On the initiative of the Foreign Centre for the Internationalisation of Piedmont and in association with the Tokyo branch of the Italian State Tourism Board, the destination “Lake Maggiore, its valleys and its flowers” will once again be taking part in the JATA (Japan Association of Travel Agents) World Travel Fair in Tokyo, the prime tourism fair in Japan, open to both travel industry operators and the general public. The fair will be held from 24 to 26 September, and will host 700 exhibitors from 150 countries and regions, as well as around 110,000 visitors, including 40,000 tour operators. The opening day of the fair will also coincide with the JATA congress – the general assembly of Japanese tourist agents – with around 1,000 participants from 90 countries and regions.

The Lake Maggiore tour destination will be present at ENIT’s Piedmont Region stand, with material promoting our area, as well as the English language version of the Lake Maggiore destination sales manual, which includes an insert translated into Japanese. A new departure for the 2010 fair, which will also see the participation of Lake Maggiore, is the “Marketplace”, programmed for 24 September: a B2B networking area for buyers (around 100 Japanese operators) and sellers (foreign operators).

As a follow up, on Tuesday 28 September ENIT Roma has organised a workshop – “Italia” – at the New Otani Hotel, to promote and market the Italian tourism. The workshop will bring into contact representatives of the Italian tourist industry and around 350 of the major Japanese operators in the sector. Apart from Lake Maggiore, Piedmont will be represented by the tourist offices of Biella, the Langhe and Roero, and Turin and its province. At the conclusion of the workshop in the “Palazzo” room of the New Otani Hotel there will be a reception for the Italian exhibitors and the Japanese buyers.

For further information visit the web site of the JATA World Travel Fair, www.jata-wtf.com, or contact the Business Promotion Department of the Chamber of Commerce at +39 0323 912833, or by email at promozione@vb.camcom.it.