Midweek catch-up with Eurail’s Silvia Festa

We recently caught up with Eurail’s senior business development manager Silvia Festa, only to realise how out of breath we were.
What’s your main goal for this year?
This year will focus on the recovery of our international markets after a successful 2022. With a long-term strategy of establishing Eurail as a purpose-led brand, we want to inspire international travellers to go “one-stop further” allowing their curiosity to take them off the beaten path to explore the best of what Europe has to offer.
What’s your favourite thing about working in the travel industry?
I like to dive deep into new ideas that disrupt the status quo and challenge companies to see things in a different way. I strive to find new ways to optimise solutions that benefit our travellers as well as our partners. It gives me happiness to think that travel creates connections that last a lifetime, not only with people, but with places, wider communities, and cultures. The travel sector is one of the most resilient and I am confident that it will recover and flourish in a more sustainable and meaningful way.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I like being on the move so skiing and walking are among my favourite activities. I fell in love with the slopes at the age of five and it has been my biggest passion ever since. On weekends I like walking around my city in Milan, looking for little hidden spots, cafe’ or shops waiting to be discovered.
Have you managed to do any travelling since restrictions began to ease (domestic or international)?
In late summer last year, I travelled between Stockholm and Copenhagen for business with my Interrail Mobile Pass and discovered another amazing route. Though I tried to work from the train, I was really distracted by the stunning natural landscape outside; we passed by beautiful lakes, and you could see the trees change to autumnal colours. Also, the train crossing over the Øresund Bridge between Sweden and Denmark made the trip even more exciting.
What’s your favourite travel company, besides the one you work for?
I am very interested in smaller tour groups providers that are proposing a more meaningful type of travel. Companies like Contiki and Intrepid Travel, for examples, are offering more authentic experiences and better environmental impact. They seem to share similar passions and the drive to create meaningful and unforgettable experiences, while committing to accelerate community-led sustainable development through travel.
If you could invite three famous guests (dead or alive) to a dinner party, who would you choose?
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe tops my list, as I consider him an early forerunner of Interrail. His Grand Tour of Europe during the late-18th-century, with a special emphasis on Italy, was widely viewed as an essential part of youth education and a rite of passage for young people in Europe.
My second guest would be Bebe Vio, the Italian Paralympic fencing gold medallist. Under her motto: “If it seems impossible, then it can be done”, Bebe raised to Olympic stardom despite a severe meningitis which caused the loss of both her arms and legs at the age of 11.
My third and final guest would be Katherine Johnson, a pioneering mathematician who was the first African American woman to work at NASA. Her calculations of orbital mechanics were vital to the early years of the U.S. space program. Johnson’s determination and bravery are a powerful reminder of how self-belief and perseverance are essential to achieving even the biggest dreams.
What’s something positive you’ve witnessed or experienced since the global pandemic hit?
Since international travel resumed last year, we are seeing a substantial shift in the way travellers approach their plans. More than ever, they are rethinking the way in which they travel. Choosing less conventional routes and discovering new places in a more adventurous and conscious way.
What’s your advice for others in the travel industry on coping with the global pandemic?
Our industry has seen its share of ups and downs, yet it continues to bounce back stronger than ever. Persistence is key to ensuring a sustainable longevity and combines with innovation will allows us to continuously evolve to meet the needs of the modern traveller.
What book and/or TV show can you not get enough of lately?
At the moment, I am intrigued by a new TV series on Netflix called ‘The law according to Lidia Poët’, based on a true story about Italy’s first female lawyer who investigates murder mysteries while fighting to overturn Court’s decision to forbid women to practice law in late-19th-centrury Italy.
Do you have any travel goals for 2023?
The pandemic gave me the opportunity to appreciate things at a slower pace. One of my travel plans this year is to take advantage of the vicinity to a vast array of natural wonders scattered all over Europe and a trip to see the Northern Lights in Sweden is on top of my list.
Latest News

Klook hosts inaugural Partner Awards with Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison as special guest
Travel activities and experiences booking platform, Klook, held its inaugural Klook Partner Awards event in Sydney last night honouring its top-performing and best-loved merchant partners. Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison, who was invited to the event as the guest of honour, spoke about the importance of experiences. “I think that experiences are absolutely everything,” she said. […]

APT Travel Group launches early release of 2026 Canada and Alaska Holidays
For anyone with clients craving an icy getaway, APT is serving up some steals right now.

Film, photography and so much more to explore this year in Berlin
Often known for its grungy aesthetics, or perhaps a currywurst stall, there's so much more on offer this year in Berlin.

TravelManagers welcomes two new directors to HOTA Board
We wish Narendra and Judith the best of luck in trying to remember the rest of the Boards' names.

Tauck celebrates 100 years of hosting travellers around the globe
Tauck would only ever celebrate its 100th birthday in pure style - and Italy is just that!

Travelglobe unveils exclusive food tour with MasterChef’s Kirsten Tibballs
Fancy brushing up on your skills making delicious chocolate and pastry-based treats? Meet us on this tour!

