Pam’s Prime Contacts
Pam has a list of contacts which is far longer than both arms of your average orang-utan. Boy, does she know some very interesting people too, especially in sectors relating to the tourism, catering, and the restaurant business. She is also a dab hand at events management, and can help set up things like weddings, fashion and trade shows. Just the person to involve in the creation of promotional and marketing plans. Drawing upon her knowledge and experience would certainly give those setting up a tourism business in Italy a head start.
Already Have a Business in Italy?
Actually, those who already own their own businesses in Italy could also benefit from David and Pam’s advice. David and Pam can do a form of ‘business audit’ and help the owners of existing businesses identify and exploit new opportunities, as well as keeping the day to day business profitable.
Me!
Yes, I know a thing or two about blogging. And the things I know can help make a business visible on the world wide web, and keep it prominent. When people are thinking about holidays, nowadays they spend a lot of time looking for information on the world wide web. This is understandable, for the Internet has plenty of useful information which can be used to ensure that a holiday is a memorable experience.
The main reason why blogs are so important for businesses is that they are, or should be, regularly updated, and this means they attract the attention of search engines, like Google. A recently updated blog has a much greater chance of appearing within the first 1 to 5 pages of Google search results, and this makes your business stand out. Blogs are also great for engaging customers, and can provide useful feedback too. Put it this way, if one business has a blog and the other does not, the blogging business is much more likely to find customers than the other site – especially if the business is new.
Ignore blogging at your peril.
Businesses in Italy Need Blogs!
Believe me, those doing business in Italy need something like a blog. Why? Well, blogs are updated frequently, which often helps keeps them at the top of those million or so results people are confronted with when trying to track down information on that perfect holiday location. While having a nice website is great, if it is not updated often, which can be difficult to do, after all, that 5 bedroom country house hotel will, most probably, still have five bedrooms five years down the line. And even if you do tinker with the wording from time to time, and you are capable of doing this, it probably will not be enough to catch the attention of great big Google.
On the other hand, write posts on a blog, which is connected to your hotel website, and Google will find your activity, in all senses, much more attractive, and this greatly increases the chance of it sending you paying customers.
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Then there is the fact that the Italian tourism industry is not that good at promoting itself, with a few exceptions, and coordination at a national level is just about non-existent.
I can help with many aspects relating to setting up, running a blog, and providing content suggestions, as well as helping ensure that it is found. For those who want a little more search engine friendliness, I know someone who can do this too. As for finding the right look for your proposed new bed and breakfast site and, of course, its blog, well, I know people who can do this too.
Talk is Free
Basically, running a business is the same as adding two to two to make five. If you would like to know how to achieve this and keep risks as low to a minimum, why not start by contacting David Bates? You can email him on business (at) villasibillini (dot) com or have a look at this page on the Villa Sibillini web site: Starting up a Business in Tourism
Oh, and if you do avail yourself of our combined knowledge, we won’t love you and leave you. Oh no. All three of us have plenty of ideas on how to expand this setting up a business in Italy service to ensure that it provides long term benefits for all those who jump on the band wagon.
Information on Setting up a Business in Italy
For information on setting up a business in Italy, you might like to try the website Business e via Italy, which has been set up in conjunction with the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the UK: Business e via Italy
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About Alex Roe
Italy Chronicles Feed
Well Done! Let us know how you like the property! We’ll be traveling through that area with our own earthquake(s), although hoping to leave the mutt behind this time.
Thanks Regina!
Early days yet. Still lots of things to sort out, but between us we’ve got some very interesting ideas.
I’m pretty sure I will love Villa Sibillini – I’m no city person really.
And you never know, if you are travelling that way with your little ‘quakes, we may meet up! When are you heading down there? Ideally, I’d like to leave mutt behind – does not want to be house trained, and I would hate it if he peed in someone’s nice hotel or b and b.
Enough of the darn dog!
Must go, want to find some time to have a play with something called Drupal.
Best,
Alex
Enough of the darn dog!
ditto….ughhh !
Ok no more mutt talk!
By the way, I like your alternative to a taxi to and from the airport in Rome. Damned good idea. I’ve heard that Rome’s taxi drivers tend to rip unsuspecting tourists off on the airport run. There was even something about this on Stricia la Notizia a while ago.
Could do with something similar up here in Milan.
