Great Italian Destinations for Sustainable Tourism
The GDITS Network (Great Italian Destinations for Sustainable Tourism) was founded in 2013 and thanks to the investment of the Ministry of Tourism it was relaunched and promoted nationwide in 2023. It currently consists of the five major Italian tourist destinations:
Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples.
Over time, sustainable tourism has acquired a central role within the five major Italian destinations and there is a growing need on the part of municipal administrations to find a balance between the economic, social and cultural benefits that tourism brings, and the sustainability of the environment, artistic resources, and local culture.
The Network's primary objective is to improve the competitiveness and tourist reception of the major Italian destinations, with an eye on sustainability, through the exchange of best practices, the continuous sharing of information, and the development of targeted strategies and projects. This implies the involvement of local institutions and businesses, the enhancement and respect for traditions and artistic and cultural heritage, the encouragement of responsible tourism (through appropriate awareness campaigns), and the adoption of policies and regulations that favour the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the tourism sector.
The GDITS Network therefore aims at achieving a harmonious balance between tourism development and the preservation of the artistic, cultural and natural heritage, so that both visitors and citizens can continue to enjoy the authentic and unique wealth that each of these cities has to offer.
Milan
This project has the goal of contributing to the sustainable fruition of Milan as a destination through the creation of new experiential itineraries all around the city. With their targeted promotion, we intend to play an active role in enticing visitors during traditionally less attractive times of the year, when the city is not at its busiest. At the same time, through the proposal of new attractions and new itineraries, we intend to foster a quantitative and qualitative expansion of Milan’s offer as a destination, as we suggest engaging alternative experiences to the usually visited and often congested central areas of the city. At the same time, we are trying to provide visitors with a polycentric proposal of the city, highlighting lesser-known neighbourhoods as well.
Venice
Thanks to the “Great Destinations for Sustainable Tourism” project funded by the Italian Ministry of Tourism, a new international communication campaign “Ma xe vero che” (“Is it true that”) was launched in 2024 to provide information on the Access Fee as well as the online booking system for the city of Venice. To promote and disseminate the campaign, the people of Venice were also involved through the press, radio and TV (more than 2,000 hits), the web (around 245,000 users reached) and social media (more than 19 million impressions). “Ma xe vero che” is supported by the 2017 campaign promoted by the City for the sustainable management of tourist flows: #EnjoyRespectVenezia, which has also renewed its logo for this purpose.
Florence
Florence is one of the world's best-loved cities, its historic centre declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. A city of a thousand faces, Florence is infused with art in every aspect: palaces, churches and museums decant the history of these places, while the tasty wine and food tradition, the prestigious craftsmanship and the magnificent Tuscan countryside tell of the deep bond with the territory and its fruits.
It is within this setting that the "Enjoy, Respect & Feel Florence" project, financed within the framework of the Ministry of Tourism's Development and Cohesion Plan, was set up to implement sustainable management of the city. Promoting a lesser-known Florence, improving the tourist experience and decongesting the spots and times of the year when pressure is most evident.
Rome
"Unexpected Itineraries of Rome" is Roma Capitale's project to promote new ways of visiting Rome other than the traditional tourist routes. The aim of the project is to promote seven unique itineraries that unveil hidden and surprising aspects of the Capital, mixing nature, history and street art. As part of the "Great Italian Destinations for Sustainable Tourism" network, the project aims to delocalise the flow of visitors from the historic centre and enhance little-known areas, creating ever-changing opportunities to explore Rome. "Unexpected Itineraries of Rome" aims to concretely counteract overtourism and avoid tourist overcrowding in the historic centre. A more widespread and quality tourism not only enriches the perceived heritage of Rome, but also makes every visit a unique opportunity to experience the eternally fascinating city of Rome.
Naples
Naples welcomes its visitors with its vibrant, friendly, eccentric, and intense personality. Its vast and colourful historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. However, the growing pressure of tourism risks affecting both the visitor experience and the city's overall liveability. In collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, and as part of the “Great Destinations for Sustainable Tourism” (“Grandi destinazioni per un turismo sostenibile”) programme included in the Tourism Development and Cohesion Plan (Piano Sviluppo e Coesione Turismo), the city aims to promote a more responsible and conscious approach to tourism. The strategy for sustainable tourism management focuses on redistributing visitor flows from the city centre to the surrounding hills, relieving congestion in the busiest streets while encouraging exploration of lesser known but equally fascinating and unique neighbourhoods.
