International press coverage of Italy this week saw the country receive the thumbs-up as a destination both for pleasure and for business. On the one hand, there were pieces focusing on the delights of the Belpaese or “beautiful country”, showcasing dream destinations like Venice, Amalfi, Sardinia, and so on, while on the other, there was mounting interest in signs pointing to Italy’s economic resurgence. Following on from the positive macroeconomic indications of recent weeks, correspondents’ reports have trusted to the signals coming from the country’s major industrial and financial groups. Two stories in particular attracted press attention: Assicurazioni Generali’s investment plan, which envisages strong earnings growth through expanding sales in Europe, and the agreement struck between the Italian government and the Volkswagen group for production of the new Lamborghini SUV at the company’s Sant’Agata Bolognese plant. Both these cases demonstrate how rewarding internationalization can be, regardless of whether it takes place under the helm of an Italian group, or where the Italian manufacturer in question is controlled by a foreign group.
But while coverage in the global financial pages is important, the value of continued depictions of the country as a “postcard destination” by the international press is not to be underestimated either. In most cases, articles of this ilk did not amount to the usual cliche reports, but rather comprised detailed travel accounts, suggested itineraries targeted at specific audiences, and features on local craftsmanship. The sense given was of contributions being made to a hefty and constantly updated guidebook to Italy, which, while highlighting the country’s art-rich cities and more popular tourist destinations as strengths, does not shy away from also putting forward fresh suggestions and ideas, including recommended locations for property investment.
After two weeks of media exposure, the focus on Expo would seem to be waning. There were some related reports, however, which explored in detail what the various pavilions have to offer, a sign that after having covered the launch of the Expo and Milan’s cultural attractions throughout the six-month duration of the event, there is now room to talk at length on the specific contributions each participating country is making to the food-themed event.
Meanwhile, the Italian agro-food industry made foreign media headlines due to the stock market listing of Massimo Zanetti. The news drew interest because the story encapsulated for international readers Italy’s double appeal: as a purveyor of delights (in this case, coffee), and as a source of business opportunity (namely, that of investing in a newly-listed company on a trajectory of international expansion). But it also demonstrated that top-notch medium-sized firms, despite lacking the size of Assicurazioni Generali or the brand pull of Lamborghini, can still engage the interest of world media audiences.