiano Spa corporate image. The new layout has been used for the entire communication plan: below the line and advertising campaign. The new adv campaign aims to promote the brand, to increase the sales during the summer season and to launch the new thermal pools Mari d’Oriente by Berzieri Spa opening on 1th August 2009. The new campaign focuses on the personalization of the beauty treatments and on the quality of the thermal water offered by the Spa.

The claim “Your own aqua-theraphy” acts as background for three different targets: institutional, wellness and old age. The consumer is the core of the campaign: pampered and regenerated, bounded in a joyful and amusing experience. Planned on the press and in the Metro Milano circuit, the adv campaign for Salsomaggiore and Tabiano spa includes also direct marketing activities tailored for the wellness/families target thanks to an ad hoc support delivered by a dedicated press office.

AIGO was responsible for the creation and planning of the new ‘Mauritius No Passport’ adv campaign, which was purpose made for MTPA Italy.
Its goal is that of sustaining the rules come provisionally into force and valid until 31st December 2009, which allow the access in Mauritius to the Italian citizens older than 15 years and with an identity card valid for the expatriation and a return ticket.

The campaign with the claim “Isola di Mauritius. Da oggi senza passaporto!” is online on the main tourism and travel portals (www.opodo.it, www.edreams.it,www.volagratis.com, www.lastminute.com) and spread out through direct marketing activities addressed to the consumer and travel agencies.

AIGO shall launch and position the exclusive InOcean Villas complex of the elegant Maldivian resort Angsana Velavaru on the Italian market. Angsana Hotels & Resorts (www.angsana.com) is a brand belonging to the prestigious Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts group. AIGO shall develop the corporate and product communication of Angsana Velavaru InOcean Villas towards media, VIPs, trendsetters and Opinion Makers through a series of targeted PR and press office actions.
The 34 elegant overwater villas, which will be opened in July 2009, are fit out in a modern décor style, equipped with a private infinity pool, and linked to the Angsana Velavaru by sea in order to assure the guests the highest privacy surrounded by Maldivian sky and sea.

AIGO develops an integrated campaign to face the crisis impact and consolidate Italian arrivals in Tahiti and Her Islands.

Challenge

• To support sales in the spring and summer season
• To increase the honeymoon market share
• To involve all players: from product to consumer

Strategy

AIGO structured the campaign by using both traditional and unconventional marketing tools to create the WOM (word of mouth) effect and monitorable results, supported by a digital and traditional PR activity.

The project

• The ‘buzz’ phase - launch anticipated by an unbranded guerrilla marketing preview  including: creation of a blog and a Facebook profile, distribution of IIYL flyers and stickers, organization of the ‘Frozen Kiss’, a collective, public kiss, become event, in Rome and Milan.

• The reveal – brand disclosure through a street press conference in Milan, involving consumer and travel trade media. This created of a ‘domino’ effect: the immediate branding of the online tools and the official opening of the campaign.

• The campaign – on and off line and dynamic advertising campaign in Milan and Rome, opening of a dedicated website providing extensive travel information, Tour Operator travel offers, list of ‘Tahiti specialist’ Travel Agents for tailor-made proposals; downloadable goodies. A special kit of p.o.p. material was distributed to selected Travel Agencies.

• Incentive programs – dedicated to consumers and distribution channels. Photo-contest ‘Smile…and win Tahiti’ allowing 8 couples to travel to Tahiti and Her Islands; rewarding schemes for Travel Agents completing the Tiare online training program and registering the best sales performance within the end of the year.

The campaign has been successively declined for France, Germany and Spain.

Results

1. The ‘buzz’ phase

The two-week preview generated:

• 34.322 online contacts
• 13 ‘Frozen kiss’ video published on Youtube
• 143 communities involved and 270 open discussions
• Media coverage for € 298.750 aev – 14.350.753 circulation

2. The campaign

The 2,5-months campaign generated:

• Over 57.000.000 contacts (print and outdoor)
• 18.000.000 delivered impressions – 60.528 clicks (online)
• 409 fans on Facebook in 1 week
• About 60.000 page views (website/Tour Operators offer)
• 13% conversion rate on required quotations
• 500 Travel Agencies shop windows customized IIYL
• 313 new enrolments to Tahiti consumer newsletter

AIGO expands its customer portfolio by managing the end-to-end communication of Salsomaggiore and Tabiano Spa, the largest one in Italy, through the reassessment of its corporate image, its media relations as well as its press office, advertising and below-the-line activities.
Perfect for treatments of aesthetic medicine and ideal as wellness destination, Salsomaggiore Spa boasts salsobromoiodic waters that are among the richest in natural mineral salt, while Tabiano Spa offers its sulphurous waters, among the richest in Europe, that are recommended for the treatments of respiratory tracts and dermatological pathologies.

