"Mini Italy": Italian Riviera's Liguria courts agents with pesto, culture & authenticity

The aroma of fresh basil filled the Columbus Centre last night (Oct. 21) as inLiguria (a regional agency for tourism promotion) brought a taste of the Italian Riviera to just over 60 travel advisors and tour operators, complete with a lively pesto competition and a clear message: there's far more to this Italian coastal gem than meets the eye.

"Italy is number one for the second summer in a row for Canadian visitors to European destinations," said Salvatore Basile, country manager at the Italian National Tourist Board based in Toronto,  addressing the room of attendees. "And Liguria is a major factor in that success."

Liguria, the crescent-shaped coastal region in northwest Italy that stretches along the Ligurian Sea from the French border to Tuscany, is home to the Italian Riviera.

According to the evening’s hosts, most Canadians visiting this region stick to the well-known paths of Cinque Terre and maybe Portofino. But tourism officials hope to change that.  

More than just Cinque Terre

Matteo Garnero, general manager of inLiguria was direct about the challenge.

"I know you love the Cinque Terre," he told attendees, “But there are 20 to 30 different terras (lands) in Liguria, so different from each other."

Speaking to PAX, Garnero elaborated on the region's appeal. "Liguria is as beautiful as Puglia, Sicily and everything, but it's very connected to all the other important places."

Positioned in the Milan-Genoa-Turin triangle and just 90 minutes from Milan Malpensa Airport, he shared that Liguria offers strategic access. 

"If you love Italy and you only have five, six days, I think Liguria is a perfect place, because you find it's like mini Italy where you can find everything," he said.

Basile emphasized what sets Liguria apart in an increasingly sustainability-conscious market. "You have nature intertwined with art cities," he said. "You can't do that in Florence or in Rome or in Venice, but you can do that in Genova or in Portofino."

He shared that the region boasts one of Italy's highest concentrations of Blue Flag beaches - a certification for pristine, clean water.

According to Basile, add to that extensive eco-friendly trails connecting mountains to beaches, and you've got a destination tailor-made for active travellers seeking more than the beach.

Celebrating the birthplace of pesto

Of course, no Ligurian promotion would be complete without celebrating pesto's birthplace.

Roberto Panizza, dubbed the "Pesto King," led a pesto-making demonstration to create the best pesto Genovese-style - the iconic basil sauce that originated in Genoa.

The winner earned a coveted spot at the World Pesto Championship finals in Genoa next March - a competition that has gone global, with qualifiers held everywhere from Siberia to Kentucky.

"This globalization changed the pesto, really changing the memory of where basically it's born," Panizza explained, noting the importance of maintaining the region's culinary heritage.

The evening's tasting menu showcased Ligurian specialties, including the focaccia di formaggio  - a cheese-filled focaccia that Garnero promised would create "dependence."

Judges Basile and Luciano Schipano of Toronto's Boccaccio Ristorante evaluated the pesto entries alongside Panizza, ultimately crowning the winner: Kerry Ke, co-founder at Trip Connoisseurs in Richmond Hill, ON.

Marilisa Villanacci, experience tourism specialist with inLiguria, brought the region's diversity to life during her presentation to attendees - from the San Remo Music Festival in the west to the cliffside villages in the east, from Genoa's Renaissance palaces (where the denim fabric that became jeans was first produced in the port) to remote mountain villages beloved by Monet. 

The region even offers unique experiences like the Christ of the Abyss near the medieval Abbey of San Fruttuoso - an underwater statue that Villanacci called "the paradise of divers," where couples can get married underwater.

The agent opportunity

For agents, Basile says the proposition is clear. "Please look, do an extra step for your clients and for your partners into what else is available in Italy," he said. 

"Wherever you touch a village or district that doesn't get international tourism, you have a better ratio price-quality, and so you're making everybody happy."

Garnero revealed plans for Buy Liguria, a multi-day FAM trip scheduled for next year.

"We're going to organize two or three days where (agents) can meet our operators, the companies that work in tourism, and also they can visit the places," he said.

Liguria's strongest selling point for Canadian agents? All-season viability. 

When asked about the best time to visit, Garnero's response was simple: "All year long." Protected by mountains and warmed by the Mediterranean, the region stays comfortable even in winter.

For more information, visit here.

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