Italian Art & Culture Lure Visitors

It’s good to know that the US isn’t the only government that has a “Duh” department pumping out studies and poll results. Italy’s National Research Council says that interest in Italian culture and art is “a major draw” for people visiting Italy. Sorpresa, indeed.

More shocking news:

• Nearly half of the foreign tourists in Italy “are interested in exploring the country’s artistic and cultural heritage,” and a third of Italians share that interest. I want to know what the other half of foreigners are interested in. Wine? Food? What?
• 345 million tourists visited Italy in 2005, and just under one third were foreigners. Which just goes to prove something I’ve said before – you can absolutely be a tourist in your own home.
• The nationalities most likely to visit Italy for cultural reasons are the Germans, Brits, Americans and French.
• Only one fifth of the “cultural tourists” travel south of Rome. In other words, if you want to get away from tourists, go south of Rome.

You really ought to help the folks in the Italian “Duh” department out by getting to Italy and checking out some of that culture and art stuff. Check out these cheap plane tickets and get on your way.