The communication plan, that AIGO shall realize, aims at involving a new consumer target such as families and sportspeople that could experience a complete relaxing holiday thanks to the wide range of proposals offered by the territory surrounding the Spa complex in Salsomaggiore and Tabiano.

The integrated communication program designed by AIGO is based on an on-line and off-line synergic mix of intervention strategies addressed to media, consumers, travel trade, and professional doctors that aims at increasing the brand awareness and the visibility of the offer of the Salsomaggiore and Tabiano Spa System as well as of the hotels linked to it.

AIGO collaborated with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Convention and Visitor Bureau in order to realize Tokyo City Promotion 2009, an event aimed at promoting the town of Tokyo among the main industry operators.

The main objective of TCP 2009 held in Rome at the Rome Cavalieri – The Waldorf Astoria Collection, was to promote the tourism offer of the town and to strengthen the relationships between the Italian tourism industry and some of the most active Japanese operators.  The event was successful and confirmed an increasing interest in the destination by the main professionals working in the tourism industry.

Besides more than 40 companies, among which travel agencies and Tour Operators as well as generalists specialized in the destination, even 14 exhibitors coming from Japan, including airlines, travel agencies, tour operators, hotel chains and associations, took part to the event.

AIGO supported the organization of Tokyo City Promotion 2009 by putting at disposal its own expertise in the tourism industry and by activating a contact network both with media and with operators and professionals working in the tourism industry. The reception by the press was excellent: journalists specialized in the trade as well as those working for consumer periodicals were very interested during the presentation and reflected what is currently a trend of the Italian market, which seems to have understood the potentials and the charm that the Far East evokes in our country.

Costa Crociere, the largest Italian cruises company in Italy and Europe, chose AIGO to realize and coordinate the activities of its press office in Italy.

With its 60-year-long history and an historical record of 1,100,000 of guests registered for the first time in Europe in 2007, Costa Crociere boasts the largest European fleet that has a total of 12 ships in service and 5 on order, each with its own distinctive characteristics and unique style.

The aim is to further strengthen Costa presence among the Italian media by promoting the destinations reached by Costa ships.
Costa Crociere has actually been the first company in Italy and Europe that has transformed the cruise in an entertaining holiday for everyone by building state-of-the-art ships able to offer areas and services that meet the needs of modern and international customers.

The activities of AIGO press office shall focus on the promotion of the cruises types that Costa will offer in 2009 as well as of the 2010 catalogue news.

AIGO develops the project Maroc Excellence in the light of a promotion of Marocco in Italy, through the the icons of excellence that have always characterized its history and culture.

Challenge

• Creating awareness of Marocco and its ‘savoir fair’
• Promoting the excellence, the traditional and contemporary  values of  Moroccan culture through its main icon: the caftan

Strategy

AIGO was committed in the creation of the Maroc Excellence brand in order to graphically express, through simple and elegant lines, the dynamism and elegance of this developing country that was able to build its own modernity thanks to the great richness of its traditions.

• The exhibition – To show the most typical and charming aspects of Marocco, AIGO, sponsored by the Municipality of Milan, organized the exhibition ‘Caftans of Marocco. The treasures of the sun’. It was held from 19th February to 9th March 2006 in the charming Palazzo della Triennale in Milan, simultaneously with the 2006 A/W fashion week.
• The jewels and the caftans – Main characters of the exhibition were wonderful traditional jewels and caftans, carefully selected among those belonging to the collection of the Balghazi Museum in Rabat. The dress-icon of Marocco was introduced in its evolution, from the first models to the more contemporary ones, always charming and expressive.
• The fashion show – Four Maroccan stylists, Souad Chraibi, Albert Oiknine, Simohamed Lakhdar and Tamy Tanzi, re-interpreted the caftan in a modern light, by designing dressed able to represent the tradition and the rich expressivity of Marocco and in the meanwhile showing and absolute feminine woman.
• The auction – AIGO together with Vanity Fair and AIRC (Italian Association for Cancer Research) involved 9 among artists and celebrities by asking them to personally restyle a white caftan. This resulted in the initiative ‘A Caftan for AIRC’, which Monica Belluci, Beatrice Bartolomeo, Fabrizio Braghieri, Victoria Cabello, Giovanni Gastel, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Marco Perego, Kris Ruhs and Bettina Werner took part to. The 9 caftans were then sold in a auction on e-Bay.

