TUSCANY REGION CONSOLIDATES THE COLLABORATION WITH LUCCA COMICS & GAMES

USPA NEWS - Lucca, 30 October 2022 - Strengthen the collaboration with Lucca Comics & Games to develop a structured tourist offer. Tuscany as a land of the 'fantastic', thanks to the wealth of medieval villages, landscapes and stories that have inspired so many writers and authors. These were the topics touched upon during the press café, organized as part of the most important community event in Europe, to illustrate the agreement signed between Toscana Promozione Turistica and Lucca Crea for the creation of a promotion channel dedicated to Tuscany ' fantastic '. In addition to the councilor for economy and tourism Leonardo Marras, the director of Tuscany Tourism Promotion Francesco Tapinassi, the president of Lucca Crea Francesca Fazzi and the director of Lucca Comics & Games Emanuele Vietina spoke.

"The collaboration between the Region and Lucca Comics & Games - explained Marras - began in the 2021 edition through the Toscana Promotion Agency and the 'Renaissance without end' campaign. This year it has consolidated with a more articulated and varied presence: the goal is to grow further and become a structured tourist offer. The festival is one of the most significant events in Tuscany, a real great attraction that attracts thousands of people from all over the world who are passionate about comics, games, animated films, TV series, fantasy fiction and in general pop culture ". "It is an event of great importance - he added - and which, by virtue of the numbers it is able to do and the period in which it takes place, has repercussions on the entire territory of great impact. It therefore deserves the support of the Region and thanks to the resources of FUNT, the Single National Tourism Fund, we will be able to guarantee a substantial contribution, 200 thousand euros ”.

'Fantastic' Tuscany. "This region - said Marras - is presented as a land of the 'fantastic', between medieval villages, stories, art, landscapes and woods that have inspired the classic narrative but also the fantastic one, in search of new myths and new languages that they span entire generations, even beyond the borders of the boot. A set of elements that constitute a unique link between groups of enthusiasts who decide to come to Italy, Tuscany, Lucca precisely to experience 'different from usual' experiences ".

"A relationship - says Francesca Fazzi, President of Lucca Crea, the company that manages and organizes Lucca Comics & Games - the one with the Tuscany Region and tourism promotion agency born in the most difficult years of our flagship event Lucca Comics & Games, years in where the Tuscany Region has shown us their closeness and trust. A closeness that has been consolidated in an innovative planning that finds us in agreement and involved at 360 degrees. Thinking of our target audience as the ideal promoter of the places of Fantastic Tuscany means declining the languages of fantasy in places of culture and history, managing to attract new audiences to Tuscany and intercept the interests of even the youngest. An important relationship is that with the Tuscany Region which has structured common cultural lines and which has elected Lucca Comics & Games and Lucca Create the beating and propulsive heart of Fantastic Tuscany. "

With these premises, making the most of the synergy between the Tuscany Region and Lucca Comics & Games to try to attract new flows interested in this specific segment, Toscana Promozione Turistica and Lucca Crea today signed an agreement of intent. "With this signature - commented the director of Tuscany Tourism Promotion Francesco Tapinassi - we are starting a working group dedicated to 'fantastic Tuscany' to tell the aspects of Tuscany linked to fantasy. The goal is to identify effective promotional actions, thanks to the experience of Lucca Comics & Games, to propose and accompany the visitor in new experiences in our region ".

Emanuele Vietina, director of Lucca Comics & Games concludes: "The attractiveness of our Region is known and we are proud to know that the cultural offer of the festival and the skills developed through this are assets capable of enriching the tourist offer of Tuscany on international scale. This is why I think it is essential that LC&G officially enters the agenda of the Region which will be able to support us in the internationalization process. We want to continue to enhance by experimenting and supporting the "classic" world with new ludic, videogame, narrative mythologies, also linked to the languages of comics and the most popular TV series that in recent years have been able to catalyze not only the attention of the youngest, but who have also awakened the interests of many 'unwitting fans', stimulating them to consider new tourist and in-depth itineraries ”.