I meet the director of theDuck Turistico del LuganeseMassimo Boni, in his office on Via Magatti. From the window, the bus shelter, designed by Botta; who knows when the much-loved yet controversial tram-train system will arrive. I try to imagine the city of the future, what it will be like in ten years, but the door opens. Massimo Boni arrives, smiling and with palpable energy. We begin to chat, specifically about our last meeting, during the presentation of Ticino365, a strategy that aims to make the southern Alps a year-round attraction.
What do you think? Lugano, after all, has great potential to be a year-round tourist destination...
(He smiles and answers without hesitation.) "The Lugano area has great potential, and I must say we're already working to bring year-round tourism. There are factors that aren't related to our work, but which clearly help us. Consider climate change, increasingly pleasant autumns—like this one—and early springs. Consequently, as soon as a tourist north of the Alps checks the weather forecast and sees these temperatures... they arrive in Ticino. You have to consider that 50% of our tourists are Swiss."
Are you telling me that the best marketing for Lugano is the sun?
"Not only that (laughs), but we can't deny that it helps us a lot, and always has! In any case, I'm not convinced that big advertising campaigns bring in tourists: the secret to success, in my opinion, lies in the quality of tourism. That's why it's important to offer experiences of various kinds, from gastronomic to cultural; then it will be the tourists themselves who will best advertise for us through word of mouth. In my view, the marketing of the future is to offer a unique experience, for example a smartbox for a weekend on Lake Ceresio to visitors to our Infopoints."
Also because, we can't deny it, it's a competition to see who can post the most beautiful photo, the tastiest dish, the most original hotel...
Social media is a word of mouth tool and can certainly encourage visitors to choose one location over another. But I want to get back to the vacation package offered: by actively marketing, offering a night in Lugano, a dinner, a show at the LAC, or a concert, I'm investing in the entire region. Yes, to ensure Ticino is ready to welcome tourists every day of the year, we must work together and help each other: I'm thinking of restaurateurs, hotels, but also retailers and those who organize internationally renowned events and conferences. I'd also like to emphasize that promoting a place isn't just about attracting tourists, but also about creating products and—as mentioned—generating income for the region. Lugano is a meeting point of nature, culture, food and wine, innovation, and (enthusiastic) sport; this complexity makes it a unique place.
In any case, the weather isn't enough to guarantee tourist arrivals year-round. I'm thinking of November, January, February...
Naturally, for this reason, we need to guarantee major events that attract tourists: food and wine, sports, culture, and, last but not least, business. Therefore, we can't be solely tied to the weather. As mentioned, half of our tourists are Swiss, followed by Germans and Italians (20%), Americans represent the most important international market, and we're also seeing an increase in tourists from the Gulf countries. For this reason, we want to focus on overseas tourism. We're investing in the United States, the Persian Gulf countries, and Brazil, and the results are positive, not only in terms of overnight stays but also in terms of per capita spending. However, we must always be aware that foreign markets are volatile, and we need certainty (where possible). I remain of the opinion that we must focus on quality, in addition to seasonal adjustments. We want to attract informed visitors, interested in exploring our region in depth. This type of tourism is well-managed, attentive to local labor and products, capable of supporting the economy and improving services for those who live here as well.
Therefore also conference tourism, capable of bringing thousands of people from all over the world...
Of course, for this we would need a state-of-the-art facility to accommodate 1,400 people. I don't want to get into political decisions, but I personally think the time has come to create a conference center for our region. There's huge potential in this segment too, and here too we would spread the benefits throughout the entire economic fabric! Many people travel with their families, stay in hotels or apartments, go to restaurants, shop, and breathe new life into a city that needs new life—I'm not talking about tourism at all costs, but life itself.
When you speak, you can hear a great enthusiasm in your voice, a contagious energy, as if you've always known that tourism was your path...
"Let's just say it was all a coincidence, or rather, that I had to choose this path (laughs). It all happened one Sunday in the Maggia Valley, where I met an Italian couple who owned a communications agency in Milan. I had just returned from Los Angeles. I had a business in Lugano in the sports and nutrition field with two partners, but something was making me restless, and when they offered me an internship with them, I said to myself: a new adventure, especially since I had studied communications, so it was what I wanted to do. Specifically, this agency deals with tourism promotion and represented major tourism boards, hotel chains, and airlines in Italy."
I imagine it was a wonderful experience…
"In one sense, yes, but in another, it was tough. I was paid as an intern (500 euros a month) and worked non-stop, and on top of that, I speak German, French, English... well, do I have to keep going?"
No, no, I get it. They had the real deal...
(Smiles). "This apprenticeship helped me, in every way. Ultimately, it doesn't take much to understand: you can't live on 500 euros; so I had to find a job as a waiter in the evenings. I got around on a "rampichino" (to use a term from the time), but at the same time, I met many people who helped me get to this point. In short, it was a real school of life."
And then how did it end…
"Nothing, I kept asking for raises; up to a certain point, they gave them to me, then, in my fourth year, the director told me I'd asked for the most raises of all (perhaps she didn't remember where I started). At that point, I started working for a media company that sold advertising space. With a commission from a major client, I even bought my first car, a new Fiat 500. You can't imagine how happy I was, especially because I never gave up. Then another coincidence..."
