World Cup: An Opportunity to Promote the Teams' Countries
|
 Custom Search
|
In addition to generating all the excitement that we are experiencing in the sport-related media worldwide these days, the World Cup Soccer Championship offers a perfect stage to promote tourism and interest in typical products, culture and way of life of the home countries of the participating teams.
Visiting the Casa Azzurri (translated literally it means Home of the Blues, with reference to the light blue color of the Italian national team jerseys), the Italian soccer team headquarter located south of Pretoria, at first sight one may seem to have landed in a corner of Rome or Milan. International journalists shake their heads and mutter under their breath that the Italians are unable to leave home completely when they travel.
"We've tried to make it as much like Italy as possible so people feel at home," commented Vincenzo Santoro, one Italian barman flown over along with several colleagues especially to pamper the athletes, entourage and, of course, their foreign guests, who are actually the real target of the whole promotional effort.
Italian Soccer Team at the World Cup Championship, South Africa, June 2010
In addition to large photographs of well known Italian landmarks and of successful national soccer team events plastered all over the walls and videos of great Italian soccer players present and past on a constant loop on giant screens, at Casa Azzurri there are team officials, corporate sponsors and Italian journalists who share Italian quality sparkling and red wines, delightful cheeses, signature cold cuts and other typical specialties, in an effort to promote the country as a tourist destination to South African and foreign soccer fans as well.
|
Home • General Index • Contact Us • Search • News • About Us • Site Map |
