Italy. The Ministry of Tourism is now without an incumbent. Giorgia Meloni sacrificed Daniela Santanchè (see ill.) who refused to resign despite repeated controversies and a legal storm which continued to grow. It was also to be targeted by a motion of censure. The bitter disavowal, suffered by the government during the referendum on justice on March 22 and 23, precipitated the departure of the woman who was nicknamed “la Pitonessa” (the female python). Impossible, in fact, to leave the extravagant and controversial Minister of Tourism in her post, targeted by numerous legal investigations concerning irregularities linked to her companies.
Famous for her escapades, Daniela Santanchè is just as famous for her atypical positions and her provocative and aggressive statements. Before entering the political arena, this businesswoman built, at the dawn of the 1990s, a marketing agency which established itself as an essential reference in events and public relations. Accused of aggravated fraud against the National Institute of Social Security (INPS) concerning the management of partial unemployment funds during the pandemic, and forgery in accounting entries, her position had become untenable. Despite her constant and vehement denial, the minister was forced to resign on March 25 to avoid further weakening the executive.
A controversial tourism policy
His time at the Ministry of Tourism will remain marked by controversial communication campaigns. We will particularly remember “Open to Meraviglia”, which transformed the Venus of Botticelli as a virtual “influencer”. If the idea was to modernize the image of Italy, the high cost of this campaign aroused ridicule and criticism both from professionals in the sector and from a large part of public opinion. Its detractors especially highlight a lack of structural vision, often favoring events to the detriment of long-term planning to promote transalpine tourism.
This ministry is almost more economic than cultural for the peninsula. It represents approximately 13% of the national GDP. With a turnover of almost 240 billion euros last year and more than 3.2 million jobs, the sector has become the main engine of a stagnant Italian economy. Historically, Tourism has often been attached to the Ministry of Culture (MiC) explaining the addition of a final T. This separation is also recent and claimed by Giorgia Meloni. It aimed to give tourism a more “industrial” and commercial dimension. The challenge remains to find the balance: economically exploit an ever-increasing flow of visitors without distorting or weakening the historical and artistic treasures which make Italy one of the countries with the greatest number of UNESCO sites. By assuming the interim role, the President of the Council reaffirms the importance of this ministry and procrastinates to find a successor capable of maintaining political balance within her coalition.
