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Venice: brought to you by Coca-Cola
Venice has always been a huge tourist draw. This city of majestic canals, picturesque medieval architecture and serenading gondoliers has long attracted visitors from near and far for its historic beauty and aesthetic charms. In fact Venice hosted nearly 20 million visitors in 2008, an increase of more than 30%.Yet all is not well in this visitor-friendly Italian tourism magnet - in addition to severe flooding problems this past December, the city is threatened by crumbling architecture and severe budget deficits which make restoration difficult. In order to provide funding for much-needed restoration, the city recently signed a $2.7 million dollar deal that made Coca-Cola an official city sponsor. The deal reportedly includes over 60 Coke vending machines spread across historic city, including the venerable St. Mark's Square.
What's the big deal, you might say? It's just a couple vending machines. And yes, in the grand scheme of things, there are worse problems than having to sponsor a monument or a city - it will ensure Venice is around for future generations. But still, for a a unique one-of-a-kind city like Venice, renowned the world over for its beauty and charm, the dire circumstances that forced this situation are troubling. It cheapens the city's cultural heritage and suggests that such landmarks are nothing more than objects, waiting to be bought and sold. Not to mention the vending machines add a new eyesore to a city known for beautiful preservation of its historic buildings.
Still for the cash-poor Italian government, this may be one of the only options for Venice's continued sustainability. Expect to see more of this sort of sponsorship deal in the future...
Filed under: Business, Europe, Italy, News, Consumer Activism
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bruno Feb 24th 2009 5:45PM
Are you seriously arguing that it's better for the historic living city to fall into ruin and poverty rather than to preserve it by it accepting money from a private company? It's better this cultural treasure disapear rather than Coke profit from it's survival? You mystify me. Do you drink only tap water when you travel to stop other beverage companies from supporting local economies?
Jeremy Kressmann Feb 24th 2009 5:53PM
Hey Bruno, I don't think I'm suggesting that at all. To the contrary I think it's of the utmost importance that Venice preserve these landmarks for future generations.
If Coke is the only option, so be it, let's do it to save this great city. I think that's stated in my post here. But at the same time, where's the Italian government in all this? Or what about putting a small tax on tourists who visit and stay in hotel rooms?
Bruno Feb 24th 2009 7:01PM
I'm saying I don't see what the downside is here. Venice is historic yes -but it's a living city not a set of ruins and asking it remain unchanged like a history theme park for our entertainment seems unrealistic. As well making the Italian tax payer support another city which can't support itself seems grossly unjust. Already most of the people employed in Venice can't afford to live there and with tourism already in decline adding a tourist tax seems unlikely to help the city. Frankly I applaud Coke, they've kept numerous festivals alive around the world (the Calgary Stampede to name one) Helped rebuild New Orleans and resurrect Mardi Gras and now they're working to save Venice. Sure it helps their bottem line but the end result benefit us travellers and our children. I don't begrudge them some money for stepping in where public funding fails.
Joe Feb 25th 2009 8:25AM
Jeremy, I have to agree with Bruno. At this point Venice is impractical as a city. The hotels have driven the majority of habitants out leaving just the tourist and the rich. And a city that isn't alive is little more than a museum piece to be bought and sold, as you say. When talking to people that visit Venice I rarely hear about the Venetians. Paris, London, New York, and Rome don't have this problem. You cant talk about those places without talking about the inhabitants. While I think buildings are nice to look at they only make up a small part of the culture.
I hope the mayor of Venice charges an admission fee to tourist. It would make people realize what it is, an oddity or an amusement park. They were so determined to preserve their culture that the people finally walked out. They have done nothing to address the housing problems. And now that the tax base is gone tourism and sponsorship is their few, remaining options. Coca-Cola is sponsoring now, but what will they do 5 or 10 years from now?