GATE 1 TRAVEL PARTNERS WITH ALITALIA AIRLINES TO LAUNCH ALITALIA VACATIONS “New Tour Company Offers 57 Air-Inclusive Independent And Escorted Tours To Italy And Beyond** Alitalia Vacations is now open for business offering travel agents and consumers the opportunity to book independent and escorted travel to Italy and beyond. The company is a partnership between Gate 1 Travel and Alitalia Airlines and leverages Alitalia's attractive fares to bring exciting travel packages to consumers in North America. According to Marty Seslow, Vice President of Marketing for Alitalia Vacations, "We are proud and excited to be involved in this new venture for Alitalia Vacations. The marketing, operational, and technological expertise of Gate 1 Travel will no doubt be a huge asset to this new company as we build upon the brand name of Alitalia and work to give passengers an affordable Italy experience." PACKAGING TOURS TO ITALY AND BEYOND With a new website already live at www.alitaliavacations.com and a four-color brochure hot off the presses, Alitalia Vacations is already taking bookings for passengers who want to travel to Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Croatia and Slovenia, Israel, Egypt, and Danube River Cruises. The company is offering a series of independent and escorted tours with air service from Alitalia's seven North American gateways, which include Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York, and Toronto. From these seven cities, Alitalia offers travelers nonstop service to Italy. Service from other North American cities is available with a connection in one of the gateways. Using Alitalia Vacations' "Vacation Builder," travel agents and consumers can design a custom vacation using any combination of destinations and accommodations and choose from a wide variety of transportation options from city to city -- including air, rail, car, or bus -- as well as optional sightseeing, excursions, and tours. Destinations include the Italy favorites of Rome, Venice, and Florence as well as combination tours that package Rome with Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, London, Cairo, Barcelona, Jerusalem, or Tel Aviv. Alitalia Vacations also offers a series of escorted tour packages priced from $1,749 per person, air and land, for eight days to Italy and beyond. ABOUT ALITALIA VACATIONS Alitalia Vacations, the tour division of Alitalia Airlines, debuted in June 2008 and is operated by Gate 1 Travel. Alitalia Vacations offers the choice of 57 air-inclusive vacations to Italy and other countries served by Alitalia in Europe and the Mediterranean. The company's goal is to offer North American travelers flexible independent and escorted tour options to Italy and the other destinations Alitalia serves at the most affordable price. For more information or to make reservations, call 1-800-914-9000 or visit the company's website at www.alitaliavacations.com. http://www.alitaliavacations.com JC Communications LLC Jane Coloccia at 609-737-2587 Michele Lee at 571-451-4345 email: janecoloccia@gmail.com or leem108@comcast.net jcjanec@aol.com