Il Master in Tourism Management (MTM) presenta i risultati di un progetto pilota che rappresenta un proof of concept in vista dello sviluppo di un sistema di monitoraggio innovativo per la destinazione Italia e per Milano (Destination Monitor) in grado di orientare imprese e istituzioni del turismo nello sviluppo e nella comunicazione di offerte mirate a specifici mercati internazionali. Il progetto si articola in due sezioni: a) Interviste dirette ai turisti stranieri presenti a Milano nel periodo di Expo Attraverso interviste dirette a centinaia di visitatori presenti a Milano in occasione di Expo, i risultati del progetto MTM offrono indicazioni utili sulla gestione del post-evento: • Esiste una difendibilità del prodotto Italia, che si caratterizza per una forte unicità percepita ed un elevato interesse dei visitatori a ritornare • Esiste un forte potenziale per lo sviluppo di nuovi prodotti non convenzionali, che toccano destinazioni minori e nuove tematiche, rivolti a specifici segmenti di turisti • Emerge la necessità di una DMO per: o Rafforzare il potere negoziale della destinazione Italia verso i grandi player online o Organizzare l’offerta secondo le nuove tendenze della domanda o Migliorare l’esperienza di visita dei turisti attraverso il miglioramento dei servizi di supporto e una accorta pianificazione strategica b) Esperimento di analisi dei contenuti visuali Attraverso un’analisi qualitativa delle immagini postate su Instagram da turisti stranieri e da quelle comunicate da Explora, il progetto MTM dimostra le potenzialità dell’analisi di visual contents per orientare le strategie di sviluppo e comunicazione dell’offerta turistica di Milano e dell’Italia per l’attrazione di visitatori internazionali.

1. Destination monitor:
Visitors’ opinions and trends during
Guidelines for the post-Expo period
27 October 2015

2. 2
Agenda
• Destination Monitor
• Why return to Milan after the Expo? Motives and profile of
potential visitors
1. Visitors’ survey
2. Exploratory analysis of visual contents on Instagram

3. Destination Monitor (DM)
Supply
Demand
* Hotel performance
DDS
Places’ review
(Tripadvisor)
SOURCES
Accommodation
RESULTS
DIMENSION OF ANALYSIS
Before the
trip
During
the trip
After
the trip
Motivations SatisfactionBehaviour
DDS
Visual content
(Twitter, Instagram)
Population
Segments
…
…
…
Geographical
Markets
….
…
…
Visitators’
survey
*Intelligence on the
attractiveness of places
*Intelligence on preferred
themes and experiences
*Gap between visitors’
expectations and travel
experiences
*Gap between projected and
perceived image of the
destination

4. 4
Destination Monitor (DM)
DM measures the perception of the Italian tourism products by specific segments of visitors in
order to:
1) Carry out analyses on
• The perception of specific market segments on:
• Points of interests in Italy
• themes and tourism experiences in Italy
• The engagement of specific market segments
2) Establish guidelines for the development of tourism products (in
the post-Expo period) targeting specific segments in order to:
• Attract high-potential segments
• Enhance a fair appropriation of value by national firms

5. WHY RETURN TO MILAN AFTER THE EXPO?
MOTIVES AND PROFILE OF POTENTIAL
VISITORS

6. MTM Projects – contributions to DM
6
Performance del
comparto ricettivo
1.Face to face
interviews with
1.145 tourists in
Milan
2. Exploratory
analysis of
visual contents
on Instagram

7. WHY RETURN TO MILAN AFTER THE EXPO?
MOTIVES AND PROFILE OF POTENTIAL VISITORS
1. Visitors’ survey

8. Methodology – Sampling & Data Collection
8
• City center
• Hotel in Milano
• Malpensa Airport
• Underground – Rho-Fiera Milano Station
• Railway Stations (Centrale & Garibaldi)
When
Where
How
• June 2015
• Face to face interviews (average duration 7’)
• Questionnaire: 16 multiple choice and 4 open-
ended questions
Country Tourists %
Italy 163 14%
North America (USA + Canada) 153 13%
Germany 126 11%
China 121 11%
Other top 10 European markets* 102 9%
Northern Europe° 101 9%
France 100 9%
South America^ 96 8%
Far East** 93 8%
Russia 90 8%
Total sample for the analysis 1.145 100%
* Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Poland
** Malaysia, Philippines, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New
Zealand, Australia
° Finland, Ireland, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, UK
^ Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador, Mexico, Barbados, Costa Rica, Perù, Bolivia,
Dominican Rep.
Sample:
• Italy
• Top 10 inbound tourism markets in Italy (Germany, France USA, UK, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Holland, Poland, Belgium)
• Top 3 growing inbound tourism markets (China, Argentina e Russia)
• Emerging markets (Far East, Northern Europe)

9. There is a high potential for new tourism
products
9
• 64% of foreign respondents said that they had
already visited Italy, enjoyed it (4,4 on a 1-5
scale), and improved
• 96% want to come back in the future for
holiday purposes
Average
4,4
Satisfaction with travel experience
Return intention to Italy for Holiday
(Scala 1-5: 1 = very negative; 5 = very positive)

