"Premio Re Manfredi": a recognition for prominent personalities who have enhanced the Puglia product. The prestigious award also goes to BTM CEO, Nevio D'Arpa - "BTM Italia"

Tourism, culture, territory, business, and development: these are the themes around which the XXX edition of the Premio Re Manfredi revolves, which will illuminate Manfredonia next weekend with the presence of illustrious names who, through their work, have contributed to enhancing and promoting the Apulian territory, especially from a tourism and cultural perspective, implementing actions for revitalization and socio-economic growth.

The Apulian excellences that will receive the coveted recognition have been selected after careful and scrupulous evaluation by the Scientific Committee composed of Andrea Prencipe, rector of LUISS, as well as an internationally renowned expert on issues related to the strategic management of technological and organizational innovation; Nicola Tattoli, founder of the association "Pugliesi a Milano" who creates interesting connections between Puglia and Lombardy through innovative events and formats, and Rocky Malatesta, president of the Consortium for the Management of Torre Guaceto, and an expert in development and tourist destinations.

Among the personalities called to receive the award is also Nevio D'Arpa, CEO & Founder of BTM -  Business Tourism Management, an initiative born in 2015 that has not only successfully established itself in Puglia but has also anticipated the entire Southern Italy. The operational machine of BTM speaks all the languages of hospitality, becoming, in just ten years, an international reference point for thousands of professionals in the sector. Furthermore, confirming the foresight of the Salento entrepreneur, the event has been fully included among the International Trade Fairs in the sector and has recently received the ISFCERT certification (Institute for Certification of Statistical and Fair Data). A significant achievement for an event that has succeeded in bringing together supply and demand, creating synergies between public and private, experts and trainers, companies and ordinary citizens, but above all has gathered the support of many international operators who increasingly request to participate in the three-day event.

BTM has designed a new model of territorial promotion redefining the characteristics of trade fairs, focusing on innovation, sustainability, culture, promotion, territory, services, environment, work, training, local companies, and international trade. A winning formula specifically designed to showcase Apulian tourist products, opening up to what would later become a leitmotif for many industry professionals, namely the sense of belonging and authenticity, contributing to the construction of the "brand Puglia".

Nevio D'Arpa will receive the award on Friday, July 7, for the section "Destination Marketing Awards", along with other illustrious professionals including Fabio Viola (video game designer and producer); Franco Grasso (one of the most important revenue managers in Europe); Carmelo Fanizza  (founder of the Jonian Dolphin Conservation); Matteo Silvestri (president of the Association "Historical Trabucchi of Gargano).

«Receiving this award can only make me proud, as well as honored – comments Nevio D'Arpa - . In all these years I have actively participated in the change of tourism, or rather, in its way of being conceived. My commitment has always been directed towards the enormous growth potential of this sector for which I have dedicated myself with conviction and will continue to do so because I love setting myself new goals and achieving them. "Re Manfredi" is an award that leaves a mark. It is a combination of many elements that make us feel like a vital part of a virtuous mechanism, and being in this mechanism suggests to me that what has been done so far has been done well>>.

On stage also Giovanni Melillo, national anti-mafia and anti-terrorism prosecutor, who will be awarded a special prize for legality.

On Saturday 8, however, among others, the following will be awarded: Antonella Lauriola (chief operating officer of Moleskine); for cultural and tourism policies to Aldo Patruno (director of the Tourism and Culture department of the Puglia Region); for virtuous Apulian cities to Toni Matarrelli (mayor of Mesagne). Finally, for the artistic field, the singer Albano, (ambassador of Apulian music and culture in the world), the actor Paolo Sassanelli (for cinema), for theater the former president of the Teatro Pubblico Pugliese Giuseppe D'Urso; for literature the writer Gabriella Genisi and for musical art Daniela Giordano, director of the Politecnico delle Arti di Bergamo.

«We celebrate a year of achievements – declares Michele De Meo, president of the Fondazione Re Manfredi -. This year's edition is a special one as it is the thirtieth. It is an anniversary that testifies to the consistency and commitment of the Fondazione Re Manfredi in enhancing talent and creativity, and in spreading love for our wonderful land. We will celebrate this milestone in the context of the third Festival of the Water Lands, a cultural project that is a gift from the Foundation to the city of Manfredonia and aims to create beauty and freedom, bringing our territory closer to the knowledge and awareness of its protection. The Festival is the perfect occasion to gather, to express gratitude towards our territory, and to celebrate its greatness».

For all info: www.fondazionemafredi.it