by Alessandra Cardone
ROME, May 22 (Xinhua) -- A new digital platform to promote tourism in lesser-known destinations across Italy was launched here on Tuesday.
Officially unveiled at a conference at the ministry of culture and tourism, the "Trame d'Italia" project would offer travelers the lure of "experiential routes" in areas where cultural, historic, and culinary traditions were still strong, and yet still much undiscovered.
"By creating and selling cultural (touristic) routes, we want to boost growth in genuine and little-known Italian areas, and generate sustainable development and employment," promoters said.
Three routes are so far available on the platform: northern Monferrato, Piedmont's vineyard landscape named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; the historic territory of Lunigiana between Liguria and Tuscany regions; and the Brianza in northwest Lombardy.
The plan is to reach 50 routes in nine years, each of them involving a network of managing operators and local affiliated subjects.
"We would like to provide an example of sharing economy, and of convergence between profit and non-profit (subjects)," Trame d'Italia chief executive officer Daniele Rossi said.
The platform resulted from cooperation between several private and public subjects.
Promoted by Milan-based Accenture Italian Foundation, the initiative saw two banks among its partners, as well as Italy's Touring Club, Italian Environmental Fund (FAI), Italian Historic Houses -- another online platform to promote historic dwellings -- and Google, among others.
The CEO further explained in a statement this networking model would hopefully "add value to many precious Italian territories, helping travelers become more aware of their cultural values and, in the end, better citizens".
An English version of the platform to attract foreign tourists is soon to be developed, organizers told Xinhua.
