tourism-italia.com

According to an article in yesterdays Los Angeles Times, there is a humongous gap between the most popular tourist attractions in Italy and the least. The lowest-ranking museum was the National Royal Palace Museum in Pisa, with only 299 visitors in a year! Considering the Leaning Tower of Pisa is in the same town, it is a great travesty that the museum can not capitalise on its fame. There needs to be less shuttling in of tourists and instead they should be allowed to walk around and enjoy the other attractions that Pisa has to offer. I would not be surprised if there were many more museums and tourist attractions suffering a similar fate all over Italy. But how can we change the way that travel firms operate their businesses? Maybe if more people knew that the National Royal Palace Museum was in Pisa, then they would want to visit it. However, I doubt many people are aware that there is anything in Pisa but the Leaning Tower.

Three more Italian sites have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List after a meeting in Canada. This means that Mantova, Sabbioneta and the Retica Railway have now been added to the list of 43 sites which are protected in Italy. Another 19 sites worldwide were also added, including the Temple of Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Stari Grad Plain in Croatia. I’m sure there are many more sites in Italy which need to be protected, but at least it’s a step in the right direction!

The continually poor conditions at the ruins of Pompeii are finally being addressed by Silvio Berlusconi’s new government. It is a great shame that one of the worlds most important cultural sites has been so badly maintained over the years. For such a well-known tourist attraction, there are currently no restaurants and only 3 toilets, with so-called ‘parking wardens’ running loose and unregulated. Berlusconi will appoint a special commissioner to resolve the issues at the Pompeii site, which in recent years has suffered from falling visitor numbers. I congratulate Mr. Berlusconi on being the person to stand up and finally do something to preserve the cultural experience of such an important heritage site.

I personally have never heard of Bergamo, but apparently it is the hidden gem of the Alps. This is because it has long been overshadowed by its more prestigious and famous neighbour Milan.
However, more and more budget airlines are now flying to Bergamo due its close proximity to Milan and more people are discovering its beauty and history. But with more publicity will Bergamo stay a hidden gem forever? Or will Bergamo end up like busy Milan and its new fame turn into a double-edged sword? Apparently it has been traditionally marketed by the local tourist board as a destination for hiking and cycling but was once a spa resort for rich Europeans in the early 20th century. Only time will tell whether the new publicity surrounding Bergamo will change it, for good or bad.

Fancy going to Valle d’Aosta? Well if you’re stressed enough then the advertising company Saatchi & Saatchi will send you there! The Tourist, Sport, Commerce and Transports Administration Office of the Valle d’Aosta Autonomic Region want to attract more tourists to the area and through teaming up with Saatchi & Saatchi they want to promote the area as a peaceful idyll where you will not be worried by stress. So from October 1st until December 31st 2007 Saatchi & Saatchi are running an online competition called “My Stress Awards” where entrants can write how stressful their lives are and the website’s users will then vote on who they think deserves to win. It’s that simple! So if you feel like you’re having a particularly stressful day then why don’t you log on and have a go?