Tour Italy at Hand
In May 2024, Venice and the Lido hosted “Tour Italy at Hand”, an initiative organised by Convention Bureau Italia together with the Consorzio Venezia e il suo Lido to showcase the destination’s potential for congresses, corporate events and incentives to meetings industry professionals.
The tour began on 5 May on the Lido and unfolded through a programme of site inspections and experiences designed to let industry professionals assess first-hand the venues, services and opportunities available for organising events.
The first part of the programme focused on Venice Lido, introducing participants to some of the destination’s strategic assets. These included the Aeroporto Nicelli, an airfield that offers a distinctive gateway to the island; the Venezia Spiagge spaces, which can also be used for outdoor activities and informal events; and the Venice Convention Centre, the Lido’s main congress hub.
The Convention Centre brings together complementary facilities able to meet very different requirements: the Palazzo del Casinò, with the 594-seat Sala Perla, four further large halls and more than 3,000 m² of exhibition space; the Palazzo del Cinema, whose Sala Grande can accommodate more than 1,000 people; and the Sala Darsena, intended for the largest events. With plenary halls, exhibition space and rooms for meetings and networking all available, the various functions of a congress or corporate event can be concentrated within a single hub.
The programme continued with a boat tour of the Venetian Lagoon, accompanied by a tasting of local wines and produce, introducing the incentive and experiential element that can be built into the programme of a professional event.
Over the following days, participants broadened their knowledge of the destination through further site visits: the Lunardelli Showroom, an expression of Veneto expertise in woodworking and highly bespoke projects; the Teatro La Fenice, with access to the Sale Apollinee and the Royal Box; and the Circolo Golf Venezia, where guests were able to try first-hand one of the incentive activities available on the Lido, with a tailored lesson.
“Tour Italy at Hand” thus presented the destination through a format typical of MICE fam trips: site inspections, professional exchange, networking and experiences that buyers could test for themselves. Convention Bureau Italia’s Italy at Hand format is aimed at decision-makers and professionals from the worlds of corporate events, DMCs, incentive houses and PCOs, with the goal of connecting supply and demand and fostering new business opportunities.
Above all, the initiative highlighted the potential to build comprehensive MICE programmes on the Lido and in Venice, combining congress venues of different capacities, event spaces, incentive activities and cultural venues within a single destination.