10. Italy is an authentic and memorable country
10
• The experience of traveling in Italy is
perceived as authentic and deeply linked
with local identity
• Respondents’ travel itineraries include Milan
(88%) and other Italian destinations (41%)
• Only 8% of them also included a foreign
country in the travel itinerary; mainly visitors
coming from North American (33%), China
(18%) and the Far East (15%), “DIY”
travelers (78%) staying in hotel
Visited Places in Italy and abroad (open-ended answer)

11. There is a high potential for new less
conventional itineraries
11
Memorable places for those who visited Milan and Italy
• Among “memorable places”, in addition
to classic Italian destinations for
international visitors (Milan, Rome,
Venice and Florence), respondents
mentioned places of interest less visited
by mass tourism.
• Tuscany is the only region frequently
mentioned as a “memorable place”,
while the other are mentioned just as
part of the travel itinerary.

12. Interest for innovative thematic experiences
12
• Food, culture and shopping are the main
activities carried out by visitors during their stay
in Italy (in line with Italy’s points of strength)
• The main activities tourists didn’t do but would
like to do on a new trip in Italy are:
• Sun & sea (34%),
• Music & performing arts (33%)
• Spa & wellness (26%) e
• Nature & green (21%)
With significant differences among the
geographical markets.
Activities visitors would like to do on a new trip in Italy

13. Interest for innovative thematic experiences
13
Tourists who want to experience Music &
performing arts activities during their
future trips in Italy
Tourists who want to experience
Spa & wellness during their
future trips in Italy
Tourists who want to experience
Nature & Green activities during
their future trips in Italy
Target international segments
(in particular North Europe,
South America)
Russia, China, North and South
America are already primary markets
and confirm their desire to repeat this
experience in future trips to Italy
France, Northern Europe
and China are high
potential markets

14. 14
“Do it yourself” through the big online booking
channels prevails over organized trips
• 67% of respondents stated that they organized their
trip by themselves, through the main online booking
channels (Booking.com; Airbnb; Expedia in
particular)
• In most cases they are tourists from Northern
Europe, France and North America, markets that
lead trends
• Even in long haul markets(China, Far East, North e
South America), «DIY» tourists are more than 50%
• Only 3% uses Italian tour operators or travel
agencies

15. 15
The role of alternative (not hotel) lodging
facilities is growing
• More than 1/3 of respondents stayed in
alternative (not hotel) lodging facilities (43%
rented houses)
• Foreign tourists who prefer to stay in
alternative lodging facilities come from
Germany, Northern Europe and North
America, repeater markets with high
preference for “DIY”
* B&B, agritourism, hostels, camping
Alternative lodging options

16. Critical points in the perception of public
support services and prices
16
• The elements on which respondents
express more positive evaluations are the
cultural attractions, food & wine and
shopping
• Much less positive is the judgment of
visitors on public supporting services
(public facilities, tourism info,
transportation) and prices
Perceived image of different elements of the tourist offer
(Scale 1-5: 1 = very negative; 5 = very positive)

17. In brief
17
1. Defensibility of the Italian product, which is characterized by a strong perceived uniqueness
and authenticity and a high return intention of tourists
2. Strong potential for the development of new products based on non-conventional itineraries,
including less known destinations and new themes (Spa & Wellness, nature & green, music &
performing arts), aimed at specific segments of repeaters
3. Need for a DMO to:
A. Strengthen the bargaining power of the Italian destination to the big players online
B. Organize the supply according to the new trends of the customers
C. Enhance the tourists’ visiting experience through the improvement of support services
and a shared and effective strategic planning

18. WHY RETURN TO MILAN AFTER THE EXPO?
MOTIVES AND PROFILE OF POTENTIAL
VISITORS
2. Exploratory analysis of visual contents on Instagram

19. Methodology
Phase 1: Convenience sampling
• 30 of the most recent photos of Milan with
#expo2015 posted by foreign tourists*:
from Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain,
Iran, Kuwait, Malaysia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, UAE (Dubai)
*excluding professional photographers, communication agencies,
tourist agencies and TO
• 30 of the most recent photos posted by Explora
with #wonderfulexpo2015
Phase 2: Analysis
• Content analysis : number, type, features of the
elements present in each photo
• Elements of compositional analysis: colors,
positions, relevance of the elements present in each
photo.
Objectives
1) Verify the potential of the
methodology for the DM
2) Formulate hypotheses for an
extensive study
3) Formulate preliminary guidelines for
effective communication actions
19

20. Storytelling and fine-tuning to enhance the
online engagement with tourists
20
• Use of storytelling to depict places that
encourage tourists to explore and "enter" into the
places visited
• Promotion of new places and attractions that
tourists have already reported spontaneously
• Description of food without stereotypes, giving
space to regional cuisines
• Less artificial and studied photos, in line with the
sensations of the tourists:
• not only places and attractions but even
people
• natural photos, no filters

21. If interested in further information or in applying the Destination
Monitor to destinations, projects, sectors or specific markets,
please contact (+39) 02 89.141.2815 or write an email to
master.turismo@iulm.it
Thank you for your attention!
Francesca d’Angella