ENIT and WeChat come together to promote Italy on the Chinese market
PRESS RELEASE
ENIT AND WECHAT COME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE ITALY ON THE CHINESE MARKET
STRATEGIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH CHINA'S LEADING DIGITAL PLATFORM THAT HAS 1.3 BILLION SUBSCRIBERS
COMING SOON: A VIDEO GAME DEDICATED TO VENUS AND CHINESE INFLUENCERS TO PROMOTE THE ITALY BRAND
New tourism agreements between Italy and China. The Italian tourist board (ENIT) and WeChat, the leading digital platform on the Chinese market, have signed a strategic agreement to exponentially increase the visibility of promotional content about Italy, thus helping to boost travel to the Italian Peninsula. 'Welcome with Weixin Alliance' is the title of the event that sealed the agreement between the Italian National Tourism Agency and China's most important and widespread digital platform, with 1.3 billion active users and a host of functions that make it indispensable for all Chinese citizens and anyone located in China.
Organised in Rome by Tencent in collaboration with ENIT, the event was attended by the Hon Gianluca Caramanna, Council Member of the Ministry of Tourism, Ivana Jelinic, CEO of ENIT, and Ma Fengming, General Manager of International Marketing at WeChat. The signing of this strategic agreement marks the beginning of a journey of collaboration to be presented through multiple super-tech promotional initiatives (including a video game dedicated to Venus, virtual influencer of the ‘Open to Meraviglia’ campaign), riding the wave of the WeChat app’s near-universal uptake on the Chinese market.
In addition to the video game, ENIT and WeChat are set to launch a live-streaming programme featuring Chinese influencers who will tour Italy and produce content designed to promote Italian tourist destinations and attractions.
For several years now, ENIT has been implementing digital marketing activities alongside WeChat, placing Italy in pole position among European destinations at the start of 2023 for national brand effectiveness in the Chinese online ecosystem. WeChat is the perfect partner for sharing innovative content on Italian destinations and attractions since Chinese people use WeChat for all their everyday tasks, from interpersonal communication to payments, holiday bookings and online shopping. In the tourism sector, WeChat is a key tool for promoting the ENIT strategy at all stages of the tourism experience: inspiration, information-gathering, booking, in-destination services and post-travel sharing.
'This is a historic day for Italian tourism. WeChat is undoubtedly a key communication tool, and this partnership will make it possible to exponentially multiply the sharing of content on Italian beauty across the Chinese market. Technological innovation has transformed the way people plan and experience their travels. Through the ENIT channels on WeChat, Chinese travellers will be able to discover the wonders of this beautiful country and share their experiences in real time’, explains Ivana Jelinic, Chair and CEO of ENIT.
‘This is just the beginning of a partnership whose aim is to make Italy an even more welcoming and accessible tourist destination for Chinese visitors. We will continue to explore the potential of new technologies in order to enhance travel experiences and promote the culture, history and beauty of our country,' comments the Hon Gianluca Caramanna, Councillor to the Minister for Tourism, Daniela Santanchè.
Francesca Cicatelli
ENIT Press Office
Phone: +39 06 4971 480