Experiential Tourism in Abruzzo: Where the Real Luxury Is Staying

Guido Cucchia

There is an Abruzzo that cannot be rushed. An Abruzzo that is not meant to be “checked off,” but truly lived. It is made of inhabited villages, hands that still know their craft, shared tables, and ancient paths connecting mountains to the sea. This is where borGO was born. And this is where we choose to tell a different story about travel in Abruzzo.

We are a social-impact tour operator rooted in Abruzzo, but before anything else, we are a bridge: between local communities and conscious travelers, between tradition and innovation, between places and people.

At a time when tourism often extracts value from territories, borGO exists to give value back.

Abruzzo: an authentic destination, still deeply human

When people search for tourism in Abruzzo, they often read about national parks, wild landscapes, and one of the cleanest coastlines in Italy. All true. But what truly defines Abruzzo lies beneath the surface. Abruzzo is a region shaped by relationships, by slow rhythms, by knowledge passed down rather than scaled up. Here, travel is not entertainment — it is connection.

This is why Abruzzo is emerging as one of the most meaningful destinations for those seeking authentic experiences in Italy, far from mass tourism and close to real life.

borGO: a different kind of tour operator

borGO was born in Abruzzo and works for Abruzzo. We do not design standardized packages. We build ecosystems.

Our approach is clear and intentional:

we work directly with artisans, guides, farmers, winemakers, families, and associations
we coordinate a network of over 200 authentic local experiences
we ensure that 80% of travel revenue stays in the territory, supporting local economies in a tangible way

This is what sets us apart from traditional tour operators. We don’t extract stories — we sustain them.

The first integrated digital portal of Abruzzo

From years of listening, mapping, and collaboration, the first integrated digital experience portal of Abruzzo was born. A pioneer projected started by Marianna Colantoni of Taste Abruzzo and director of the GST. Her idea was not just to create a platform but an infrastructure designed to connect local realities with international markets without forcing them to change who they are.

Over 200 authentic experiences, one shared vision

The portal brings together:

small villages and inland communities
farmers, shepherds, and wine producers
artisans, hiking guides, cultural operators

Every experience is curated and coordinated by borGO and Taste Abruzzo, which also manage international commercialization. This allows local operators to remain focused on what they do best — welcoming, creating, producing — without becoming marketing machines.

Collaboration with GST – Gruppo di Sviluppo Territoriale and Fondazione CREA

This project was developed in collaboration with the GST – Gruppo di Sviluppo Territoriale and with the support of Fondazione CREA, together with the Abruzzo Region. It is a shared vision that proves something essential: innovation does not need to come from outside a territory to be effective.

Within this framework, borGO acts as:

coordinator of the local supplier network
commercial bridge to international tour operators and buyers
guarantor that economic value remains locally rooted

Sustainable tourism in Abruzzo: from words to actions

Sustainable tourism is often discussed. Less often practiced. For borGO, sustainable tourism in Abruzzo means:

short, transparent supply chains
fair distribution of economic value
respect for the carrying capacity of places
long-term relationships with communities

Our approach is regenerative: every journey should leave something positive behind — economically, socially, and culturally.

Abruzzo and the idea of “authentic luxury”

In recent years, Abruzzo has gained unprecedented international visibility through campaigns featured in Times Square, Netflix, and global media outlets. But the narrative is radically different from conventional destination marketing.

The message is simple:

Luxury today is not excess. It is depth. It is time. It is genuineness. It is being welcomed not as a tourist, but as a guest.

This is the same philosophy that guides borGO and Taste Abruzzo in crafting Abruzzo experiences. We work with travelers who are looking for conscious travel in Italy, not polished experiences, but meaningful ones.

Why borGO is different

A traditional tour operator sells destinations. borGO activates territories. Traveling with borGO means stepping out of the role of customer and into that of a guest, where journeys are not about collecting places but about building relationships with the people and landscapes of Abruzzo.

The villages of Abruzzo are not scenic backdrops, but living communities. Through experiential tourism, borGO supports small-scale local realities, helps create new economic opportunities, and contributes to keeping these territories active and inhabited. Experiences are not consumed and forgotten, but shared, creating genuine encounters that lead not only to memories, but to understanding.

In this way, travel becomes a tool for territorial care rather than exploitation. For those who believe travel comes with responsibility and are looking for authentic experiences in Abruzzo, borGO is the starting point — because here, more than anywhere else, the real luxury is staying.