Right, must work. Lots to do, no time to do it in. Usual story.
Best,
Alex
Oh, and I forgot. Milan is like an oven at the moment! Which makes work slow.
I feel like a joint of beef – being slowly roasted! Feels like August, not late May!
Have already fired up the air cond, which is unusual in May.
A.
Speaking of air con, I couldn’t resist!
http://www.wheninrometours.com/Articles/Italian-Culture/Italians-and-the-Dreaded-Colpo-DAria.html
OK, adesso basta (as my three year old would say)
Buon Lavoro!
Liked that! And yes, I’ve come across this abject ‘fear of the movement of air’ in Italy. Drafts can be absolutely lethal, apparently.
Sweating can be fatal too, I am assured. By all accounts I should have been dead years ago, for I do tend to sweat rather a lot.
As for cold drinks, I’ve been told that these can cause a seizure if drunk too fast.
And colds and flu are generally caused by viruses, so antibiotics, which kill bacteria, are useless as a cure. Not many Italians seem to know this.
Now you know another reason why I refer to Italy as the Living Museum!
Here is an old chestnut of mine: http://italychronicles.com/italian-temperatures/
Alex
very nice & interesting. good luck
Does anyone know of any other foreigners who have started a business in Italy? I am looking for advise, and have already email David and Pam but would love the opportunity to talk with as many people as possible… Thanks.
We are opening a consignment shop for children’s clothing in Italy. I have a Partita Iva but it is under the subheading “Culture”. Would it be valid for a used clothing store? What kind of certification do I need to open the store?
Hi Valerie,
I suspect that the ‘Culture’ tag won’t be enough. You’d need to open another pIVA under another category, I imagine, but am not 100% certain.
This is not something I’m well up on – you really need to speak to a commercialista, but you could try by starting with the local chamber of commerce – camera di commercio for your area of Italy. There are also, as I imagine you know, US and UK chambers of commerce in Italy’s larger cities.
How’s your Italian? If it’s OK, then a commercialista in your location should be able to advise you. There are commercialista who speak English in Italy – and you will find some here: http://insidersabroad.dirxion.com/English_Yellow_Pages.asp?SkinId=7.3.5.2&Language=enu
Just search for ‘accountant’ in the city of your choice.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Alex
Hi Alex, loved the blog, just what I’m in need of really. I live near Perugia and am wanting to renovate my father-in-law’s property to create a B & B service or A Country House. We don’t have TOO MUCH to invest though. Are Country Houses (Agriturismi) still popular with foreign tourists or are they beginning to want something less costly? Thanks Clare
Hi Clare,
Agriturismo are still popular with Italians, but I’m not so sure whether foreign tourists go for them – I suspect because of language problems. I’d say to go for the B&B option – this is a section of the market which is growing as people seem to be taking shorter holidays. You could always go down the Agriturismo route at a later date. Plus for setting up a B&B you may need fewer permissions than if you go down the Agriturismo path which will mean setting up a type of restaurant.
If you can, I’d set aside some space for a local good shop, and somewhere to do wine tastings and the like – these can be a reasonable source of extra income. Apartment lets might be an alternative to a B&B, perhaps you could do both, but I’ve no idea how big the building is.
Don’t forget to budget for a website and a blog – good for marketing.
Best,
Alex
That was very quick of you – thanks! Yes, I agree the Agriturismo thing is wearing a bit thin with foreigners. The buildings are huge, I’ve got a lot of space but must keep to a low/practical budget. And a pool is a must, obviously.
Will be in touch if there are any further developments…
I’ve just started a blog (I’m VERY new to all this) at http://makingithappen365.blogspot.com/ so pop in if you have a spare moment from YOUR blog!
Clare
Thanks for the mention on your new blog!
If you’ve got lots of space, you’ve got lots of potential too. Depends on your budget, but putting in a largish kitchen for cookery courses might be a good idea, as may be some form of function room. I don’t know how far you are from Perugia, but you may well be aware of the international journalism festival there, and Umbria jazz, of course. This means that there is potential, but I’ve no idea how many B&B etcs are in your area.
It may be a good idea to plan things in stages – but have a direction to head for.
If you need someone with business experience in Italy who could act as a consultant, give me a shout, as I know someone who’s already in the trade in Italy and is not too far from you. Good with business plans too.
Cheers,
Alex