Results

• 150 participants at the press conference, among which media specializing in the fashion industry and lifestyle, institutions and the ONMT delegation
• 250 guests from the fashion industry, show biz and media during the exhibition opening and the fashion show
• Huge press coverage on the main Italian media: press, national TV channels (i.e. La7, Rai1), cable TVs (Sat 2000, CFN, Telenova), portals and online media.
• Audience (TV/press) of about 7.866.000 contacts
• AEV above 1.000.000 Euro

[Show as slideshow]

Light blue, turquoise, indigo or crystal … Choose your preferred shade of blue and go to Mauritius. This is the concept of the new advertising campaign created by AIGO for MTPA, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, scheduled until 16^th of November as a support to the winter season 2008/2009.

The claim “A thousand shades of blue and one island” expresses not only the colors of the Mauritius’ sea but also the myriad ways to live and interpret it.

AIGO realized also a visual able to stress the blue of Mauritius’ sea, to be discovered by diving, kite surf and deep-sea fishing or just to enjoy on the beaches of Belle Mare or Flic en Flac. The campaign, produced in partnership with the national airline Air Mauritius, will be available online on the homepage of [1]www.mauritius-turismo.com Web Site, showing hot deals of Tour Operators specialized in this destination.

The adv campaign planning includes newspapers: Corriere della Sera Magazine and Io Donna, and major portals and webzines as repubblica.it, seidimoda.repubblica.it and Repubblica Network as well as keyword advertising, direct e-mailing and newsletters.

AIGO represents the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) in Italy since 2000.

During the first day of October, in  Milan, Puerto Rico has launched the new Academy Puerto Rico Travel Expert, dedicated to travel agents. We organized a successful event with a double presentation of the new program and the destination. There was also a draw of 2 holidays in Puerto Rico, and everybody danced with the band “Las Estrellas del Comborican”.

Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises chooses AIGO, marketing and integrated communication agency, as Italian press office to manage the exclusive real estate project of Porto Cupecoy in Sint Marteen, Netherlands Antilles’ island, that will open in Summer 2009.

Porto Cupecoy offers more than 180 luxury accomodations realized in a Mediterranean village placed along the Simpson Bay Lagoon. The future owners, will enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of this Caribbean port city, testing many entertainment opportunities, thanks to the tennis courts and swimming pools, sailing schools and restaurants, having also the special prerogative to moor their boats in the private Marina of the property.

To position Porto Cupecoy on the Italian market as an exclusive Caribbean destination and develop its brand awareness among the press, brokers and Italian potential investors are the objectives of the AIGO PR program.

Kiwi Collection, network of luxury hotels and resorts, entrusted to AIGO the management of public relations and press office for its entry into the Italian market.

The prestigious collection, created by a group of famous globetrotter, includes a broad selection of products: sophisticated hotels, lodges and camping, charming hotels, spectacular tropical shelters and so on. More than 2,100 structures in 140 countries whose common denominator is the offer of very unique travel experiences and memorable trips.

The enrolment at the network is done only by invitation and the excellence of services is ensured by regular inspections by the team of Kiwi Collection.

www.KiwiCollection.com, the Web Site dedicated to consumers and travel agents, provides detailed information, several search functions and the chance to book online.

The aim of AIGO activity is to position the Kiwi Collection brand on the Italian tourist market and consumers, through the management of media relations, organization of press trips and development of a specific PR plan.

AIGO acquired two prestigious properties: Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa, luxury resort on the Caribbean island of St. Martin, and Spinale Hotel, renowned four-star hotel of Madonna di Campiglio.

Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa, opening soon, is in the French area of Anse Marcel, along the French north-west coast of the Caribbean St. Martin. It appears as a majestic and elegant colonial-style villa ready to welcome guests for unforgettable stays. The jewel of the scenic resort Marina and the modern Spa.

