Sharing and promoting surprising destinations in Veneto, Tuscany, Lazio and Luxembourg
hu openair, which encompasses an ecosystem of eleven open-air properties in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, presents the "Territories to discover" project, developed in collaboration with Lonely Planet and the EDT publishing house. As part of this partnership, the team set out to create and release eight new limited edition Lonely Planet mini-guides. Each publication is dedicated to the territories that are home to the Group's sites: little-known destinations with plenty to discover. To learn about the territories and the best experiences and excursions in the surrounding area, the Lonely Planet authors stayed at the Group's sites. They chose to shine a spotlight on Figline Valdarno, San Vincenzo and Montescudaio in Tuscany, Valeggio sul Mincio in Veneto and Larochet in Luxembourg: overlooked destinations with a wealth of artistic, natural, cultural and gastronomic wonders. A perfect example are the Balze, one of Tuscany's natural wonders, which appear in the guide dedicated to Valdarno; in San Vincenzo, the guide recommends trekking in the Baratti and Populonia Archaeological Park, discovering nature and culture along a fascinating stretch of the Etruscan Coast. In the area of Valeggio sul Mincio, visitors can admire the picturesque village of Borghetto sul Mincio or explore Parco Giardino Sigurtà, one of the five most beautiful gardens in the world, which can be admired on foot or by bike, by train or golf cart. Naturally, we could not overlook the classic artistic cities, namely Venice, Florence and Rome, but chose to stray away from the classic tourist routes. For example, in the capital, Ostia Antica is well worth a stop. Part of the larger archaeological park, which also includes necropolises, ancient ports and museums, it offers an unexpected glimpse into the main port of Ancient Rome.
To make this ambitious project a reality, hu openair needed a strong partner. Lonely Planet was the ideal candidate: a publishing house with over 50 years of experience, recognised worldwide as a point of reference in the travel guide sector thanks to its ability to inspire and guide millions of travellers with accurate, in-depth and high-quality content, seamlessly combining reassurance with a passion for exploration. Lonely Planet and EDT have taken on the role of editorial team, strategically guiding the brand in the creation, production and publication of original and relevant content, designed to generate value not only for guests but also for local communities. Alongside the mini-guides, to offer a truly broad and comprehensive vision of the tourist options in the territory, 64 editorial pieces, translated into six languages for the websites of the eight destinations, have been produced for the hu openair Group, offering specific information on the unique features of the territories and all the unmissable experiences, helping guests to better organise their stay and discover the destinations. These publications are also aligned with the "made for hu" concept: offering tailor-made stays, providing further travel ideas, suggesting experiences, and providing useful advice to personalise each holiday.
The primary objective of the collaboration is to highlight the story of the territories surrounding the sites, showcasing the different places and traditions and further strengthening relationships with local organisations. For hu openair, the land and nature are more than just the backdrop to the sites: they are key elements for building authentic relationships, capable of enriching and adding value to the entire stay and travel experience. As the hu openair sites are increasingly open and interconnected with the surrounding territories, they represent the ideal starting point for discovering the excellence of these areas and experiencing a truly authentic open-air holiday. These concepts stand alongside the other pillars that characterise the Group, such as the importance of welcoming and taking care of guests, and a constant commitment to making them feel at home. The mini-guides will be distributed free of charge in digital format to guests who book a stay at one of the hu openair sites. Furthermore, to further strengthen the connections built with local communities and to increase its involvement, hu openair has decided to give guests and local citizens the opportunity to enjoy the guides in paper format by paying a small donation, which will be entirely used to support projects carried out by local associations, such as Pro Locos.
"We wanted our partnership with Lonely Planet to strengthen our constant commitment to linking our sites to their surrounding areas. These destinations are often little known, but are very rich in places to discover, which deserve to be discovered by an increasingly wide audience," noted Valentina Fioravanti, Human Company's Chief Marketing Officer. "Over 50% of our guests already choose our sites based on the surrounding area; with this project, we are happy to shine a light on the destinations – large and small – in the territories in which we operate. At the same time, we are continuing to support our guests to optimise their holiday experience, helping them to enjoy authentic and direct interactions with the local communities."
"At Lonely Planet, we are happy to offer the hu openair audience a tool that helps them discover the incredible variety that each Italian territory offers. We have therefore developed a series of special guides with the aim of encouraging guests to create personalised itineraries in both well-known and lesser-known places," added Angelo Pittro, Director of Lonely Planet in Italy.