Genova?s tourism minister Castellano at the seminar. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Marvel at the splendid Palladian villas of Vicenza, trek the marble quarries and the ?wine tale? of Cinque Terre, sip wine with cheese and sopressa at a roadside Trattoria in gorgeous Genova or figure out why Rome bewitched Hollywood?

In a novel roadshow ? ?Italy, one jewel, many facets? ? the Mediterranean nation on Monday aggressively wooed tourists from Calcutta, showcasing its strengths as a ?complete vacation destination?. Organised by the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ENIT ? the Italian state tourist board ? the tourism seminar was part of Festa Italiana 2005.

Representatives of various tourist zones of Italy presented their cases, stringing together engaging vignettes ? from hilltop villages to scenic lakes, food and fashion to alluring beaches, baroque architecture to contemporary couture.

History and culture are key connects the Italian state tourist board wants to stress. ?Italy houses more than 60 per cent of the Unesco world heritage sites and that alone would be a big draw for Calcuttans, who love their history,? Salvatore Ianniello, representative of ENIT in India, told Metro.

Thirteen Italian tour-organising companies and hoteliers hawked packages and destinations, as nearly 70 tour operators from the city participated in the workshop and one-on-one parleys following the video presentations.

?There has been a 20 per cent increase in tourist traffic to Italy from eastern India in the past five years and we are doing whatever we can to simplify visa procedures to give the flow a further boost,? said Agostino Pinna, Italian consul-general in Calcutta.

ENIT says the number of Indians travelling to Italy has doubled from 70,000 in 1999 to 140,000 last year.

Not just the routine route of Rome-Florence-Venice-Pisa, even lesser-known places like Vicenza, Verona, Ischia and Genova registered loud beeps on the rambler?s radar with their characteristic charm.

?We are an alluring region, locked between sea and mountain, and we are home to one of Italy?s oldest football clubs,? smiled Anna Castellano, minister for tourism, Genova.

Five years ago, it was ?impossible to speak of Italy as a solo destination, but now we can think of doing a mini-guide dedicated to Italy?, felt Ianniello. City tour operators agreed interest about Italy is on the rise. ?Summer and Puja are the two peaks and Rome and Venice remain the preferred points,? observed J.T. Ramnani of Vensimal World Travel.

?We have notched a 40 per cent rise in tourist traffic to Italy over last year. However, better packages can be worked out if there are direct flights out of Calcutta,? said Indrajit Sarkar of Voyagers Club Tours.

Pinna concurred that the lack of direct flights from the city is a deterrent. ?It's a void that could be filled in future, but as far as Alitalia is concerned, I?m not aware of any immediate plans on Calcutta,? he said.