Spinale Hotel, immersed in the beautiful setting of the Dolomites, is an elegant structure with spa, perfect for both leisure and incentive. At Spinale, the excellence of hospitality, is combined with the rich tradition of Trentino, its gastronomic culture and the infinite beauty of the territory enjoyable in all seasons.

AIGO activity is aimed at positioning and strengthening in the visibility of Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa and Spinale Hotel towards Italian consumers and travel trade, through the management of media relations, organization of press trips visits, production of ad hoc press releases and development of a PR plan for both structures.

AIGO, agenzia di marketing e comunicazione integrata, ha ricevuto il riconoscimento “Product Placement of the Year” assegnato da Plantronics, azienda leader nella produzione di cuffie leggere per telecomunicazioni per la migliore proposta di  posizionamento prodotto.

Il progetto realizzato da AIGO, ha visto il posizionamento delle cuffie SUPRAPLUS Silver e dell’auricolare wireless C60 nel film “Tutta la vita davanti” del regista Paolo Virzì,  distribuito da Medusa Film e con un ottimo cast di attori italiani tra cui  Sabrina Ferilli, Elio Germano, Isabella Ragonesi, Valerio Mastrandrea e Massimo Ghini.

Il premio è stato consegnato da Paris Welton, PR Coordinator EMEA di Plantronics, e ritirato da Jacques Capizzi, PR Account Executive AIGO  durante l’Agency Day, incontro annuale che riunisce a Londra tutte le agenzie europee di Relazioni Pubbliche a cui Plantronics si appoggia

AIGO segue le attività di ufficio stampa per Plantronics dal 2000 e già in passato è stata premiata con riconoscimenti, quali: “For an Exceptional Number of Interwievs” (2004), “Best Practice” (2006) e “Most Creative Agency of the Year” (2007).

AIGO signs the new advertising campaign for Tahiti Tourisme, Tourist Office of French Polynesia, to support the summer 2008.

The concept developed by AIGO intends to present the destination not only as an exotic ideal place to live fully the sea, but also as a green paradise to be explored trough an active and soft-adventure holiday.

The claim `Muoviti’ (get a move on!) reintroduces the creativity of the winter campaign and is declined in four different subjects that call to action: go, see, know Tahiti and her islands. The visual interchanges images of lagoons and volcanic peaks, Tahitian dances and overwaters at sunset in a variety of subjects that reflects the diversity of French Polynesia landscapes, calling to a unique and `tailor-made’ travel. This advertising campaign is an invitation to immediately leave, beginning with the visit of the web-site of Tahiti that shows the best travel proposals by Italian specialized Tour Operators.

Realized in partnership with Air Tahiti Nui, the French Polynesia national carrier, the campaign has been planned on the most important web-site and webzines of Gruppo L’Espresso. It’s also provide an activity of keyword advertising and direct e-mailing.

The operation falls in the marketing and communication strategic plan developed by AIGO for Tahiti Tourisme, that the agency represents on the Italian market since 1996.

AIGO acquires Capannelle, the prestigious Tuscan farm, owned by J.B. Sherwood, founder of Orient Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises.
Born in 1975 and considered one of the most forefront European wine farm, Capannelle boasts a valuable annual production of 70,000 bottles (Chianti Classico, Solar, 50&50, Chardonnay) distributed in 40 countries worldwide and appreciated particularly by the collectors. At the elegant sixteenth-century house of the farm, furnished in typical Tuscan style, it’s possible to take part by appointment in agreeable wine-gastronomic tastings.

The PR program realized by AIGO wants above all to reinforce the position of Capanelle brand on the Italian market on demonstrating to the media and consumers its main strengths. Besides the activities of media relations, AIGO will also develop for Capannelle PR events, product placement and co-marketing activities.

Tourist Authority of London appointed AIGO

to manage the media relations in Italy

AIGO will manage the Italian media relations of Visit London, the official visitor organisation for London, whose target is to promote a new and more dynamic image of the city.

The program developed by AIGO includes distribution of press releases, participation to round tables, conventions and debates on emerging tourism trends, organisation of press conferences and press trips to position on the Italian market a more authentic image of London as a multicultural city rich in historical traditions, wonderful parks, eclectic fashion and art events, typical suburban area and wide options for week-ends or holidays low cost!

AIGO collaborated with Visit London for a few ad hoc projects, including 24London, the first itinerant art exhibition realized in Milan for 24 hours in November 2006.