Fiji Airways to bring South Australians closer to paradise with third weekly flight from Adelaide in April
South Australians might say they're already in Paradise, but how can they be sure without checking Fiji out?

Bookings for Vanuatu surge with Aussies ready to support earthquake-struck tourism hotspot
In times like those Vanuatu is surfacing from, the tourism dollar goes a long way and Aussies aren't holding back.

Bullo River Station shares its first ever sustainability report
If you would like to be inspired to be a little more green, then check out what Bullo River Station is up to.

‘Fortune favours the bold’: luxury brand leader Anna Burgdorf departs Flight Centre after 6 years
Time for a pop quiz - who first came up with above quote? Was it A) Virgil B) Shakespeare or C) Aristotle?

Cruise Guru unveils Channel Nine show featuring Ponant, Viking, NCL and more
A little offended that we weren't invited on as the 'Cruise Guru' ourselves, but we'll be tuning in regardless.

Explore Worldwide gives agents a chance to win an exclusive Sri Lanka famil
It's like finding a ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! And the prize is even better than unlimited sweets.

Heathrow Airport to upgrade operations as part of multi-billion-pound cash injection
We're usually a bit scared of injections, however a 'cash injection' is one we would welcome with both arms (literally).

Club Med announces Manveer Ramdhian as new MICE manager in Pacific
Rest-assured, being a MICE manager has nothing to do with our furry little friends.

Sydney Airport welcomes daily flights from Hong Kong Airlines
To top it all off, it looks like the representatives scored a cracker of a day for the celebratory photo!

Collette’s Karen Deveson on what Aussies really want from luxury
For Aussies, we're a little bit more laid back when it comes to luxury. No gold-plated cars for us, thanks!

Intrepid Travel partners with Helloworld Travel for exclusive food tour with Luke Nguyen
Vietnamese is one of our favourite cuisines, so we're headed to the Bánh mì shop for lunch in celebration.

Quark Expeditions opens its Antarctic 2026/27 season
You'd have to be Quarking mad to not have a trip like this on your bucket list.

Federal government to purchase REX Airlines if no buyers arise, Albanese says
News that is sure to ruffle some feathers in the offices of competing airlines this morning, but we're all for it!

Topdeck discounts select 2025-26 trips with up to $1,000 off
Knowing my Gen Z sister, that $1,000 saved would be headed straight to the shopping fund.

Windstar Cruises unveils ‘Basil + Bamboo’ on Star Seeker yacht
Don't worry, we're talking about a restaurant here, not the materials used to build the stunning yacht.

Captain Cook Cruises celebrates 55 years of excellence on the water in the habour city
With a view like Sydney Harbour as your office this would be a hard job to leave.

TravelManagers’ Michael Gazal: ‘Agents are spending a lot of time on bespoke trips’
If you haven't already thrown out your cookie cutter mentality, please do so now.

JP Morgan Chase grows travel offering with tech partnership
Our inner bohemian spirit strongly objects to buying travel from an investment bank. #sorrynotsorry

Helloworld celebrates Valentines Day with Air Ticket sale
Nothing gets travel agents' hearts fluttering more than discounted air fares. It is a love language.

Agents return from Sno’n’Ski Whistler and Vancouver famil
If you want to be really jealous this lunchtime, check out what these four agents got up to in Vancouver.

2025 Taipei Lantern Festival lights up Ximending
We hope our boss currently on the ground is as impressed with the snake lantern in person as we are behind the screen.

Numbers reveal how hard it REALLY is to become ATIA accredited
If you have ever failed to be accredited by ATIA then this article will make you feel better. Dust off that form!

Travel agent STILL waiting on $15k Bamboo Airways refund 16 MONTHS after carrier left Australia
This has motivated us to stop complaining about the time we got one less chicken nugget than expected.

AIME 2025 is underway!
If you're headed down to AIME we hope you brought your networking shoes because it's going to be big!

dnata spends $17m on inflight catering centre at Western Sydney Airport
Airline food has come a long was from the days you would be given a dry roll and a long strip of cheese. Time for lunch?

AYANA Bali invites guests to experience the Sacred Day of Silence
When our Balinese taxi driver informed us that it was 'time to be silent', we just assumed we were talking too much.

Brand USA launches inaugural ‘Ambassador Panel’ for ANZ agents
Interested agents need to send in a video of them singing 'Born in the USA'. Okay we made that up...

Experience Co. calls on marketing expertise of Unique Tourism Collection for Wild Bush Luxury
You no longer need to choose between experiencing bush or experiencing luxury. You can do both!

Deserts, dates and doors: Inside the secret Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
For a trip that talks the talk, we can assure you, it certainly walks the walk!

Paw-Patrol returns to Reflections Bermagui as groups boasts $3.5m economic boost
Be careful where you leave your lunch around this holiday park, there will be plenty of noses paying attention.