Gianmarco Mazzi Appointed Italy's New Tourism Minister, Bringing Entertainment Background

On April 3, Gianmarco Mazzi was sworn in as Italy's new Minister of Tourism, following the resignation of Daniela Santanché and a brief interim period under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Mazzi, a deputy from the Fratelli d'Italia party, took the oath at the Quirinale Palace. He holds a law degree with a thesis on public intervention in the entertainment sector. Mazzi is widely recognized for his extensive career in entertainment and cultural management, beginning in 1981 with the founding of the Nazionale Cantanti charity project alongside Mogol and Gianni Morandi. Since 1984, he has been actively involved in television and music, including artistic direction for Adriano Celentano and managing the later career of Dario Fo. He served multiple times as artistic director of the Sanremo Festival and organized the opening ceremony for Expo 2015 in Milan. From 2017 to 2022, he was the artistic director and CEO of the Arena di Verona. Prior to this appointment, Mazzi was Undersecretary at the Ministry of Culture with responsibility for entertainment, working under ministers Gennaro Sangiuliano and Alessandro Giuli. In that role, he advocated for UNESCO recognition of Italian Lyric Singing and promoted the Turismo delle Radici project to enhance small towns. Federculture president Andrea Cancellato expressed support for Mazzi's nomination, citing positive past collaboration and confidence in his ability to link culture with tourism development. Mazzi emphasized tourism as a key pillar of Italy's economy in his post-swearing statement.