Page 71 - StudyTravel Magazine November 2018 Issue

MARkET ANAlYSIS studytravel magaZIne november 2018

Market Analysis:
Italy

There was steady growth for Italian language providers in 2017.
However, with a new government in power, the industry is looking for
support, recognition and a strategy for growth, as SIÂN LEWIS reports.

StudyTravel Magazine’s latest survey of Italian notes that this could be attributed to their merger
language schools showed little change in the with the Scuola Dante Alighieri school after the 2016
popularity of Italian courses among inbound earthquake in camerino.
markets, with Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the of the 25 participating schools, there was
uSA and russia representing well over a third of consensus with regards to the stability of the
all enrolments in 2017. “our main markets (uSA, Italian market overall, with some schools reporting
Germany, Switzerland, uk and the Netherlands) substantial growth. marco comments, “2018 seems
were pretty stable,” confi rms Alessandro Adorno at to be the best year since 2002, the year that our
Babilonia www.babilonia.it in Sicily. school opened. We have a bigger number of students
“the best student nationality is Austrian because year by year. I think this is because students are now
tyrol is very close to Italy and they are motivated to aware that during summer time study, learning Italian
learn Italian,” observes marco DiAgostino at orbitlin- in a seaside town is more pleasant than spending
gua www.orbitlingua.it in orbetello. Similarly, roberta two-to-three weeks in a big city.”
Vai at cultura Italiana www.culturaitaliana.eu in Bo- Some schools commented on the effect
logna also observes a proliferation of native German marketing campaigns have had on increasing
speakers learning Italian. “We have had a growing awareness, compared with previous years. Social
number of German-speaking students (from Germany, media, in particular, was reported to be instrumental
Austria and Switzerland) because our extracurricular in attracting potential students. “the biggest impact
programmes are intense and with a focus on the cul- on international enrolments is the strong interest in
ture of contemporary and ancient Italy.” studying at Italian universities, and in milan’s fashion
martina regnicolo at campus L’Infi nito www. and design schools,” reports Sandra testo, principal
campusinfi nito.it in recanati notes that Argentinian at eLLcI milano www.ellci.net in milan. But, “this
and Brazilian students were the largest demographic interest is supported by good performances in
at their school in 2017, as well as the fastest growing. Facebook campaigns, Seo and ads,” she adds.
It should be noted, however, that this was not a marco agrees, noting, “I think the investments
sector-wide trend. that we made in all forms of marketing is the reason
the school’s overall enrolments increased by for the increased number of students, and also the
over 15 per cent in 2017, continues martina, but she new programmes we offer every year. We invest

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