Press conference Monday, November 20, 2017
Franco Anelli Speleological Museum
Castellana Grotte, November 20, 2017 –Record-breaking visitors, participation in trade shows and workshops, events, a wedding segment, and a review of the last year's management were the topics discussed by the management of Grotte di Castellana srl during the press conference held on Monday, November 20th at the Franco Anelli Speleological Museum. The conference was attended by the press and numerous employees, and was also streamed live on the company's official Facebook page.
"We have worked tirelessly to promote the karst site by participating in national and international trade fairs and workshops," emphasized Marica Pace, president of Grotte srl, "as well as focusing on the growth of all the activities that complement the Castellana Caves' tourist offerings, such as Hell in the Cave, Speleonight, and the summer meetings 'A Night with Sirius' led by Professor Nicola Rizzi. All activities have received excellent feedback in terms of appreciation and attendance, achieving record numbers. Not to mention the dedication we put into organizing the summer event, the Gigi D'Alessio concert, which was a great success despite the tightening of safety regulations for large events. The wedding segment, which was recently launched, has already received significant feedback and attention from respected industry professionals and the national press, was also a great success. Alongside these satisfying results," Pace concluded, "we have also taken care of the Grotte park by initiating maintenance and cleaning operations both inside the karst site and outside." with the replacement of all non-slip mats along the entire underground path, as well as the external area with the arrangement of the parking lot and the entire green area including the new flowerbed in front of the Anelli square, in addition to the necessary renovation of some external structures".
The results, therefore, have been more than satisfactory during President Pace's management of the karst site. As highlighted during the press conference, the site broke the 2016 attendance record, exceeding 310 visitors by early November, and the number of visitors projected to increase further by the end of 2017 compared to last year.
On the eve of the impending change at the top of the company, Vice President Vincenzo Montaruli highlighted the undisputed results achieved. "We are proud to hand over the Grotte company to the owners as the most visited paid tourist site in the Puglia region and among the top twenty in Italy out of over eight thousand tourist attractions. According to official data, 2016 was a record year for tourism in Puglia, with an 8,7% increase in arrivals compared to 2015. Our caves, however, grew by 12,36% compared to the previous year. The Itria Valley grew by only 7,2%. In Puglia, approximately 3 million visitors were recorded in the same period, and the Castellana Caves sold over 310 tickets (equal to 8% of the entire region's tourists). This is an extraordinary figure considering we're talking about a paid tourist site."
At the end of his speech, Vice President Montaruli emphasized the absence of a representative of the property from the press conference: "I regret to note the inappropriate absence of the mayor, despite being invited at the proper time, and in defiance of the assurances given that he would be present."
Finally, Councilor Anna Maria Dalena spoke, thanking the entire Grotte staff for their hard work in enhancing the Castellana tourist complex and for the trust placed in her work over the years.
The entire board of directors, before greeting and wishing well to the successor at the helm of Grotte srl, renewed their thanks to all the staff and collaborators of Grotte di Castellana.
Press Office Grotte di Castellana Srl
Serena Greco Mobile. +39 348 7649373
Rossana PaolilloMobile. +39 3281787297
Social Media Marketing Consultant
Marica Buquicchio Mobile. +39 334 7649177
www.grottedicastellana.it