Yet?
"Yes, yes. I was on vacation with friends on the island of Elba, and the mother of one of them asked me to help her buy a ferry ticket on the computer. I did it on the condition that she could read my email. I opened it and in the newsletter carrer gate At USI, I read that Darwin Airline at Lugano Airport was looking for a manager between 30 and 40 years old, with at least ten years of experience in tourism. I said to myself: I have to do it. You can't imagine what a feat it was: I had to send in my application right away and the response was immediate: "Come in two days, we're closing applications." Too bad I was hundreds of kilometers away, on an island, and without a car. Long story short: I borrowed a friend's car, went to the interview, came back, and... they called me back for another interview. At this point, I left by train because my vacation was over, I had the second interview, and, as you can imagine, they hired me.
In October 2007 you began your adventure at Darwin Airline: eight years, not always easy…
"As with all adventures... also because there have been significant changes. I don't think this is the place to recount everything. But it must be said that Darwin Airline has left me with significant scope for "commercial creativity": I'm thinking of the numerous connections we've created, the summer charters, the territorial continuity from Sicily to Lampedusa and Pantelleria, the sommeliers and the charters on the slopes of St. Moritz."
A journey that brought you a job (we laugh)…
"But nothing was planned, I assure you. In fact, when we landed in Samedan, the Engadin Tourist Board executives were waiting for us with a small gift, and without further ado, a few months later they told me they were expecting me in their office. Naturally, I couldn't refuse, and when I arrived, their first question—directly—was whether I was interested in working for them."
But had you already thought about leaving Darwin Airline?
"Yes, I was thinking of continuing in corporate communications, still in Lugano, but that offer... how could I turn it down? Promoting a destination like St. Moritz around the world isn't something you get every day, so... I accepted."
You speak as if it were easy to change, to leave your comfort zone, yet every change involves a constant re-examination…
"Change doesn't scare me, and professionally, today more than ever, you need to be flexible. I felt the need to continue growing, to enrich my knowledge. So I started working as a sales manager: I had a team of six people and twelve markets to manage. I wasn't bored (ironic). I've been to China, India, Japan, South Korea, the Gulf States, the United States, and Brazil; I've given dozens of presentations and undertaken projects to promote the Engadine region in the B2B segment."
In 2021, the public competition for the position of director of the Lugano Tourist Board opens, another piece of the puzzle that fits perfectly…
You can't imagine how much I wanted it, it was a dream: to promote a region that's dear to my heart, that's my home, where I grew up. A privilege and at the same time a great responsibility. I wanted not only to bring tourism, but to create value for the entire Lugano tourism industry, in short, to give back to the area to which I feel deeply connected – and this isn't just a phrase, I want to emphasize that. Lugano, City of my heart, was an old slogan, and it was a sticker we put years ago on my mother's old Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
Since you mention the past, I'd like to ask you what kind of child you were. Your grandparents immigrated from the Bergamo valleys after the war. You and your parents were born on Lake Zurich and raised in the Lugano area. Can you tell us more?
"That I love the lake (smiles) and that I chose to live near it because I can't do without water, swimming even out of season. Me as a child? A chatterbox, I guess you've guessed, but a real chatterbox (amused). Imagine, in first grade, a girl from Poland came to my class and the teacher sat her down next to me, saying, 'You talk so much, she'll learn Italian right away.' And so it was: in a few months, she spoke perfect Italian."
Married, very close to your family, I imagine it hasn't always been easy to maintain ties with all your travels, jobs, and commitments...
"I can't deny it. It hasn't always been easy. I met my husband in Lugano in 2010, and we've practically never managed to live under the same roof. Throughout all these years, we've chased each other with the idea of meeting again one day, but then this job in Lugano came along, and he understood, he understood that for me, work is lifeblood, that I need to do something I can put my all into. I've been fortunate to always find jobs that I've understood and appreciated from day one to day. I must also say that I enjoy working in a team and that I've opted for a leadership style focused on results, not control. We all have to work together, like a sports team."
Soccer?
"Forget it... I have two left legs. But soccer has been a part of my life, reflexively and with great pleasure: with my dad, an assistant coach, and my brother, a right winger for Lamone-Cadempino, we won the Ticino Cup (although I don't remember the exact year). Anyway, I ski, swim, and enjoy good food; those are my favorite sports. I don't know how to cook; my husband mostly does that on weekends, but I'm a stickler for cleanliness, order, and gardening."
Your stories feature many friends, travels, and new destinations. Do you experience Lugano like a tourist in your own city?
I've always loved traveling, and I have to say I feel at home in many places around the world: Lugano, but also Zurich, La Punt, and Pantelleria. I feel at home here, my energy levels are high, I know the community, and life is great year-round. I love our house in Gandria, and I'm thrilled every evening to see the sunsets behind Lugano from there.
Getting emotional. Let's go back to the beginning of our conversation, these emotions capable of moving the world...
