Ulysses brings nearly two million people to the Castellana Caves
With an 8,98% share, Alberto Angela's program takes Rai3 viewers on a journey of discovery through the splendor of Puglia, dedicating a thrilling video to the Castellana karst site. Domi Ciliberti, president of Grotte di Castellana Srl, comments on this unprecedented promotion.
Castellana Grotte, October 12, 2015 – Alberto Angela's journey to discover the "splendors of Puglia" was truly moving, the first of two single-theme episodes entirely dedicated to the heel of Italy. The program "Ulisse. The Pleasure of Discovery," which aired last Saturday evening on Rai 3, mesmerized nearly two million viewers, transporting them to the natural and cultural beauties of what the host himself described as a "region blessed by history and the sun," including the marvelous Castellana Caves.
How thrilled were you, both as a citizen and as an administrator, to see Castellana's priceless heritage on prime time TV for the first time on a Rai channel?
As a native of this land, I have been, and always will be, a loyal supporter of any initiative or individual that brings prestige to our city. As an administrator, I am honored to be the one who has spearheaded a series of actions and initiatives that have, over time, led to such a prestigious achievement. This achievement deserves to be shared with a team of people who have dedicated themselves to the work they do behind the scenes. I am thinking of the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, the press and social media communications office, all the staff, and the various associations that collaborate on every type of event. My special thanks go to all of them.
According to the official ratings report, Saturday's episode attracted 1.887.000 viewers, with an 8,98% share. These are impressive numbers for a program that popularizes science, history, and culture, which, among other things, competed with reality shows and musical performances. For the Castellana Caves, which were featured in a moving video story lasting over fourteen minutes, all this translates into significant visibility.
What are the implications in terms of promotion?
We hope for a significant impact. What aired on Saturday is not a simple commercial that anyone can buy for instant visibility. This type of commercial approach no longer pays off today; it has no appeal to consumers, or tourists as in this case, because it lacks credibility. What aired on Saturday, however, is recognition earned on a respected program like Ulisse, narrated by the best professional in the sector in Italy, Alberto Angela, a name synonymous with reliability. All thanks to the natural interest the Caves have aroused in the eyes of RAI production. This is what the market demands today. Those who don't focus on quality will inevitably find themselves marginalized in the tourism industry. And not only that.
Following the broadcast, the Castellana Caves' social media profiles posted record-breaking engagement, with 1500 tweets during the evening; on Facebook, there were 1024 likes, 337 shares, and 57382 users reached; on Twitter, a total of 97 tweets about the Caves, while the official profile of the Caves received 391 views on the evening of October 10th alone. A tech-savvy world follows and loves the Castellana karst site. The Caves, therefore, are becoming increasingly interactive for ever-increasing social media promotion.
How has this aspect changed since you took office?
"As soon as we took office, we immediately involved social media experts in the communications team. I remember there were more than a few who looked at us with suspicion. But I understand. New things are always experienced with unease by most people. They bring with them uncertainty, a factor that usually triggers fear. We knew that social media is crucial in conveying the message we want to communicate. Today, everything moves at a speed that was unimaginable until recently. So much so that it can even harm you if you're not careful in managing it."
Only in the last two years have the Castellana Caves opened their doors to Japanese, Korean, Russian, French, Spanish, and, for Ulysses, even Italian cameras. The caves have finally become a must-see, an obligatory stop without which one cannot truly say they've visited Puglia.
What was the reason for this result?
Our vision at the beginning of our mandate was to enhance the value of the Grotte brand, positioning it among the most prestigious. To do this, we needed targeted actions and strategies to make our karst site a sought-after and desirable destination. We needed to resurrect it from its stagnant position in terms of tourism offerings. The synergy that was created certainly played a significant role. For me, the team remains the added value. The more of us who share the same vision and push in the same direction, the more the chances of achieving the goal increase exponentially. In reality, however, the greatest result remains the one that hasn't yet been achieved. We have several events planned for November and December that, even if in different contexts, will be just as significant in terms of visibility and quality certification.
Thanks to the recording shared on the official website www.rai.tv, the full episode aired on Saturday, October 10th will be available for anyone to watch again. The section dedicated to the Castellana Caves begins at minute 32:00.
Press Office Grotte di Castellana Srl
Serena Greco cell. +39 348 7649373
Social Media Marketing Consultant
Marica Buquicchio cell. +39 334 7649177
www.grottedicastellana.it
