An “event-friendly Island”, a key driving force for promoting tourism
There is an inextricable link between events and the territory where they are held because events have a significant impact on tourism and economic flows. Brent Ritchie, an expert in tourism management, defines a major event as “an important one-time or recurring event of limited duration, which serves to increase the public awareness, image, and overall economy of a tourist destination over the short and/or long term.” An event is defined as such if it has economic, social, and cultural value, and if its effects last over time. In terms of tourism marketing, the main benefits are those related to the increase in new and repeat visitors, whose presence encourages higher tourist spending and helps launch a destination. Hosting events in a specific area lengthens the region’s tourist season, boosting deseasonalization. Events also increase hotel occupancy and promote the destination. Hence the whole area, along with the single tour or service provider, reaps the benefits: hotels, restaurants, and other key players who, in addition to a higher turnover, can seize the opportunity to upgrade their facilities. Furthermore, events often include ancillary activities such as tours, day trips, wine tasting, local product sampling, and visits to museums… experiences that allow guests to discover the destination to the fullest. Based on local and cultural marketing, hosting a major event can improve the image of a city or town: the more a destination is chosen as a venue for different types of events, the more its value increases.
Elba Island has long been the setting chosen for important international events. Examples of a few among the most significant follow. In 2015, a grand soirée starring Bob Sinclar was held in Marina di Campo. The event, part of the Bacardi projects and one of the highlights of the Italian summer, brought dozens of musical happenings and many leading artists to the island (15 days of partying); the Marina di Campo waterfront and beach were packed from early morning on. In 2021, Elba, with its 250 miles of outdoor trails strung between the sea and the mountains, hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships (XCM) following Columbia’s withdrawal. Then, there’s the Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa Festival, an outstanding international event and an exceptional opportunity for those who wish to enjoy an authentic experience in the heart of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, where musicians from all over the world have been meeting every year since 1997. And the Festival del Camminare or Walking Festival, which has been offering fascinating hiking tours to the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago (Elba, Pianosa, Capraia, Giglio, and Giannutri) in spring and fall since 2009, plus get-togethers and activities connected with the major international days dedicated to environmental preservation. In addition, there are institutional events, private events, weddings, corporate events, rendezvous, literary awards, and celebrity concerts, the latter mostly promoted by Elba’s local governments. All these happenings involve tourists, sports and culture enthusiasts, and young people. Docking on Elba Island means enjoying unique experiences in a land of unrivaled and inexhaustible beauty, memorable moments that make those on their first trip fall in love, and continue to overwhelm those who have known the Island forever.
10° S&S Swan Rendez-Vous Marciana Marina July 2023
An international fleet landed on Elba Island for the 10th S&S Swan Rendez-Vous: 44 yachts, designed by Sparkman & Stephens and manufactured by the Finnish Nautor Swan shipyard between the 1960s and 1990s, sailed from all over the world giving life to a prestigious sailing event. It was a sporting event and an occasion for the owners of the finest series-produced boats ever made to meet and get together. Over the four days during which the fleet crowded Marciana Marina’s docks, two races were held on coastal courses, with assistance at sea from the staff of the Circolo della Vela di Marciana Marina (CVMM) and the support of the Coordinamento dei Circoli Elbani. “This is the sixth time we have hosted the event since 2009, and once again it has brought great prestige to the town of Marciana Marina”, commented Enzo Danielli, chair of the CVMM. “We had the honor of welcoming a distinguished international fleet; it put on a great performance at sea and showed great liveliness on our docks.” The 10th S&S Swan Rendez-Vous was organized by the S&S Swan Association and the CVMM, under the patronage of the Town Council of Marciana Marina, with the support of the Proloco and active partnership of the village harbor.
Giornate del Segretario, Portoferraio
After a six-year hiatus, the Segreteria Nazionale dell’Unione Nazionale Segretari Comunali e Provinciali (National Secretariat of the National Union of Municipal and Provincial Secretaries, U.N.S.C.P.) chose Elba Island as the destination for the three-day Le Giornate del Segretario (the “Days of the Secretary”), an institutional event held on May 12, 13, and 14, 2023 attended by many municipal and provincial secretaries of Italy who are currently in office or retired members of the Union.
A long weekend dedicated to meeting, socializing, sharing, working, having fun, and discovering an area that literally captivated the attendees. The event took place in three different venues: Hotel Villa Ottone, the De Laugier Cultural Center, and the Galleria Demidoff. The participants were accommodated at the Hotel Villa Ottone, where they were welcomed by a delicious “apericena” (cocktail party and dinner) featuring sunset views on Portoferraio, once Cosmopolis. The conference on “The Work of the Secretary Amid Dilemmas and Contradictory Tensors” was held at the De Laugier Cultural Center; opened by the Mayor of Portoferraio, Angelo Zini, and attended by National Secretary Amedeo Scarsella, with the extraordinary participation of the SDA Bocconi coordinated by Professor Saporito, and a live link-up with the Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior Wanda Ferro. The Galleria Demidoff, located in San Martino, once Napoleon’s summer residence, was the setting for a Napoleonic-style gala dinner: during the evening, the Associazione Petite Armée reenacted the daily life of the time, with figurants dressed as generals, soldiers, and ladies… A magical atmosphere that carried all guests back to the early 19th century. In addition to being a great success, the event promoted by the Elban Andrea Meo, U.N.S.C.P. Regional Secretary of Tuscany, Giuseppe Zaccara, Deputy National Secretary, and the National Secretariat was an opportunity to showcase the beauty and millennial cultural legacy of Elba Island in an off-season period.
A 70th birthday and 20 years on Elba Island
A grand event fit for a queen would be a perfect title for the event that celebrated the 70th birthday and 20-year-long stay on Elba of a German lady who loves the island so much that she chose to mark two important milestones here. A special event that took a year to prepare, five days of celebrations involving 120 friends from Germany, Japan, and other countries. It all began with a cocktail reception and dinner in a private villa that “”embraces” the Biodola Bay and provides spectacular views of the sunset bathing the island of Capraia and Monte Capanne in reflected light.
The following day was spent at Tenuta La Chiusa tasting typical local dishes served with the estate wines; then, in the late afternoon, there was a concert of opera music starring young singers from the Munich Opera House held at the Teatro dei Vigilanti Renato Cioni, followed by a cocktail-dinner at the Teatro Bistrot in the picturesque Piazza Gramsci. The highlight of the celebrations was a gala dinner held in the picturesque setting of the Linguella Archaeological Museum, starring Francesco Renga as a special guest. The festivities ended the following day, with a musical picnic facing a landscape that guests will carry in their hearts forever.
