Worldcrunch
The Italian government’s use of a computerized version of Botticelli’s Venus as an influencer to promote Italian culture has been described as “humiliating” and “grotesque”. But it is not Italy’s first ridiculous and costly tourism campaign. Italy’s La Stampa daily looks at a long and solid traditions of failures when the country tried to promote itself as a tourist paradise.
A special counter installed in Venice shows that places to sleep for visitors will literally outnumber those for locals in Venice for the first time in the coming weeks or months. Housing activists hope it will finally be a wake up call for the city.
For safety reasons, the mayor of an Italian village struggling with overtourism has banned tourists stopping in certain areas. It is not the only Italian travel hot spot trying new ideas to counter the effects of mass tourism.