INTERNATIONAL WORLD HERITAGE SITES EXCHANGE
THIRD EDITION
CATAJO CASTLE, 28/30 MAY 2025
FINAL REPORT
The third edition of the International Tourism Exchange World Heritage Sites in Veneto took place from 28 to 30 May 2025. The fulcrum of the event was the imposing Catajo Castle in Battaglia Terme, in the province of Padua, which hosted the b2b workshop scheduled in the program on 29 May.
After the first two editions that took place in the equally suggestive location of CastelBrando, in the province of Treviso, the exchange moved to the Euganean Hills with the aim of celebrating the recent registration of the area as a UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve and, above all, of contributing to the realization of the large project of promotion and tourism development of the Hills desired by the Veneto Region.
41 international buyers from Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain and the United States of America and 5 Italian journalists of tourism, outdoor, culture and food and wine were hosted from 28 to 31 May in Abano Terme, at the exclusive Grand Hotel Abano (5-star luxury) and Grand Hotel & Trieste (5 stars), where they were able to get to know and appreciate the refined hospitality and the richness of the thermal waters of Abano.
The presentation meeting of the Stock Exchange, the territory and the UNESCO heritage of the Veneto by the institutional representatives took place inside the Imperial Hall of the Grand Hotel Abano on the evening of arrival, followed by an appreciated dinner with a typical menu, immersed in the atmosphere of the Euganean Hills.
On May 29, the usual b2b workshop reserved for tourism sector operators was held at the Catajo Castle, attended by 50 sellers from all over the Veneto region, including accommodation facilities, DMOs, associations, incoming agencies, and institutions. Buyers were thus able to directly and concretely learn about the tourism proposals of Veneto operators, with a specific focus on UNESCO World Heritage sites and assets.
On the same day, journalists had the opportunity to attend an educational tour reserved for Vicenza, with the splendid Palladian Villas, the Olympic Theatre, the Palladian Basilica, the many cultural traditions and the tasty food and wine specialties of the Vicenza area.
At the end, a guided tour and an outdoor dinner on the charming terrace allowed the BISPM guests to appreciate the Catajo Castle in all its splendor.
The following day – May 30 – another unmissable opportunity to learn about the richness of the Veneto, with one of the most evocative and important provinces of the region such as Verona.
All the BISPM guests were, in fact, taken on a tour to discover first Peschiera del Garda, part of the transnational serial site “Venetian defense works between the 16th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra-Stato da Mar Occidentale” since 2017, then the beautiful historic center of Verona, complete with a guided tour inside the Arena. The city, in fact, boasts three UNESCO heritage sites: in addition to its splendid historic center, there are, in fact, the Tocatì traditional games festival, and the Opera, UNESCO intangible cultural heritage sites since 2022 and 2023 respectively.
The day ended with a typical dinner in Arquà Petrarca, immersed in the greenery of the Euganean Hills and in the quality of local products
Particular satisfaction was expressed by all the guests present, who appreciated the variety and richness of the educational, which allowed them to get to know places and tourist proposals that were different from the usual, much appreciated by a public of travellers attentive to sustainability, active holidays and the culture of a territory.
Also in this third edition, the International World Heritage Sites Exchange has confirmed itself as an important opportunity to promote the Veneto tourist offer as a whole and to enhance the many riches of the region, with a particular focus on its 18 UNESCO recognitions, namely the 9 tangible heritage sites (Venice, Verona, Vicenza, Padua, the Dolomites, Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, the pile-dwelling sites and the Venetian defense works), the 5 intangible heritages (Glass Bead Art, Tocatì, Transhumance, Dry Stone Walls, Opera), and the 4 MAB reserves (Po Grande, Po Delta, Monte Grappa, Euganean Hills).
The BISPM is created by M&C Marketing Consulting and the Veneto Region, with the collaboration of ENIT National Tourism Agency, the patronage of the Association of Italian World Heritage Sites, FICLU Italian Federation of Associations and Clubs for UNESCO and FEACU, European Federation of Associations and Clubs for UNESCO.