AIGO has won the prestigious award “Most Creative Agency” gived during the Agency Day 2007 from Plantronics, US company world leader in communications headsets.

Annual meeting organized in London and devoted to all european PR agencies of Plantronics, rewarding the best practise of Communication, Advertisign and Events Organization, the Agency Day has once more aimed the reflectors at AIGO, already winning in the past with the awards “For an Exceptional Number of Interwievs” (2004) and “Best Practice” (2006).

This year the award has been retired from Michela Bernardo, PR Account Executive Plantronics Italia and delivered by Paris Welton, PR Coordinator EMEA.

“This prestigious Award Plantronics is a further confirmation of our professionalism, enthusiasm and passion that every day motivates our choices and our actions. AIGO, after all, engages for a long time qualified resources in the communication field for initiatives of absolute level”, declared Massimo Tocchetti, Presidente di AIGO.

For the National Tourism Board of Madagascar and Air Madagascar we organized the first Road Show to present in Italy the destination.
The Road Show was organized into two stages – Milan and Rome, respectively May 30th at the Doria Grand Hotel and May 31st at the Radisson SAS es. Hotel.
The attendance of travel agents and tour operators was excellent in both events.
Also the Italian journalists was very interested in these events and above all in a destination, like Madagascar, that has a strong appeal to our market.

New entry in AIGO to face up to the future challenges

AIGO, marketing and integrated communication agency, has co-opted in its Board of Directors Adriano Cipolla, owner of the consulting company Polaris C, with delegation to the management of the human resources and financial-administrative fields.

Adriano Cipolla, 48 years, has a sound professional background in the business management, with important experiences matured in international and prestigious companies. Before establishing Polaris C in 2006, Cipolla has been appointed Vice President of Publicis Groupe SA in 2002 and previously, from 1998 to 2001, has covered the position of Managing Director in Publicis. In past times, he has been again Financial Director in Publicis and in Havas.

“I’m very satisfied with the arrival of Adriano”, affirms Massimo Tocchetti, President of AIGO, that continues: “His experience and his dynamism will make a precious contribution to maximize the internal organization and to implement the new models of business, so as to face up with success the present opportunities and the future challenges”.

Molino Stucky Hilton Venice, Homelidays, Villanao, zanox and Ismett

the prestigious brands acquired in the first months of 2007

Molino Stucky Hilton Venice: AIGO has started a public relations program to support the opening of the historical and neo-gothic mill that, from next June 2007, will return to live under the mark of Hilton International as modern and elegant hotel of the lagoon city.

AIGO has been select to manage the activities of press office for the brands Homelidays.com and Villanao.it: two sites belonging to the French society Homelidays and devoted to the online tourism, offering a wide selection of house and apartment rentals.

zanox: the market leader in global performance-based multichannel commerce, is an important company that offers performance-based online marketing solutions and services on a global scale with expertise in affiliate marketing, search engine management, e-mail marketing, online shopping and customer loyalty programs. zanox has appointed AIGO for the management of the public relations and press office activities to increase its visibility on the Italian market and to strengthen its positioning the e-commerce field.

ISMETT: The Mediterranean Institute for Transplants and Therapies to High Specialization is an hospital of Palermo city. This excellent structure promotes important activities of scientific search with the UPMC, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. ISMETT has committed AIGO to plan and develop the new portal in line with the specials standards for usability and accessibility required by law.

“We are very happy to have acquired these brands, so important and different but joined by the excellence in the respective fields of activity” says Massimo Tocchetti, President of AIGO, that continues: “The acquisition of Molino Stucky Hilton Venice, Villanao and Homelidays is a further confirmation of the AIGO leadership in the tourism field. The latest acquisitions are included in an harmonic program of development that agency has promoted to consolidate its position also in the field of the Information Technology.”

Il Design di Plantronics emoziona Milano

PREMESSA
Il progetto “Emozioni e Design” nasce dalla volontà di Plantronics, azienda multinazionale americana specializzata nella produzione di soluzioni audio innovative, di promuovere la propria presenza sul mercato italiano e internazionale puntando sui concetti di design e lifestyle.

