L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 6 Pietro Navar ra's Pursuit of Happiness: creating Oscar-winning vacations to Italy T h i s s t o r y b e g i n s i n S a n Venanzio di Galiera, a small v i l l a g e o u t s i d e B o l o g n a i n Emilia Romagna region. Pietro Navarra - today also known as Mr. Italy - is a 10-year old boy, whose family returned to Italy a f t e r l i v i n g a f e w y e a r s i n Nottingham, UK, where he was born. He has grown up watch- i n g A m e r i c a n m o v i e s a n d dreaming of Los Angeles, but w h e n h e l o o k s t h r o u g h h i s room's window he sees only farmland. Particularly inspired by The Secret of my Success ( 1 9 8 7 ) a n d T h e C o n c i e r g e (1993), starring Michael J. Fox, Pietro decides to pursue an edu- cation and career in the hospi- t a l i t y i n d u s t r y , s t a r t i n g a s a receptionist in some of the best hotels in Bologna up to creating his own travel company. And a very special one. Located in the upscale Beverly Hills area since 2008, Pietro's Italy has become a benchmark in luxury and tai- lor-made vacations to Italy. M r . N a v a r r a , h o w w a s Pietro's Italy born? Since I was a kid, I have fall- en in love with Italy over and SILVIA SIMONETTI over again, traveling all across i t a n d d i s c o v e r i n g i t s m a n y treasure in terms of art and cul- ture, food and wine, lifestyle and landscapes. By working in the tourism business for more than 20 years, I had the oppor- tunity to connect with the best p r o v i d e r s , f r o m h o t e l s a n d restaurants to tour guides and c h a u f f e u r s , a n d t o s e e h o w much the American travelers appreciate our Country. I n 1 9 9 4 , I c a m e t o L o s Angeles for the first time with a delegation of travel operators from Emilia Romagna, and I found myself right on the set of my beloved movies, I felt the energy of the city and I felt at h o m e . F o r t h e f o l l o w i n g 1 4 years I kept my dream alive by reading motivational books by Og Mandino and Donald Trump – who was truly a mentor for me - and planning my come- back. Of course leaving Italy, my family, and a secure job was s c a r y , b u t m y p a s s i o n w a s stronger and I firmly believed that eventually I would succeed. Did the U.S. welcome you as expected? It was actually very hard in the beginning. My sister booked me a shared room in Harlem, New York, as I needed to be on a budget. Barack Obama was running for President at that time, so there was a good vibra- tion. After a while I felt more comfortable and respected as a hard worker finding his way in t h e l a n d o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s . Harlem became my home base to approach travel agencies on the East Coast, and then I visit- ed over 30 States throughout the U.S. to better understand t h e n e e d s o f m y t a r g e t c u s - tomers before settling in Los Angeles. I introduced myself and my company's services to thousands of agents, but every- b o d y w a s t u r n i n g m e d o w n because I didn't have a portfolio o r a n y r e f e r e n c e s y e t . A f t e r about 2,500 rejections anybody else would have given up and packed his stuff back to that small village in Italy. Yet I have learned that if you offer some- thing unique and put your heart and soul into your work, sooner o r l a t e r y o u w i l l b e g i v e n a c h a n c e t o p r o v e y o u r v a l u e , especially here in America. On the ferry to Staten Island, I was talking with my mother over the phone, trying to sound cheerful not to worry her, when a v e r y d i s t i n g u i s h e d m a n a p p r o a c h e d m e . H e w a s N Y m a y o r M i c h a e l B l o o m b e r g , who reminded me of the strong ties between our countries and kindly wished me luck for my e n d e a v o r . I n s p i r e d b y h i s words, I finally realized that my idea was good but I needed to address a completely different type of clients. All of your clients are high profile businessmen or mem- b e r s o f t h e e n t e r t a i n m e n t industry with expectations as high as their budgets. What is the key to become their trust- ed entrance to Italy? Ordinary itineraries and 3- star services weren't what I had in mind for Pietro's Italy, so I searched for travel agencies in the richest zip code areas and offered my first-hand, fresh, and in-depth knowledge of one of their top destinations. Some of them understood the benefit for their business and asked me to organize top-class vacations for their clients, so this is how we started. Thanks to a 20-year experi- ence and the best team players on site, Pietro's Italy can design a customized trip around the travelers' wish list and luxuri- ous standards, but at the same time providing them with a full immersion in the local culture and lifestyle. Every year I per- sonally spend a few months in Italy to check on all the facili- ties and talk to my contacts, in order to ensure the highest qual- ity standards. And in addition to must-see destinations for our first-time visitors, we also plan u n i q u e i t i n e r a r i e s o r p r i v a t e t o u r s t o e n j o y t h e c h a r m o f smaller towns, where they can t a s t e t h e r e a l f l a v o r s o f o u r beautiful Country. Imagine din- ing in the romantic courtyard of Juliet's house in Verona or cele- b r a t i n g y o u r w e d d i n g i n a n ancient villa… A welcoming a n d a u t h e n t i c e x p e r i e n c e i s what makes the difference and creates long-lasting memories, which become my best ambas- sadors. Since the very beginning y o u h a v e b e e n i n s p i r e d b y American movies. If your life were a film, which one would it be? My story reminds me of The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) by I t a l i a n d i r e c t o r G a b r i e l e Muccino but, unlike Will Smith, I a l s o c o m e f r o m a f o r e i g n country. My family in Italy has always supported me, and with the right attitude and the right formula I was able to fulfill my dream, doing what makes me happiest in life. The exclusive services and experiences offered by Pietro's Italy will be available to our luckiest readers by participating in our annual Ferragosto raffle d r a w i n g . T o c o n t a c t P i e t r o Navarra visit www.pietrositaly. com, write to vip@pietrositaly. com, or call 800-917-8503. Pietro Navarra on the rooftop of LA. Photo Brant Brogan Pietro Navarra in Beverly Hills. Photo Brant Brogan Pietro's Italy can design a customized trip around the travelers' wish list and luxurious standards. Photo Brant Brogan

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