ITB Berlin News 2020 #1

I REGION I EUROPE I
Strasbourg - La Petite France
European
Parliament
as a destination
When it comes to “experiencing” a
destination, what better way than to sit in
on a real session of parliament?
© Patrick Giraud
CORSICA TURNS
GREENER FOR ITS
PROMOTIONAL
CAMPAIGN IN
2020
Corsica plans to entice travellers
in the field of ecotourism activities,
promoting the island’s low season.
Germany, Switzerland, Belgium but also the UK
and Scandinavia: Corsica's Tourism Authority
continues its marketing and communication
initiatives towards these international markets
described as “core outbound markets”.
The tourism agency aims in 2020 for its
communication to evolve into a more
environmentally-related concept: "The green
island of the Mediterranean", linking together
sea and mountain offers, all-year round.
Ecotourism should help soften the high
seasonality of tourism on the island and also
give a different positioning compared to other
islands of the Mediterranean.
Corsica's Tourism Agency will particularly
target niche tourism segments as Corsica
recognises that it will face difficulties to sustain
competition if uniquely based on prices.
Professionals on the island are consequently
looking at strengthening business tourism,
outdoor activities, wellness and resourcing,
culture and heritage.
The European Parliament, the heart
of democracy in the European Union
– in Strasbourg, is a destination unto
itself. Seeing it with one’s own eyes
is a great way to find out about its
work as the voice of European Union
citizens.
Around 450 000 people from the EU and beyond
visit the hemicycle of the European Parliament
in Brussels and Strasbourg every year. Many of
these visitors come as part of one of more than
9,000 groups with individual visitors increasing
in past years.
Visitors coming to Brussels can also visit the
Parlamentarium and the House of European
History, which are outside the European
Parliament premises and open during the
weekend (around 470 000 visitors in 2018).
In Strasbourg, an exhibition space known
as Parlamentarium Simone Veil with a 360°
cinema and interactive tools are part of the visit.
The Strasbourg premises of Parliament also
host the Euroscola student programme, which
offers thousands of students between 16 to 18
years old the experience of being a member of
parliament for a day.
In Strasbourg, visitors can also see the hemicycle
with a speaker and, depending on the calendar,
even observe the plenary session taking place
once a month. All activities can be adapted
according to the age and interest of the visitors.
Moreover, specialised offers have been designed
for groups, families and school groups.
All activities are free of charge and most are
available in all official European Union languages.
You will find more information of the offer in the
section “products” and on the visiting website of
the European Parliament.
Parliament organises annual open days in early
May in Strasbourg and Brussels. In 2020, open
days will take place on 9 May in Brussels and 17
May in Strasbourg
The target is to continue to develop selective
tourism rather than mass tourism to foster
high quality, high spending outbound markets.
A particular campaign to be launched for
neighbouring markets will revolve around short
stays outside the high season. The campaign
will be focused on 10 reasons to come to
Corsica for short stays in spring and autumns
supported by promotional actions for last
minute or early booking during the low season.
© CorsApha
ITB BERLIN NEWS 01 • WEDNESDAY 4 TH MARCH 2020 35