Salvador Bahia Airport and Air France Train Travel Agents from Bahia with Focus on the Italian Experience

· Event took place in the airport auditorium and brought together specialists for training on the destination of Italy and Air France connectivity;
· The training was conducted in collaboration with ENIT.

May, 2024 – Salvador Bahia Airport, in partnership with Air France, held an exclusive workshop on Tuesday, May 13, for travel agencies and tour operators in Bahia, aimed at enhancing offerings of itineraries to Italy. The event, held in the airport auditorium, emphasized the privileged connectivity that Salvador offers to Europe via Air France’s air network, while also showcasing Italian destinations beyond the traditional routes.

The training featured a special presentation by ENIT (Italian National Tourism Agency in Brazil), which provided a comprehensive overview of the country—from well-known destinations to lesser-explored gems of Italian tourism. Air France, in turn, detailed its operation with direct flights from Salvador to Paris, serving as the ideal hub for quick and comfortable connections to numerous Italian cities.

“Our goal is to transform Salvador into a strategic gateway to Europe,” stated Paulo Lobão, Account Manager for North, Northeast + Brasília and Goiânia at Air France, during the event. “With regular flights to Paris three times a week (increasing to five during high season), we offer passengers from Bahia an efficient connection to various cities in Italy, combining our premium service experience with the convenience of direct departures from Bahia.”

Barbara Oristânio, ENIT’s representative in Brazil, highlighted the varied landscape of Italy as a destination:

“Experiencing different regions of Italy, even off the typical tourist path, is to discover a country with many faces. Each area—from north to center to south—has its own unique colors and flavors. The most fascinating part is that, as you travel through Italy, you are literally walking through living history.”

The workshop reaffirmed Salvador Bahia Airport’s commitment to fostering international tourism from Bahia.

“We are heavily investing in training local travel professionals,” explained Daniela Franco, Communication Manager at Salvador Bahia Airport. “When a travel agent from Bahia understands the rich possibilities of Italian itineraries and the convenience of Air France connections, they can offer more immersive and tailored experiences to their clients, strengthening the entire tourism ecosystem in our region.”

Air France’s operation at Salvador Bahia Airport runs three times weekly from May through December, increasing to five weekly flights from December 17 to January 2. From January 2025 onwards, the frequency will revert to three flights per week, maintaining a steady connection with Europe.

About Salvador Bahia Airport
Located in the capital of the state of Bahia, Salvador Bahia Airport is VINCI Airports’ first concession in Brazil, having begun operations on January 2, 2018. Since then, the airport has adopted global operational standards to deliver greater efficiency, safety, and enhanced passenger experience. With R$ 700 million invested in terminal modernization and expansion, the airport increased its capacity by 50%, now serving up to 15 million passengers annually. It has also been awarded the Ethnic‑Racial Diversity Seal by Salvador’s Municipal Secretariat for Reparations for its efforts to combat institutional racism. Additionally, Salvador Bahia Airport stands out as the “Most Sustainable Airport in Brazil,” leading environmental preservation initiatives.

About VINCI Airports
VINCI Airports, the global leader in private airport operations, manages more than 70 airports across 14 countries. Leveraging its expertise as a global integrator, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds, and operates airports, bringing its investment capacity and know-how to operational excellence, infrastructure modernization, management, and environmental transition. VINCI Airports was the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy in 2016, aiming to achieve net‑zero emissions across its entire network by 2050.

For more information: www.vinci-airports.com

@VINCIAirports https://www.linkedin.com/company/vinci-airports/