Enjoy the Joy of Art in Italy, the Birthplace of Opera

'2023 Italy Workshop' Hosted by Italian Tourism Board
15 Local Tourism Boards and Travel Agencies Participate
Korean Vocalist Park Young-jun's Participation in 'Arena di Verona' Concert Draws Attention

"Polignano, a city with limestone cliffs and rocks facing the blue Adriatic Sea, known as a hidden proposal spot in Europe, offers picturesque scenery. I want to share the beauty of this beach with Korean tourists, comparable to Amalfi and Positano."

A panoramic view of Lama Mona Chile Beach, the most famous spot in Polignano a Mare.
[Photo by Polignano City]

At the '2023 Italy Workshop' hosted by the Italian Tourism Board on the 2nd, Vito Carrieri, mayor of Polignano a Mare, introduced the city's beauty with these words. Polignano, boasting a warm climate all year round, was also ranked first as the 'most beautiful tourist destination' in Booking.com's 2023 global tourist city survey.

Since 2014, the Italian Tourism Board has held the 'Italy Workshop' annually, focusing on B2B consultation programs to develop the travel industry between Korea and Italy. This year's event gathered 15 local tourism offices including Polignano City, Arena di Verona Opera Festival, and the Sicily Regional Government Tourism Department, along with railway authorities, hotels, and travel agencies, facilitating various networking opportunities for exchanging the latest local information and aiding product development and collaboration.

During the event, an 'Arena di Verona Mini Concert' was held after the exchange program, drawing participants' attention. On stage were Korean baritone Park Young-jun, active in Europe, soprano Lavinia Vini, winner of the Renata Tebaldi International Competition, and pianist Gerardo Felisati, who is skilled in both vocal and conducting fields, delivering moving performances from operas La Traviata and Rigoletto.

The Italian Tourism Board held the 'Workshop Italy 2023' event on the 2nd at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. Andrea Compagnucci, Marketing Manager of the Arena di Verona Opera Festival.
Photo by Heeyoon Kim

Andrea Compagnucci, marketing manager of the Arena di Verona Opera Festival, said, "About 2,000 Korean audiences attend Arena performances annually, highlighting the great potential of the Korean market that loves music, which brought us to visit Korea this time." He introduced, "Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the death of world-renowned Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, and the 101st 'Arena di Verona' festival will feature various Puccini tribute performances." He added, "Verona, located between Milan and Venice, is an accessible city of love, known as the city of Romeo and Juliet."

An official from the Italian Tourism Board explained about the Arena, "The Arena, symbolizing Verona, is an ancient Roman amphitheater, boasting the third-largest scale after Rome's Colosseum and Santa Maria Capua Vetere near Naples." Built in the 1st century for gladiator matches, the Arena could accommodate all of Verona's citizens at the time (15,000 to 20,000 people) and is still in operation today.

There was also a session introducing Italy's representative attractions. Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, means 'white marble' and is located at the crossroads connecting Europe and Africa. It has become a rich and diverse cultural treasure trove as most of the powers that ruled ancient civilizations and the Middle Ages passed through here.

Giacone Marcello, tourism officer of the Sicily Regional Government, said, "This year, Sicily has seen more tourists than before COVID-19," adding, "Interest is high, with charter flights arriving from Korea as well."

The main event of 'Italy Workshop 2023' at the Arena di Verona stage.
[Photo by Italian Tourism Organization]

Puglia, located on the Salento Peninsula shaped like the heel of the Italian peninsula, is a region boasting spectacular coastlines along the Adriatic, Aegean, and Ionian Seas. Alberobello, representing this area with the highest olive production in Italy, means 'beautiful tree' and is a fairy-tale-like village nestled among vast olive groves.

Francesco Muciacasia, director of the Puglia Tourism Board, said, "The number of tourists visiting Puglia recently has surpassed pre-COVID-19 levels, and Korean tourists are gradually increasing." He introduced, "Although Puglia is not yet well known in Asia including Korea, it is a world-class resort where global stars such as Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Hikaru Utada have held their weddings."

Kim Bo-young, head of the Italian Tourism Board Korea office, said, "It is a great honor to introduce Italy's attractions including Arena di Verona to Korea," and added, "I hope people visit Italy to enjoy beautiful opera, scenery, and cuisine."

Emilia Gatto, Italian ambassador to Korea, said, "I hope Korean tourists visiting Italy will watch performances at the world-famous opera theater Arena di Verona and visit the beautiful city of Verona," expressing, "I wish for active cultural exchanges between Korea and Italy through Arena di Verona."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.