OBIETTIVI
Il progetto messo a punto da AIGO aveva  i seguenti obiettivi:
- posizionare le cuffie Plantronics come prodotti lifestyle e di design
- creare una maggiore visibilità sull’ampia gamma di prodotti Plantronics
- generare visibilità media
- illustrare ai partner l’attenzione di Plantronics al design

IDEAZIONE
AIGO ha organizzato per Plantronics  un evento di due giorni, 8 e 9 settembre 2005, dedicato a partner, clienti, giornalisti da tutta Europa presso il Magna Pars di via Tortona a Milano, ubicato in una delle aree più trendy e innovative della città.

EVENTO
In occasione della convention, è stata organizzata anche una sfilata per la presentazione dei prodotti Plantronics più trendy Discovery 640, Explorer 320, Pulsar 590, Voyager 510, Voyager 510S.
All’interno degli spazi del Magna Pars sono state predisposte inoltre delle aree Demo con prodotti Plantronics con un allestimento molto attento a combinare design e nuove tecnologie.
Allo scopo di rafforzare l’immagine di Plantronics come azienda giovane, innovativa e attenta al lifestyle, la sfilata è stata organizzata grazie al supporto di GAS,  fashion brand leader nel Casual&Jeans, che ha fornito i capi per la sfilata.
La cena di gala per circa 200 persone è organizzata presso Palazzo Clerici, storico palazzo nel centro di Milano.

RISULTATI
Gli obiettivi del Progetto “Emozioni e Design” sono stati pienamente raggiunti, grazie a un’ampia visibilità sui maggiori Media italiani ed Europei.

AIGO representing the BVI Tourist Board in Italy , launched the 2006 BVI GOLD SUMMER, the promotional campaign aiming to sustain the summer sales.

THe British Virgin Islands, exclusive and secluded, are a true paradise for those who love the sea and for the sailors, thanks to their position they have got calm and safe waters and their light winds are ideal for navigation in their waters.

This fourth edition of BVI GOLD SUMMER involves a bigger number of Italian tour operators than last years, due to the success of the promotion: Agamare, Best Tours, Hotelplan, Kuoni-Gastaldi, Viaggidea, Mondovela e Albatross are the specialized T.O. that have realized travel packages for this 2006 edition.

The campaign of the BVI GOLD SUMMER 2006 started in April. Its creativity, followed by AIGO Web Art Director Antonello Sechi, focuses on consumer promotion, thanks to web advertising. The GOLD SUMMER web media planning includes Italy’s main portals and websites dedicated to travel and sailing: virgilio.it, nautica.it, borsaitaliana.it, corriere.it. and edreams.it. The web are invited to enter the Gold Summer dedicated area on the BVI Tourist Board website: www.bvi-turismo.com/speciali/goldsummer.php, hosting the 2006 Gold Summer travel packages.

After two weeks of web campaign, the BVI website registered a great performance: they had a nearly +100% increase if compared to the same period of last year.

The BVI Gold Summer is one of the activities foreseen in the marketing and communication plan developed by AIGO for The BVI Tourist Board.

According to this plan, Italian travel agents have a dedicated online building program, organized in lessons and with a personal tutor following them. “The BVI Secrets”, that is the name of the program, will provide them with useful information about the destination and will make them become, after ending their program, BVI Specialists.

“Mauritius Now. Difficult not to fall in love with it” is the pay off of the new advertising campaign conceived by AIGO Comunicazione for the Island of Mauritius and addressed to couple and honeymoon targets. The campaign was launched on January 23rd, 2006 and is still ongoing in the most important online and offline magazines.

This initiative is part of the marketing plan developed by AIGO for Mauritius Tourism Board and has been carried out in collaboration with: Air Mauritius, hotel chains (Beachcomber Hotels, Naiade Resorts, and One&Only Resorts) and some of the main Italian tour operators programming the destination (among which Best Tours, Cormorano, Hotelplan, Kuoni Gastaldi and Viaggidea).

The campaign creativity is characterized by two young lovers and a couple of fish displayed with a Mauritius beach on the background and is aimed at presenting the Island as the ideal destination for “only for two” travels. “The campaign main objective is to communicate the advantages of tailor-made holidays addressed to couples and honeymooners, two important targets for our customer, and to support sales in the first months of the year”, explained Massimo Tocchetti, AIGO President. “In 2005 Mauritius registered 43,458 Italian arrivals with an increase equal to 5% on year 2004. Even 2006 has begun with extremely positive results”, he concluded.

The campaign is available both in offline magazines (i.e Corriere della Sera, Io Donna and Vanity Fair) and in online main portals (i.e Alice.it, Yahoo.it and Corriere.it) and magazines (Donnamoderna.com, Voguevanity.it and IoSposa.it).

