TOURISTS IN ROME BACK TO 2007 PEAKS. BUT ROME CHANGES FACE TO TARGET NEW TRAVELERS

TOURISTS IN ROME BACK TO 2007 PEAKS

TOURISTS IN ROME BACK TO 2007 PEAKS. BUT ROME CHANGES FACE TO TARGET NEW TRAVELERS

Financial meltdown, economic slump, subprime crisis? All of these words seem to belong to the past for the tourism industry in Rome.

According to Mauro Cutrufo, Rome's Vicemayor, the city's highest-ranking Tourism official, Italy's capital this year will post an increase of 1 million visits from 2009 and a 400,000 unit rise is expected in 2011. Chinese tourists leapt by a staggering 400% so far, while the more mature markets of the US and Japan saw a rise of 14% in 2010. "This means that the average 2010 volumes will be the same as the end-of-2007 peaks," Cutrufo said.

Nonetheless, Cutrufo is not satisfied with the 14 million tourists Rome had this year, he aims to reach Paris and London's levels with new ideas. Arts, culture and religion, the leaders of tourism in Rome, are not enough for Italy's capital. The city of Rome wants to increase the number of travelers with a Second District of attractions in the southern suburb of EUR and along the coast. These sights will have nothing to do with churches and archeological ruins so to attract new travelers and those who have already been to Rome but would only make another visit to experience something completely new.

Besides the big targets a Formula 1 race in Rome by 2013 and the Olympic Games of 2020, Rome is building recreation and green parks, new golf clubs, expanded congress and fair events, and improved yachting and sailing facilities should boost alternative tourism: travelers who are not particularly interested in ancient monuments and churches, and those who have already been to Rome and would only make another visit to experience something completely new.

These are the projects whose works are in the most advanced stage.

Devoted to the biodiversity of the Mediterranean See, Rome's aquarium will be inaugurated in the second half of 2011. Located in EUR's artificial lake, actually beneath the water level, Mediterraneum was already in the mind of Piacentini, Italy's master architect, who designed the whole EUR area in the 1940s. The Civilt del Lavoro Palace, EUR's most iconic building was inaugurated in 1940, therefore it just needs some renovation and adaptations to host MI, the permanent exposition of the "Made in Italy" products that make "Italian" synonym of the highest quality, from fashion to industrial design. And a huge "Cloud" will mark the skyline of Rome after its completion in 2012. Rome's new congress center Nuvola, with an auditorium able to seat 1850 people, will have under its ceiling a 32 meters high, 75 meters wide and 198 meters long floating cloud, nuvola in italian.

In the meanwhile, the city is trying to increase the number of tourists by tapping emerging markets such as Brasil, China and India. A very hard task since there is only one direct flight to each of these countries from Rome's intercontinental airport Fiumicino-Leonardo Da Vinci.

The idea that Rome is not only composed of the Vatican and the Colosseum also inspires BuzzInRome, the only travel blog written in English by locals but conceived for international tourists, with all the latest info and updated news to enjoy the city at the fullest.

The website aims to take Rome's guide books to a different level, providing timely information for instance about the recent opening of a new museum or restaurant, the extension of an interesting exhibition for you and your kids, the details of your favourite singer's upcoming concert. Conveying the atmosphere of Rome's life, the most fashionable trends and recent developments, it will help tourists enjoy the Roman lifestyle, "la dolce vita", even if they are just staying for a few days.

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