The Piedmont stages of the Vuelta have shed light not only on Grand Tour cycling but also on the opportunity to explore its tourism and cycling tourism potential. Among the main sponsors of the Spanish race, Travelplan, the tour operator of the Iberian group Avoris, which in recent months has been consolidating its presence on the Italian market.
«We recently left for Italy – says Giovanni Castelli, sales manager of Travelplan Italia (first from the left in the opening photo) – but We wanted to present ourselves with an initiative capable of bringing together travel agencies and customers in an engaging and authentic context.».
The opportunity was given by the three Italian stages of the Vuelta, followed closely thanks to spaces reserved for the brand's guests.
Love at first sight
These weren't just promotional moments. Travelplan has created convivial areas at departures and arrivals, with aperitifs, meetings with the organizers and – above all – direct contact with the riders and their teams. The same Castelli he tells it like this.
«I wasn't a big cycling fan before, but now I think I am.At the start the riders are focused – he says – but at the finish it's a different story. In addition to having been able to enjoy the sprints centimeters away, the force, the impact of the air displacement really shocked me. And then also the contact with the teams, the equipment, the organization, makes you immerse yourself in a world that I didn't know and that I was happy to know».
Limited numbers
Those who were able to benefit from these privileged positions were some of the 1.700 travel agencies that Travelplan partners with in Northeast Italy alone. The Vuelta's selection process, however, was rigorous. Like every major sponsor, Travelplan was also granted 14 morning tickets and 6 at the finish line.
A limited number designed specifically to ensure exclusivity and quality to the experience. Not just agents: several agencies have extended the invitation to their most loyal clients. "For example," he recalls, Castelli It was surprising to see participants coming even from TuscanyA sign that a passion for cycling can move people."
Tourism, sport and culture
The choice of the Vuelta as the stage is not accidental. Travelplan, despite having its roots in Spain, aims to promote in Italy an approach to tourism that combines relaxation and sportCycle tourism, in particular, is a rapidly growing segment after the pandemic, with hotels and packages increasingly geared towards the needs of two-wheeled travelers.
«It is not our main focus yet – he explains further Castelli - but it fully fits into our philosophy: integrating the tourist experience with the sporting and cultural dimension».
Behind the event, in fact, there is a broader vision. Positioning Travelplan as a B2B reference point for Italian travel agencies, offering packages to the Caribbean and South America (Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica). At the same time, it is opening up new niches for active and authentic experiences.
Field experience
The Italian stages of the Vuelta have thus represented a first concrete step of this strategy: combining the warmth of human relationships with the allure of sport, to get to know each other better and create lasting bonds.
«I think there is no better way to introduce yourself – he concludes Castelli – than sharing real experiences together, in the field. In the end, that's what really matters."
Se the Vuelta was the baptismTravelplan seems to have every intention of continuing to operate on the Italian market.
