And who are the Italian operators on the platform? To really find out you have to book—but, according to the platform, they earn at least 85 per cent of the value of the experience.
Not a traditional travel agency, but a platform that connects travellers with local agencies and tourism professionals physically present in the areas tied to the destinations. This is the model of Evaneos, a company belonging to a French group of the same name, headquartered in Paris. Holding B Corp certification, the company describes itself on its website as “in favour of local communities and the protection of the planet.” Through the Better Trips Fund, moreover, it reinvests in projects that support communities—preserving biodiversity and helping to build a more sustainable future for the travel sector. Evaneos maintains that at least 85% of the value generated by trips goes to local operators, in order to foster a stronger economy and “fairer tourism.” In 2023, the company had set itself a revenue target of a full €200 million.
In Italy, the platform offers a network of specialists able to build personalised itineraries based on clients’ needs. Every tourism operator can become a “Local Hero”—the term trademarked by Evaneos—has their own profile page, and can obtain a “Travelife Partner” certification.
The platform currently features around a dozen local businesses for Italy, each with its own assigned area of expertise. By accessing a profile, the traveller can get in touch with the operator, of whom only the first name, profile photo, and type of activities offered are revealed.
Vera, for example, based in Sicily, specialises in bespoke trips, trekking, and off-the-beaten-path itineraries, with programmes crossing the island from Palermo to Catania, from Etna to the Aeolian Islands, and on to Noto, Ragusa, and Cefalù. Marianna, who operates out of Catania, instead offers itineraries across Italy’s main destinations, from Puglia to Tuscany, from Campania to the northern lakes. Cristina, based in Taormina, specialises in charming trips in Sicily, while Ada focuses on personalised itineraries around the island. There are also operators in Rome, specialising in cultural tourism and bespoke trips, with offerings ranging from the capital all the way to Tuscany and Campania. Then there are proposals from central Italy, such as Perugia, where one operator builds itineraries tied to the traditions, cuisine, and small towns of Umbria, Marche, Lazio, and Tuscany.
In northern Italy, the platform features Barbara, who specialises in trips around Venice and other Italian destinations, while Alessandra offers cultural and wellness-related experiences. There are also proposals from Pompeii and Bari, with bespoke trips mainly in Campania, Puglia, and Calabria, combining trains, ferries, transfers, and local experiences. And from Catania, where one operator is listed as specialising in the outdoors and trekking, with itineraries in the Cinque Terre, in Puglia, and along the Amalfi Coast.
Evaneos presents these operators as local experts, tasked with co-designing the trip together with the client and drawing on their knowledge of the area, experiences, and local contacts. The idea is to be able to choose your own tourism operator as if picking a profile on a travel-focused social network. The choice can also be made on the basis of the references the operator has earned.
In short, a model that bets in some measure on the personalisation of the trip, starting from direct knowledge of the destinations, and that offers, at any rate, an alternative to standardised packages.
Among Evaneos’s main competitors in the bespoke-travel sector operating from France, with services more or less dedicated to Italy as well, we note: Voyageurs du Monde, Marco Vasco, Amplitudes, Les Maisons du Voyage, Le Cercle des Vacances, and Terres Lointaines.
Andrea G. Cammarata