Furthermore “Mauritius Now. Difficult not to fall in love with it” campaign has been generating a huge increase in the number of accesses to Mauritius Tourism Board official website [1]www.mauritus-turismo.com, where a special section in the home page is dedicated to the travel offers related to the operation. The period comprised between January 24th and February 14th registered 50,247 visits (+560% on the same period in 2005) and 313,699 page views (+346%).

The Sun International Routes is the name of online training program dedicated to travel agents that AIGO realized for Sun International, a luxury hotel chain leader in Austral Africa.

The program, which has the aim of creating a network of qualified agents – the “Sun International specialists” – has been developed thanks to a declination of Academy, AIGO e-learning modular platform.

The Sun International Routes provides its subscribed travel agents with the concept of high potential of the hotel chain, with the characteristics of its structures and with a focus on its reference targets: honeymooners, families and golfers. Together with this, it provides them with some useful information for travellers in terms of territories and countries where Sun International hotels are located.

The online training program (the web address is [1]http://routes.suninternational.it) is divided in 10 lessons: at the end of all the “route” a certification is released. This diploma attests that the participant is a Sun International specialist.

The Sun International tutor provides the agents with the information, is the moderator of the forum and is the pivot of a useful web community for the subscribers.

The project foresees the application of a whole series of marketing actions online and off-line, among which a motivation and incentive program linked to the sales.

On the occasion of The Sun International Routes launch AIGO has elaborated a direct e-mailing plan in collaboration with the main Italian tourism trade publications.

“Mauritius. Your holiday at last!” is the new claim conceived by AIGO Comunicazione in order to promote the Island of Mauritius as ideal destination for the forthcoming summer months.

AIGO tactical campaign aims at underling the advantages of a tailor made holiday to Mauritius for honeymooners and families and for whom special offers have been put together by major tour operators and hotel chains. The offers will be at consumers disposal until the end of October 2005.

“These kinds of tactical activities are the results of a continuous adaptation of the communication strategy to the development of the goals we want to achieve for the destinations we are working with”, Massimo Tocchetti, AIGO President, has recently declared. “Only in this way a perfect combination between market needs and development can take place”, Mr. Tocchetti concluded.

The outdoor campaign counts 120 taxis in Milan characterized by coloured visuals on lateral doors, rear windows and on the back side. 50.000 targeted flyers will be distributed onboard.

The tactical campaign is also available online on the homepage and in the tourism section of Sole24ore.com website and in the weather and travels sections of Virgilio.it, the leader Italian search engine.

78,000 clients and 27,400,000 external contacts are expected to be reached for the taxi campaign while the forecasted impressions on Sole24ore.com website are 1,760,000 and 787,942 on Virgilio.it. All online banners will be linked directly to www.mauritius-turismo.com, the official Italian MTPA website, where an entire section on the homepage will be dedicated to the “Mauritius. Your holiday at last !” promotion. 4.186 visitors have already been registered during the first week after the launch of the campaign.

POWER-GEN Europe, the event internationally awarded as the largest exhibition and conference for the power generation industry in Europe, returns to Milan, and chooses AIGO Comunicazione as press office and media relations management.

From 28 to 30 June 2005, in Fiera Milano City, POWER-GEN Europe 2005 will be an important appointment for the representatives of any power generation business, both coming from Italy and from abroad.

As beholder of a proved know-how in handling the press office and media relations of Bit – International Tourism Exchange – one of the most important exhibition of the tourism field in Europe, AIGO will be in charge of the promotion of the event for POWER-GEN Europe in Italy, as well. Among AIGO targets will be the creation of media attention and their involvement in the debate over the present situation of power markets and new trends in terms of the use of new renewable energy sources in the future.

“We are deeply convinced that this edition of POWER-GEN Europe will get a considerable attention from Italian press, being Italy one of the more strategic European markets for renewable energy sources and for the necessary strengthening of its own network”, declared Massimo Tocchetti, President of AIGO. “Our target will be to obtain the maximum level of visibility in this key-moment for the power generation sector, providing press with well-timed and updated information”, said Tocchetti.

Now at its 13th edition, POWER-GEN Europe has registered during the past ones about 9.000 participants, professionals of energy and power generation sectors, coming from 84 countries and 400 exhibitors. Moreover, it counted more than 160 reports after the conferences organized during the event.

lastminute.com, Europe’s leading independent travel and leisure website, chose AIGO for the management of its press office and media relationship activities in Italy.

