March 5-7, 2017
On March 5-7, the Milan Foreign Commercial Service organized in Naples the event “Showcase USA.” This was the 20th edition of the Showcase USA Italy initiative, which takes place in a different Italian city every year. In addition to the networking opportunities during two days of dinners, lunches and coffee breaks, 2,809 one-on-one B2B appointments took place between 58 U.S. participants, 42 Italian tour operators, 108 Italian travel agents, and 19 Italian trade journalists.
This was the largest number of participants and pre-arranged meetings ever in a Showcase USA event. Sponsoring destinations included: Visit California; Massachusetts Office of Tourism; and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Chargé d’Affaires Kelly Degnan and Consul General Mary Ellen Countryman welcomed U.S. participants in Sunday’s market briefing, and joined the group for a hosted dinner (photo above). CG Countryman also presented Showcase’s Press Awards for exemplary contribution in promoting Italian tourism to the U.S., during the final evening reception held at the Villa Pignatelli.
Awards were presented to Lucio Rossi of the digital magazine “Latitudes”, Freelance Journalist Marco Berchi of “La Repubblica and La Stampa,” and to Radio Capital Presenter, Doris Zaccone for her program “Capital in the World.”