Italy: Lazio region around Rome lures tourists with free extra nights

Rome: The Lazio region around Rome has launched a tourism campaign to entice holidaymakers into staying longer by subsidising their accommodation in the Italian capital and the surrounding area.

The Più notti, più sogni initiative – which translates as ‘More nights, more dreams’ – was announced by Lazio governor Nicola Zingaretti yesterday evening as part of measures to kickstart the region’s tourism sector left reeling by covid-19.

The €10 million holiday package, which take effect from 1 July, includes an extra free night for those who book a holiday of at least three consecutive nights in the Lazio region, and two extra free nights for those who book five.

Describing it as an “unmissable opportunity,” Zingaretti said the incentive is aimed at “tourists, of all ages,” allowing them to extend their holiday and “enjoy the wonders” of the region, while also boosting the hard-hit local tourism industry.

“The tourist season resumes, it seemed like a dream but it is not,” said Zingaretti, adding that the Lazio region is “now a safe place” thanks to a successful vaccination campaign.

The region will boost its tourism drive with an advertising campaign in July but in the meantime it is launching seven videos on its social media channels from today, aimed at younger tourists.

Under the title #FaiUnSaltoNelLazio (Take a Leap into Lazio), the campaign will comprise videos published on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram promoting some of the “most evocative” destinations in the region.

Ninfa Gardens: The venues chosen for the campaign include Rome’s Parco degli Acquedotti, the “dying city” of Civita di Bagnoregio, the Sacred Woods of Bomarzo with its park of monsters, and Castello of S. Severa, a beach-side castle described as “the most beautiful youth hostel in the world.”

Civita di Bagnoregio: Lazio town that refuses to die: So how does it work? The “3+1” and “5+2” model offers hotels an accreditation system, funded by the region, allowing tourists in the Lazio region to extend their vacation for free.

Bomarzo: Park of Monsters near Rome: Present at the launch of the initiative in Rome was the regional tourism councillor Valentina Corrado who said: “Lazio is a little Italy.”

“Here you can find woods, mountains, sea, hills, plains, cities of art, and sporting opportunities” – said Corrado – “We have 11 Blue Flag beaches this year, an increase compared to last year.”

The move by Lazio comes as Italy opens up to international tourists, with covid-tested flights for tourists from Canada, Japan and the US, and the lifting of quarantine restrictions for travellers coming from European and Schengen zone countries, Israel and the UK.

Earlier this month Italian prime minister Mario Draghi announced that Italy would reopen to vaccinated, recovered or covid-negative tourists this summer.

“The time has come to book your holidays in Italy” – Draghi said – “Our mountains, our beaches, our cities are reopening.”