A visitor takes a video with her smartphone of Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" on Jan 21, 2021 at the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, Tuscany. (PHOTO / AFP)
By fostering various events, including cultural, fashion, music as well as sporting, China, including the city of Hong Kong, will have closer travel ties with Italy, the Italian minister of tourism, Daniela Santanche, told China Daily on Wednesday.
“We are very determined to push forward our travel campaign,” she said in an exclusive interview.
“Our new ambassador, Venus (based on Venus in the painting The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance), is one of the ambassadors for this campaign, and (she) will be (accessible) online on the WeChat platform and very soon you will also see her in the airports and other platforms (places).”
Italy is the partner country of the Global Tourism Economy Forum 2023, which is being held in Macao.
At a media briefing in Hong Kong, Italy’s global tourism promotion campaign, “Open To Wonder”, was introduced to the public.
Venus was chosen as the perfect representation of Italy on the global stage. “She is one of the most recognizable figures worldwide and is the star of the new international campaign” by the Ministry of Tourism and ENIT (the Italian Government Tourist Board), in collaboration with the Department for Information and Publishing of the Presidency of the Council, according to Santanche.
A symbol of the Renaissance, Venus represents rebirth and renewal, and is therefore an apt choice to represent the Italian tourism sector. After enduring the hardships of the pandemic-related closures, the sector is now regaining its vitality and energy, with the first positive signs being the return of foreign tourists in 2023.
Recognizable due to her distinctive gaze and unique hair, this modern-day Venus — created with the help of artificial intelligence technology — takes on the role of a “virtual influencer”, journeying across Italy to present the marvels of Italian culture to the world. Dressed in modern-day designer clothing, she highlights the country’s stunning landscapes, cities renowned for their art, charming villages, delectable culinary delights, and a diverse array of other attractions that make Italy’s heritage genuinely one of a kind.
Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanche in an interview with China Daily on Wednesday. (Calvin Ng / china daily)
“The campaign is designed to sell our nation and its excellence in an unprecedented way, never before seen in Italy: Venus will progressively appear on all national and international railways, televisions, and airports,” she told reporters.
“We must understand that advertising is the soul of commerce, and we must know how to sell Italy,” the minister added. “Botticelli’s Venus, symbolizing rebirth and the spring that blossoms after the harsh pandemic winter, is the exceptional ambassador who takes us by the hand and guides us on this journey.”
Santanche’s official visit to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region marks a key stop on a tour that includes Seoul, Shanghai, and Macao.
She said at the media briefing in Hong Kong that she was very happy to be in the city because she could see there are plenty of opportunities the city can offer to Italy, and she believes a new partnership can be forged following this visit. Chinese travelers, including those from Hong Kong, are very important to Italy’s tourism industry, she added.
Discussing hopes of attracting Chinese visitors to Italy and promoting Italian tourism in China, the Italian minister said: “We don’t see any obstacles; we only see opportunities, because China and Italy share so many things. We have the same pace. We have the same feelings. We believe (if there are any) obstacles, they won’t be difficult.”
To foster tourism in Italy, Santanche noted in the interview: “We have much financial support from the government and the research and development sector.” There are high hopes for southern Italy, and due to its beautiful natural landscapes, the area is full of opportunities.
“Italy has multiple UNESCO sites,” she said. “We are also financing renovation of historical sites and we are working a lot on digitalization because (it) is very important for the younger generation. We believe that tourism can bring lots of job opportunities for the new generation.”
Accompanying the minister on this series of meetings are ENIT CEO Ivana Jelinic; Matteo Zoppas, president of the Italian Trade Agency; Gianluca Caramanna, Santanche’s political advisor; and a delegation of business representatives.