This partnership will be addressed to support lastminute.com consolidating its leadership offering of online airline tickets, hotel rooms, package holidays, but also of its wide supply for leisure, which already positioned the company as a point of reference in Europe.

“We chose AIGO for its deep and proved experience in traveling and lifestyle markets. Thanks to this partnership, we are confident to successfully and quickly reach our communication and visibility goals”, adds Alexis Bonte, Managing Director of lastminute.com Italy.

“More and more people search on the web easily and user-friendly leisure occasions and lastminute.com met exactly their needs. Thanks to its strategy, lastminute.com is quickly growing in Italy and we are very proud to support to its development and reinforcing its success”, said Massimo Tocchetti, President of AIGO.

In 1998 founded in UK by Brent Hobermann and Martha Lane Fox, lastminute.com has premises in Europe, Australia and Japan. Besides lastminute.com, the group is composed by Travelprice and holiday autos, the largest leisure car rental broker in the world.

Czech Tourism, appointed AIGO as Official Partner for Italy, to manage the media and trade relationship. To increase the knowledge and perception of the several tourist routes of Czech Republic will be the main objectives of Aigo’s task: promoting not only Prague, but also the magic castles, the cities rich of historical features, the relaxing thermal centres and the famous Holy Places of the country.

For Czech Republic, newly entering European Community, it’s a period of great visibility and it aims to increase the number of Italian tourist: in the first nine months of 2004, the Italian tourists were 312,552, confirming the good trend began in 2002.

“Thanks to the closeness to our country, we are confident of successfully exploiting the resources of Czech Republic and to make them discovered by Italian tourists”, said Massimo Tocchetti, President of AIGO. “In this crucial moment, this appointment is really exiting and challenging, and give us the opportunity to promote an European destination”, added Tocchetti.

The goals of AIGO communication strategy will be to consolidate the good position of Prague city – one of the ten most visited European cities – but also to gain more visibility for other enchanting spots as Olomouc, Karlovi Vary, Ceský Krumlov and Skalní mesta.

Plantronics Italia, world leader in communications headsets, decided to give a party for celebrate its 10th birthday and award AIGO and its most reliable clients and partners, that supported Plantronics to reach the good results of these years.

“It’s a pleasure for us to receive appreciation for our good job from our customer”, said Massimo Tocchetti, President of AIGO. “We always put the satisfaction of our customers as key point in the development of our professional methodology and this prize confirms our effort. Thanks to a good co-operation with Plantronics Italia management, we exploited public relations as a strategic asset to broaden Plantronics visibility on the market”, added Tocchetti.

The client service team in AIGO, composed by Flaviana Facchini – Account Supervisor, Emanuela Dilavanzo – Account Executive, Michela Bernardo – Account Junior The prize, an elegant crystal label, was awarded of an elegant crystal plate directly by Gian Carlo Degortes, General Manager for Plantronics Italia.

The prize-giving ceremony took place in Milan, during an event organized on 2nd March at the presents of Vodafone Italia, Tim and Wind for choosing Plantronics headsets for their call centre in Italy, Atlantis S.r.l. for the advertising, Celte and Land historical distributors of Plantronics professional products.

AIGO and Tourism Australia: a sound partnership that has been going on for more than ten years, and it’s confirmed today with the extension of the task for AIGO, the agency focused in travel market located in Milan.

AIGO will carry on the media relationship management and the promotional activities addressed to the customer, as well as will support the new marketing campaign, started globally last May, with aimed actions investing EUR1.2 million in order to improve Australia’s visibility and the awareness of its new brand: “Australia. A different light”.

“We are very proud to be confirmed for this huge and prestigious task and are spurred to go on with our efforts in travel market”, says Massimo Tocchetti, President of AIGO.

“After all these years, exploiting our experience and deep expertise we are firm positioned among the most important key players in marketing and communication consultancy on the market”, adds Tocchetti.

For Tourism Australia, in addition to the media relationship, AIGO will be in charge of several promotional on-line and off- line activities, that will take place in Italy in order to increase travelling to Australia from Italy: until 30th of November 2004 46,700 Italian tourists had already been in the kangaroos lands, with a growth of 30% compared to the same period of 2003*.