A bridge between the Marche and China
Following China's reopening to international travel, tourism to Italy is experiencing a new phase of growth and transformation: younger travellers, increasingly oriented towards individual travel, in search of authentic experiences, less crowded places and strong regional identities. It is in this context that the Tourism marketing development plan for the Chinese market, a project promoted by Gusta l’Arancione and Gusta il Blu, with the support of the Marche Region, designed to showcase the Marche municipalities awarded the Orange and Blue Flags.
The project involves a high-profile partnership that includes, among others, theNational Association of Orange Flag Towns, theUniversity of Macerata, ENIT, the Touring Club Italiano and the China Center, with the shared aim of building a structured, credible and lasting presence for the Marche region on the Chinese tourism market.
An offering designed for the contemporary Chinese traveller
The heart of the project is the building an integrated tourism product, designed specifically for the Chinese audience, capable of bringing together villages, coast, landscapes, history, culture and typical products in a single experiential offering. A coherent narrative that showcases the authenticity of the Marche region, placing at its centre what the Chinese market perceives as unique and distinctive:
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food, wine and craft excellences,
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widespread historical and cultural heritage,
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quality of the landscape and of local life,
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genuine experiences, far from the mass tourism circuits.
Training, expertise and international vision
A key element of the project is the training programme on the Chinese tourism market, aimed at the participating municipalities and local stakeholders. Through the contribution of international experts and academics, the training programme provides concrete and up-to-date tools on:
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post-pandemic trends and behaviours of Chinese consumers,
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Chinese digital ecosystem and social media (WeChat, Weibo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu),
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the dynamics of the travel industry and tourism intermediation,
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cultural adaptation of the offering and effective communication strategies.
Alongside the training, there will be on-site assessments in the Bandiera Arancione villages, to identify strengths, development potential and the improvements needed to make the offering genuinely attractive to Chinese visitors.
Telling the story of the Marche through an intercultural lens
The project also includes the creation of professional video content designed specifically for the Chinese market. The footage, shot during visits to the area by an Italian director living in China, makes it possible to portray the villages of the Marche with a visual and narrative language that is culturally relevant and able to speak directly to potential travellers.
The videos produced – in both long and short formats – will be ready for distribution across the most widely used digital channels in China and to support promotional and commercial activities.
From strategy to activating tourist flows
In the next phase, the project envisages strengthening its promotional efforts through:
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a brand strategy and positioning dedicated to the Chinese market,
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the involvement of KOLs and influencers,
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partnership with OTAs and tour operators,
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the organisation of a fam trips with selected Chinese agencies, to test the offering and generate the first tourist flows towards the areas involved.
A project open to the local area
The Development Plan is open to all Orange Flag and Blue Flag Municipalities of the Marche, as well as trade associations and business consortia, with the aim of activating a broad, aware territorial network ready to engage with one of the most strategic tourism markets in the world.
A project that does not stop at promotion, but builds knowledge, skills and relationships, laying the foundations for a structured and sustainable presence for the Marche region on the international tourism scene.