Attractiveness and promotion of Italy as a tourism destination

The uniqueness and international significance of a country’s resources are important factors in determining its tourism potential. Italy's position as one of the top cultural destinations in the world is highlighted by the high number of unique UNESCO World Heritage sites and extensive offer of museums and similar institutions. It is clear that Italy continues to have a very strong international brand. However, the process of globalisation has led to increased competition, and Italy, like many traditional destinations, must maintain an effective presence in international markets to ensure that products are visible on the global stage. Structural certainty, along with adequate and stable resources, are essential to enable the National Tourism Agency (ENIT) to plan strategically and maintain a continuous and effective presence in priority markets. While regions have responsibility for the development and promotion of tourism, they also cooperate with ENIT on specific promotional campaigns. However, there is evidence to suggest they could more effectively utilise the strong Italian umbrella brand to facilitate access to distant markets. The assessment of marketing and promotional campaigns is an important element of tourism evaluation and, on the whole, Italian tourism promotion is not sufficiently performance-oriented at this time.