In today’s global tourism landscape, where strategic vision makes all the difference, Nicola Romanelli stands out as one of the most authoritative voices on the international stage. A former manager of an iconic multinational, he has been working for over ten years as a senior advisor worldwide and as the creator of formats that have redefined the concept of networking in the travel industry. Romanelli blends expertise, creativity, and a deep understanding of the mechanisms driving the evolution of tourism.
We interviewed him to retrace the path that, from a solid managerial background, led him to develop a distinctive consulting approach, marked by strategic vision, operational concreteness, and the ability to adapt to diverse contexts. This method, recognized by both Italian and international companies — even beyond tourism — now takes shape in high-impact projects, where communication, relationships, and business development converge to support companies also in their internationalization journeys.
What were the key moments in your career that led you to become a reference point in the international tourism sector?
After starting out in travel agencies and business travel companies, I had the privilege of working for over 15 years for a brand that, since 1950, has never stopped being a game changer. Becoming a manager and establishing myself at Club Med was a turning point: it allowed me to grow in an extraordinary environment, expressing my full potential — even the part I didn’t know I had. If I was able to develop disruptive projects that impacted the top line, it was thanks to the inspiring and challenging atmosphere I experienced, which gave me the chance to dare, take risks, and innovate through projects that eventually became global product lines.
Ten years ago, you left Club Med to pursue your desire to collaborate with multiple organizations at the same time, also working as a temporary or fractional manager. How has your consulting approach distinguished itself from other professionals in the sector?
My decision to leave Club Med stemmed from the desire to systematize an extraordinary managerial experience, gained in an international environment that trained me in rigor, method, and a results-oriented culture. This background, together with the credibility that the market has recognized in me over the years, has allowed me to work alongside very different companies, bringing each one a clear strategic vision, a project-oriented approach, and a strong focus on numbers — often decisive in shaping growth paths.
I like to immerse myself in each reality, understand its dynamics, and turn objectives into measurable actions. This concreteness, combined with the ability to engage with worlds that are sometimes far apart, is perhaps the hallmark of my approach.
How did the idea come about to combine consulting work with the creation of innovative formats for networking in the travel sector, and what have been the most significant results so far?
Having always been close to the world of professional relationships, with a strong inclination for strategic communication, I felt the need to create a format that could enhance real connections among people, skills, and companies. A tangible moment of exchange, where qualified professionals could share visions of the tourism of tomorrow — in an informal yet high-value setting.
That’s how Travel # was born, on March 1, 2019, debuting in Rome. Since then, the format has gone through six years of evolution and internationalization, reaching different countries and establishing itself as a platform for dialogue among stakeholders and key players in the tourism ecosystem. Networking became a method, and exchange a strategic lever. And each of the 20 editions held so far has confirmed the need for an authentic space to network with intelligence and trust.
What do you think are the main challenges the tourism sector will face in the coming years, and how can they be turned into opportunities?
Tourism is undergoing a profound transformation: sustainability, digitalization, flow management, shortage of human resources, geopolitical instability, and inflationary pressure are no longer simple challenges, but strategic turning points requiring new visions and development models. Opportunities are already emerging: from smart technologies to internationalization aimed at promoting destinations off the traditional tourist radar, to the growing demand for personalization and immediacy. Companies able to interpret these signals with method and vision will gain a real competitive advantage in an increasingly aware and demanding market.
The most recent format you developed is called Next Stop: a traveling conference on Internationalization that delivers unfiltered information and prepares for a subsequent exploratory mission involving Italian companies interested in promoting themselves in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Next Stop was born from a concrete vision: creating an operational bridge between Italian companies and two strategic markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which are now at the center of a global repositioning. The format blends communication, relationships, business, and travel into a traveling model that informs, inspires, and prepares companies with strategic content and high-value networking opportunities. What makes it effective is also its collaborative structure, which involves prestigious players such as Kelmer Group and Emirates, as well as employer confederations, accounting firms, local administrators, and entrepreneurs engaged in export activities. At its core is also the in-depth knowledge of the region, which I have been visiting regularly for over 25 years. The first two editions have proven it: Next Stop meets a real market demand. An initial mission to Dubai is currently underway, and the second has already been confirmed for the end of September. The road, in short, seems to be the right one.