Trust&Travel.com is the website of Katharina Trauttmansdorff-Allès' AGRITURISMO CONSULTING. If you are an estate and are interested in joining Trust & Travel, here is a description of our services.

Katharina Trauttmansdorff- Allès studied history, marketing and political science in Vienna and Florence. From 1984 to 1990 she worked in the marketing of quality wines, last with the famous wine estate Castello di Brolio - Barone Ricasoli. Since 1991 she develops historical country estates for gentle and economically successful tourist purposes.

Since 1992 Katharina Trauttmansdorff-Allès consults historical country estates for the adaptation and marketing for tourist purposes. The company is based in Vienna and is in charge of the marketing of two Venetian and ten tuscan estates (360 beds in all). All-over booking rates of 22 weeks annually are somewhat above the branch average.

Professional touristic know-how and years of merketing experience constitute the basis of the consultancy work. The cornerstones of the offered services are:

• Business Planning: comprises budgeting, target group definition, establishing the corporate profile and the marketing strategy (compiling a high-profile website with text and photos), selecting software and developing company-related attractions (gardening courses, walks, guided tours, etc.). During the first three years we regularly examine the rentability of the investments made by clients and subsequently guide the business to economic independence, later providing continuing supervision if required..
  
  

• When adapting and decorating the buildings, the size and the standard of the houses/apartments to be let are initially defined, as are the lay-out of the rooms, the furnishings, the colour schemes and the required amenities (garden, swimming pool, etc.). Emphasis is placed on conserving the original atmosphere and the historic style without neglecting comfort.
  
  In realizing this, Katharina Trauttmansdorff specializes in making the most of available resources, working with selected suppliers and craftsmen and buying at source in order to furnish the objects in line with modern standards and high aesthetic demands. By cooperating closely with the proprietors and by continually improving existing properties, Katharina Trauttmansdorff ensures that the individual atmosphere of these holiday homes is enhanced still further.
  
  

• Development of the Infrastructure: with just as much love for the gradually grown atmosphere of the estate AGRITURISMO CONSULTING helps to integrate pools, gardens and futher leisure devices, up to Emporios, shops selling the production of the estate.
  
  

• Professional personnel training and advice in setting up the required in-house organization ensures smooth handling of the tourism-oriented business adjustment. By in-house training long-standing staff can be kept on, and new jobs are created.
  
  

• The consultancy work of AGRITURISMO CONSULTING aims at an autonomy of the estates. Independent marketing built up with the help of AGRITURISMO CONSULTING enables marketing costs to be reduced as from the third or fourth year to 25-35% of the retail price - instead of the 50-60% usually charged by the customary traditional marketing via large agencies or tour operators. This means a faster Return of Investment for the estates.

	Das apartment "Beco" on the estate La Foce before and after the interior decoration.

Begin of rentals: 1997

Booking rates
(22 weeks per house per year are the branch average and are therefore considered a 100% utilization)

1997: 9,2%
1998: 98% (an average of 21,5 weeks )
1999: 116% (25,5 weeks)
2000: 96% (21,12 weeks: the decrease was due to a lengthening of the high season from 2 to 4 months per year)
2001: 118% (26 weeks)
2002: 100% (22,3%: a comparibly good result, considering that this was a "black year" for tourism after the terrorist attack of 9/11)

Begin of rentals: 1998

Booking rates
(on the coast the season is accordingly shorter and 18 rented weeks per apartment per year are considered a 100% utilization)

1999: 72,2 % (13 weeks)
2000: 93% (16,75 weeks)
2001: 120,8% (21,75 weeks)
2002: 118% (21,25 weeks)

From september 2000 to June 2001 2 houses were fully redecorated by Katharina Trauttmansdorff-Allès, the third house was given a 'face-lif'".

Begin of rentals: june 2001.

Booking rates
(as Montecchia is a trend-setter for this type of tourism in the Veneto, there are no adequate branch average booking rates available).

2001: 5,75 weeks
2002: 21,6 weeks
2003: the year 2003 promises an average booking rate of 25 to 26 weeks per year.

Since founding her consultancy, Katharina Trauttmansdorff-Allès has always been careful to integrate the projects in the local culture and economy. She attaches great importance to ensuring that the region benefits from the appreciation in value (creating jobs, exploiting local infrastructure, etc.) and she aims to contribute to the awareness and professionalism of her branch.

Katharina Trauttmansdorff-Allès puts down the success of her projects to the alert and sensitive consulting aspect of her work. She regards it as paramount to create a relationship of trust with businesses and guests alike, building on a mutual feeling for quality.

With its high demands in respect towards quality, this kind of tourism always has to do with genuine cultural awareness. "Tourist destinations constitute a dream world, but they should also act as a platform for individual travellers in search of quality of life, authenticity and a quality of being unique. Such visitors do not expect tourist happenings or leisure parks, they seek encounters with people and with their rural culture", says Katharina Trauttmansdorff-Allès.